How Russian DJ Julia Govor Found 'Open Possibility' in New York | Village Voice

How Russian DJ Julia Govor Found 'Open Possibility' in New York | Village Voice



HOW RUSSIAN DJ JULIA GOVOR FOUND 'OPEN POSSIBILITY' IN NEW YORK





When Julia Govor moved to New York three years ago, her reasoning was simple. "Love," she answers on a recent video call. She repeats the word: "Love."



Govor, who is from Russia, met her husband, producer and composer Kamran Saghedi, at a festival in Europe. He was the only guy on the dance floor wearing sunglasses at night. "I thought, this is so rare," she recalls. When they first started dating, Govor was still based in Moscow. Eventually, they set up a home base in Berlin. However, when Govor's visa expired, she was unable to renew it, so, they headed to New York. Govor recalls the advice Saghedi gave here upon moving, "My husband told me, 'Julia, when you're going to move to New York, you have to have your goal because you can get lost very easily,'" she says. 



She took that advice and, in just a few years, New York ignited Govor's career. "I've never been so productive," she says. She unleashed the solo track "Litmus" early in 2015 and has also worked on collaborative projects with other artists, including Synchronized Swimming with Saghedi. And she sounds smitten with New York as she mentions "the most beautiful and cool looking people" she sees while riding the L train from her East Village home. "It's so intense to be here," she says, "but in terms of creativity and energy of the people and possibilities, it's such a great thing."