THE ICONIC - ODA HALITI

I always make it known that we have incredibly talented artists—not just by Albanian standards, but at a level that competes globally. Even though people in the Albanian-speaking world often undervalue them, having lived abroad for nearly three decades and worked in the music industry all this time, I feel confident in saying this.

The only thing our artists really lack is originality. A missing, well-established music industry, the absence of record labels and management, the pressure to follow global trends, and limited professional training are all factors behind this. Oda Haliti is one of the few Albanian artists who truly stands out for her uniqueness. In every part of her career, Oda is simply Oda — iconic and unmatched. The most successful Albanian DJ says she never planned to become a DJ; in a way, DJing found her. And honestly, we’re glad it did. Oda’s personal and professional life is full of remarkable moments. At just 23, she became the first female owner of a venue in Prishtina, fighting to keep it open despite repeated fines simply because she was a woman. At a time when young people in Prishtina were searching for safe spaces to relax and be themselves, her venue, ‘Gegë,’ gave them exactly that. Those were the times when artists came together, exchanging and experiencing moments—directly or indirectly—that ultimately shaped their individuality and helped form their distinctive artistic identity. At the end of the day, every piece of art is personal — and if you haven’t lived enough, you have nothing of yourself to put into it, which is why so much art today feels generalized. From music festivals like Berlin Beats, to contemporary art biennials such as Autostrada Biennale and Manifesta x Hapësira, art fairs like Art Basel, museums including Weltmuseum and Kunstgewerbemuseum, fashion events like Berlin Fashion Week, and some of the world’s most iconic clubs like Berghain, Oda has built more than just a diverse career — she has created an artistic persona that is truly ICONIC.

Where are you at the moment and what are you currently working on?

At the moment, I’m in Berlin. Mostly in the studio, working on new productions and focusing on those small details that usually go unnoticed, but in the end make all the difference. I’m also organizing and finalizing preparations for the 2026 tour.

You started your involvement in music as a hobby, but about 15 years later, you are now definitively one of the most successful Albanian DJs. What have been some of the most important moments of these 15 years in your career?

Thank you very much for the appreciation. Since I’ve been active for 15 years, it’s truly difficult to separate the “most important” moments, because there have been many, and each one came at the right time. However, some performances that genuinely gave momentum and international exposure to my work are undoubtedly: Art Basel (Nordstern), Berghain, Hamburger Bahnhof – Berlin Beats, Boiler Room, Manifesta Biennial x Hapësira, St. Aegidien Church, Berlin Fashion Week, Weltmuseum, Kunstgewerbemuseum, etc. I like the fact that many of these spaces are not just clubs, but art institutions. That’s where a beautiful collision happens between electronic/experimental music and cultural context — and that’s where I feel at home.

It may sound like a very cliché question, but how did you feel when you performed at Berghain? I mean… it’s one of the most famous clubs in the world, if not the most famous, and I’m not sure whether other Albanian DJs have performed there. Were you the first?

I performed together with Andrra and Galuche, two Albanian artists from Kosova, born and raised in Germany, while I was coming from Prishtina. That dynamic in itself was very special and carried a lot of weight for me. Without a doubt, it was one of the most important professional experiences of my career. I knew I would experience something different there, and that was definitely the contact with their sound system. I will never forget the moment of the first track when I played it on the Function-One sound system at Berghain. I was enjoying the music even more because of the way it sounded. That’s where you truly understand what “the power of sound” really means. My set was scheduled to last two hours, but it ended up going on for five full hours because the crowd wouldn’t let me finish. I remember that before that gig I was extremely stressed, nervous, with zero expectations. I absolutely didn’t expect to be received so well or for the event to turn out such a success. Berghain is not just a club — it’s an experience. And yes, performing there elevated my profile as an artist to a higher level.

This year, electronic music in the Albanian scene (Albania/Kosovo) has seen many new releases and emerging talents, in the sense that artists are no longer just making remixes like in previous years, but creating original productions. If you compare it to the time when you first started DJing, how much have things changed in this genre?

It has definitely changed, but not as much as I would have liked, to be honest. When I started playing music professionally in 2010, remixes were dominant; today, there are undoubtedly more and more original productions, and that is a positive development. However, I would like to see more courage, more risk-taking, and less copying. And more identity. Music that tells a story, not just something that is merely entertaining. When that happens more often, then we can talk about a real maturity of the scene.

You are also a well-known human rights activist and have been recognized in Prishtina for the activities you organized at your venue, Gegë, which served as a “safe space” for oppressed and marginalized individuals. Is Albanian society more accepting and tolerant in 2025?

Yes, Gegë was my first venue, which I opened in 2010. During the day it functioned as a café-bar; in the evenings it transformed into a mini-club. At that time, events were not organized in bars — only in clubs. What was happening at Gegë was something new: the club transforming into a bar space where all kinds of events were welcomed with great curiosity and love by the public. That’s where I understood that the youth of Prishtina were eager for creative, innovative, educational events. At that time, it was still taboo for women to work in bars, let alone run one. I was very young, completely unprepared for the super aggressive battle I would have with patriarchy in Kosovo. I was the only woman; the entire staff were men. Women were not accepted to work in bars.Gradually, through educational and cultural activities, the space began to become inclusive, where not only women started working at Gegë, but also other marginalized individuals. Gegë truly became a space where everyone felt connected to one another and safe. Of course, today there is visible progress — all these years have passed — but tolerance is not linear. From time to time, I see steps forward and steps backward, both in Kosovo and Albania. That’s why I don’t like progress to be romanticized, because it often masks loss as victory and calls development something that, at its core, is exclusion. However, I want to emphasize that there are major positive movements in gastronomy and beyond, because today there are many active women leading and managing venues, and every day there are more women who are DJs and producers. This change, this fact, gives me life. It makes me very happy.

Have you ever thought about reopening Gegë?

Not as a venue, but as a concept, Gegë Promotion continues to function through cultural, artistic, and activist projects. Gegë is still in motion…

Many of the artists you worked with and hung out with at that time— yourself included — are now well-known and successful figures in the Albanian music scene. What do you think was the common factor behind that success?

I think it was passion, discipline, work ethic, long-term dedication, and a sincere love for music. No shortcuts, no illusions — just big dreams.

You have mentioned Violeta, Armend, and Aida among your early Albanian artistic inspirations… Love them! Do you remember “Nëse je DJ?” — HA! If you ever played a reworked version in a set, or “Vetëm jam që tetë net” by Aida, it would be fantastic!

Yes, I always say they have influenced me greatly — not only musically, but also aesthetically. From them I learned that an artist must be a complete package on stage: talented, bold, self-aware, and authentic. And yes, I have always mixed their songs into my sets. Fun fact: they always work. Because real music — the kind that withstands time — is timeless.

I have to say that you’ve always had a very cool sense of style! I’m thinking of visiting Kosovo soon — which local designers would you recommend I check out?

Oh, thank you so much! In fact, I’ve always styled myself naturally, everywhere — and I still do. But it’s also true that I collaborate with, support, and truly appreciate many local designers who are fantastic. Some of them have even managed to break through internationally, thanks to their hard work and dedication. In any case, I’ll list a few designers from Kosovo and Albania whose work I deeply value: Laura Imami, Fight or Flight, Tu-Ti Atelier, Lirika Matoshi, Yllka Brada, Krenare Rugova, Flutra Dedinja, Studio Njomzë, Pristine Original, Maet, Era Bajo, Flaka Jahaj, Jori Papa, and many others. There is a very interesting generation building a contemporary local and international identity, and that truly makes me happy.

This year, I’ve been obsessed with “Lali.” So effin’ amazing! I also have this thing where, when I really love a song, a kind of video automatically starts forming in my head. While listening to “Lali,” I imagined being a child on a train with my parents, heading to the beach — the chaos of the station, passing under tall trees, the sea, the hotel, the first steps on the sand, my parents’ smiles, my mother’s blue floral dress… It made me curious to know: what’s the story behind the creation of “Lali”?

I’m so deeply touched whenever I hear how much “Lali” is being loved. Thank you so much! I dedicated the track “Lali” to my father, whom I lost in June 2024. After he passed, my brother showed me a video where my dad was talking about my fans and electronic music, comparing them to dervishes. “They’re a kind of dervish,” he had said. His perspective — the connection he drew between techno and dervishes — deeply provoked and moved me. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. A few months later, I performed at St. Aegidien Church in Lübeck for the 100th anniversary of The Magic Mountain by the great German author Thomas Mann. It was an incredibly emotional moment. While I was performing, I felt my father’s presence there the entire time. The grandeur and acoustics of the church made the emotion I was experiencing even more powerful. Not many people know — except my closest circle — that my very first contact with music was through gospel music. As a child, I often went to a Protestant church, where I also learned to play my first instrument, the guitar. Church music has had a profound influence on my formation as an artist. To perform in a church like St. Aegidien, and for such a prestigious event dedicated to Thomas Mann, was one of the most beautiful and inspiring experiences I have ever had. The next day, back in Berlin, I sat down to write — and “Lali” came out on its own. No plan, no calculation. The only thing I knew was that I needed to release everything I had been feeling during those months, during those specific days. Yes, I’m continuously working on new material and projects, and I hope they will move you just as much.

And from what I’ve read, you’ve been working on an EP. Is it still in the plans and, if so, when will it be released?

You’ve read correctly. Yes, I’m working on an EP with Red Section label in Berlin, and I truly hope that, despite the tours I have planned, I will release the EP this year. This EP will perhaps be the most accurate reflection so far of the complexity of my music.

I have DJ friends who tell the strangest stories. Have you ever experienced anything during your performances that surprised or shocked you?

Of course, I have many such stories — some of the strangest — but I believe they have made me even stronger as a woman in the electronic scene, an industry that has historically been male-dominated. A feminist track that I’ve been playing for years has often brought very unusual reactions, even extreme ones, including two physical attacks. In one case, in Tirana, while I was playing the track, a man came onto the stage and tried to forcibly stop the set; in another case, in Prishtina, someone threw ice at my face and equipment in an attempt to stop the music and remove me from the stage. But in neither case did I stop the music. And I never will in such situations.

What are three things you should never ask a DJ ?

Don’t talk to the DJ before the set.

Don’t request songs during the set.

Don’t start a conversation with the DJ during the set.

When’s your next performance in Tirana? We’ll make sure not to do any of the three things mentioned above :P

Hahaha, I believe you’re one of those who already knows these rules without them being written. I’ll be in Tirana very soon, and the invitation will definitely come. The dates for my 2026 tour will be announced soon. I hope it all goes successfully, and I can’t wait to enjoy the year with all of you!

Intervistoi: Elbino.