AIDEN
Victoria’s Real Secret
The Princess of Techno
それはテクノのプリンセス
Hair Daniel Martin using EVO · Make Up Laisum Fung using Rodial Beauty
Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Georgette Oley · Video DRK.LDN
Fashion Assistant Antoni Jankowski · Production Alexandra Thompson
Words, Interview & Casting Christopher McCrory
Shot on location in Fuerteventura
AI♥DEN
Without question, Aiden Curtiss is a dynamic force, cultivated simultaneously in the fashion and music industry. Originally rising to fame as an ‘angel’ (we still think so), Aiden certainly is a statuesque creature synonymous with the Victoria’s Secret brand.
No irony there then, that she is the daughter of the late Yves Saint Laurent muse and activist, Katoucha Niane; she inherits so much of her feline beauty and elegance. Bearing a striking resemblance to her ’80s supermodel mom, her features have captivated audiences worldwide and placed her in numerous high-profile campaigns and covers. Not to mention with the continued support and nurturing of her fashion designer father Nigel Curtiss, whom she warmly acknowledges as being the best gift she’s ever received.
However, Aiden’s talents extend far beyond the catwalk. Passionate about music from an early age, knitted into her emotive core and directing her mood, she has seamlessly transitioned into the world of DJing, quickly making a name for herself.
Producing a hard sound with ’90s Speedcore influences and stimuli, her passion for music is unfaltering and resolute to a degree of infatuation. Aiden is known for her ability to blend genres and create an electric atmosphere whilst being a vibrant and galvanic performer.
She has played at some of the most prestigious techno clubs and festivals around the globe as well as being a regular on the Berlin and NYC scene. As a woman of colour, she is fighting and equally dominating her spot in a mostly male occupied cisgender industry, where she wants to be heard, literally and symbolically.
Balancing her dual careers like a dyad, Aiden continues to inspire many with her versatility, creativity, and absolute dedication to her craft. Whether she’s behind the decks or in front of a camera, she brings a ‘sui generis’ style that sets her apart.
Christopher McCrory: Hi Gorgeous, how’s my angel?
Aiden Curtiss: Better for speaking to you. I’ve missed you! What have you been up to? Where are you?
CM: I’m in London, at home, drinking a prosecco and now speaking to you. Living the dream! How about you?
AC: Wouldn’t expect anything less from you – love you for it. Similar to you but DJing and producing some anthems. I’ve just landed in Prague.
CM: Sounds fab, iconic behaviour. Okay. Let’s go. Interview time. So, what led to your transition from being a model to a DJ? And do you believe your modelling background has influenced your career as a DJ in any significant way?
AC: Well, basically, I’ve been producing since I was 15 years old, and I was producing dubstep. That’s a whole other conversation. But I never actually really thought about modelling. I was always kind of like, ‘I want to be a producer.’
CM: Yeah, well you kind of just fell into it as well because of your past, right and obviously you’re fucking gorgeous.
AC: Cause I’m tall, LOL. Yeah, so I don’t, honestly, I don’t think modelling really influenced me, like, creatively, but I do think it influenced me in terms of putting me in different circles that I wouldn’t have been a part of if I just stayed in New York, just producing in my bedroom, you know?
CM: Yeah. Totally. We love a podium to jump off, don’t we?
AC: Ha, we do! I was travelling more and meeting some people, and it helps with that side of things.
CM: Okay, that’s gorgeous, and is there one piece of advice you could give young models and artists starting out that you wish you had been given?
AC: I would say maybe a mix of two things that whatever you want to accomplish, you should be, or you should feel obsessed with achieving your goal and your passion. It should be like every day, like a thing on your mind. At least that’s how I operate my life.
CM: Yeah. So true!
AC: And also, to be more confident and decisive in what you like. Because for a while I felt unsure of what I should do, how I should be. The things I like, they’re more niche or dark or whatever and maybe people don’t like this. So maybe I should do this because it’s more digestible, but I feel like you should really…
CM: Stick to your guns.
AC: Yeah, and just basically try and stick to what you really truly believe is your essence.
CM: Yeah, I think that’s also what makes you an individual and an artist. I mean I’ve been there before where I wanted to compromise myself or my identity, just to fit in.
AC: Yeah, exactly.
CM: This is what makes you an artist, by being unique and you know maybe following the darker side of music, you know I think it just pays off in the end, you don’t want to be another Nicki Minaj, there’s enough of them.
AC: Definitely not. I don’t think I can dance like that (both laugh), or sing like that.
CM: We need the booty.
AC: I know, I need to get a BBL.
Behaviour
AC: I think the past couple of months has actually made me think about this a lot more than before. I was like, oh my god, I have to do this, I have to do that. And then I was just like, bro, like, who are you? What do you like? You like this, you like that, you’ve always liked this. You tried to do this for a while. It’s not you. So just really tap into what you believe in, what you like, because I’ve always been creative, so I should put more trust into my creativity. And I feel like other people who have passions should do the same. They should really put trust into what they love.
CM: Yeah, believe in themselves completely.
AC: Yeah. It sounds corny but just believe in yourself.
CM: No but it’s true.
AC: Literally, how else are you going to be an individual as a creative?
CM: Yeah, I mean that’s why people fall in love with you as well because like we said you’re unique, you know. You should just fall in love with yourself and like you say just believe in yourself and what you want to accomplish… and other people will see that, which will inspire someone who probably feels the same and also doesn’t feel like they can fit in or has to compromise their own creativity or what they want to do, you know?
AC: I would say for sure the kind of music that I play and make is for probably the more misunderstood, the types that like the more melancholic sounds, they want to feel emotions, not just like rage; they want to like feel… something.
CM: It’s kind of like you’re telling them your story as well; you know and if people can relate to that even more so.
AC: Yeah.
CM: I think it reinforces other people’s emotions and justifies the way they’re feeling to be like okay someone else feels the same.
AC: I think it’s so important, too, because in today’s society, I feel like the people I speak to, everyone feels lonelier than ever before and feels hopeless with how the world is going, politically and economically. So, I think there’s space to be a bit more emotional with your music. And I know people often tell their stories verbally with music, like singing. But I always felt that I can translate more with sounds than words, which is why, I don’t know, I’m drawn towards the more dark and sad sounds, because I feel like, it’s easier for me to express myself that way.
CM: Yeah completely. What is the one thing that really annoys you? (Laughs) Go for it.
AC: The one thing that really annoys me, like, drives me insane is, when I’m sick. Such a stupid thing this. When I’m sick and one side of my nose is, like, not breathable, I will literally, actually, like, need to go to a mental asylum. It’s so, I hate it. (both laugh)
CM: Please, let me breathe.
AC: I need the nasal sprays, like the steroid ones or I can’t go to sleep and it’s so bad that if I don’t have the American steroid nose spray, I have to drink like Promethazine cough syrup to like knock me out so I don’t suffer because I won’t fall asleep otherwise. (both laugh) Yeah, that’s my trigger.
CM: Okay, I see. I suffer from man flu really bad! I hate it! (laughs) So as you know, I started a mini festival last year called Halo, which served as a beacon of inclusivity to embrace gender fluidity and I wanted to promote an atmosphere of pure enjoyment within the club scene. Do you believe that contemporary clubs are continuing to evolve? Do you feel they are offering more diverse experiences than ever before? Or do you feel that there’s still a noticeable gap in terms of inclusivity and representation within these spaces?
AC: I would say I think there’s certain clubs and promoters that are making a conscious decision to be more inclusive, and you know trying to change things that people have had issues with in the past that they’ve spoken up about. But there’s still a lot of work to be done and I’ve always said this, if you look at a lot of major lineups it’s like nine times out of ten white cis men and women you know and even more so men. I think that there’s still so much work to be done in so many ways. Like, I don’t even know how they could actually tackle this.
CM: I agree, there’s so much work still to be done but I’m glad there’s progress being made.
AC: I definitely don’t think it’s where it’s supposed to be. But there’s clubs and promoters doing what they should for sure.
CM: Like, we’re trying but we’re just not there and I think that’s going to take a long time.
AC: Yeah. Some of the bigger ones, that’s where there needs to be a change.
CM: Yeah. I feel like there are a lot of new events popping up, but they are very small, and you can see that people are trying to represent their communities, but when it comes to these major big festivals, it is still predominantly like you said, cis white men or women. But I can definitely see that they’re trying but I just think it’s going to be a long journey, isn’t it?
AC: There are certain things I’ve seen and I’m seeing, and I’ve dealt with and I’m like hmm, we’re not quite there yet are we but we’re trying babes.
CM: Yeah, honey me and you can try make a difference as much as we can. Okay, changing the subject slightly. So, if zombies took over the planet what and who would you have in your bunker? I’d better be on the list. (laughs)
AC: I was actually looking at this question because I didn’t want to say too much, but I always think about it. If there was a zombie apocalypse, what would I do? I would gather all my friends and family and we would set up this fort and we would have different people with different jobs, and we would have weapons defending our fort.
CM: I love it.
AC: It would be kind of sick, but I would need to have some way of producing and DJing because we need to party in the bunker.
CM: Yeah, I’m not trying to manifest the zombie takeover but if it did happen, I think we would know what to do. We’ve watched enough movies.
AC: And I’ve always said that like, honestly, what a sick way to go if there was a zombie apocalypse or an alien invasion like that’s how I would want to go, like that’s crazy.
CM: Moving on, with the omnipresence of social media, do you believe its influence on your career has been predominantly positive or negative, both as a model and a DJ?
AC: Um, I think that social media is good and bad.
CM: Totally.
AC: There’s parts of it that, you know you can connect to people that you’ve met that live in other parts of the world and that’s like the positive, but the negative is that a lot of my friends who are creative and I’ve experienced this too. When you share more of your work and less about how you look or what you’re wearing, it doesn’t really push your creative posts you know. I mean it doesn’t really matter you should just post what you like, and you know the right people will find you eventually, but it is also annoying if you want to actually have more of a creative feed and you have to mix it up with a lot of yourself to keep your engagement somewhat sustainable.
CM: Completely! It’s like nobody even cares when I post stuff about my work, they just want to see something about like my look or who I am. When I go on social media and I see these Instagram pages and they’ve got 300K followers and basically all they post is like, semi-nude photos, you know, there’s nothing there about their work. I just think the world has become so obsessed with personal image on social media, yeah, it’s pretty terrible.
AC: My algorithm is at the point where it will show just two thousand people on my post instead of the potential 80K. But honestly, I’m at the point where I’m like, I don’t even care. I’m just gonna post the stuff that I like.
CM: I feel you.
AC: Because a lot of people who follow me are actually from five, six years ago when I was doing modelling and of course, they’re not gonna be interested in what I’m posting now. So, I’m not even mad at them I’m like you didn’t sign up for this six years ago.
CM: Yeah, so it’s like why would you be supporting me now?
AC: Yeah, like I get it. So, I’m just gonna do me and I think over time the right people will find me.
CM: Yeah completely.
AC: But it’s annoying for some people for sure.
CM: Okay so, a question you’re probably asked often but I’m curious what are your favourite tracks right now?
AC: That’s honestly like such a hard question for me because like every two weeks I have a new playlist full of tracks that I’m obsessed with and then I get bored of tracks kind of quickly, not that they’re bad but I just play them over and over again. Then I’m like, okay I’ve heard this what’s next, like the next dopamine hit, you know, but there’s things that stand the test of time. I always say the track ‘All the Saints Have Been Hung’ by British Murder Boys, I love that track and it’s never gotten boring for me.
CM: I’m gonna play this later.
AC: Please do. It’s very hard but it’s amazing.
CM: I’ve typed it into Google, I’m ready.
AC: I also take a lot of inspiration for my productions actually from ’90s Speedcore producers because they just use these crazy sounds and effects and atmospheres that I just love so I have a lot of inspiration from them.
CM: Really interesting. Okay, what’s your superpower?
AC: What is my superpower? My superpower would probably be that I’m constantly looking to be uncomfortable, but this is also my downfall because I’d be sabotaging myself. But you push yourself to be uncomfortable, you always like…
CM: You progress.
AC: Yeah, so I guess that’s my superpower.
CM: So, what was the last thing you Googled?
AC: Let me look. The last thing I Googled cause I sent it to a friend is my favourite Boiler Room. There’s actually two Boiler Rooms that are my favourite, but this is one that just hits every time. It’s the Xol Dog Boiler Room. He is like, he’s a legend, he’s like 60 years old and he plays this crazy hardcore Terror[core], Speedcore, I just love him. I want him to adopt me. Like I love him. (both laugh)
CM: Where’s he from?
AC: Don’t know I think he’s from Berlin and he never plays anywhere, the last time he played was last year I missed it. It was during fashion week in Paris so I actually could have been there, and I want to cry.
CM: What’s your favourite TV show right now?
AC: I’m like a sucker for reality TV shows, which is so random, but I literally love ‘Selling Sunset’.
CM: Me too!
AC: Love Is Blind. All that shit, I just love it, but I also equally love…
CM: Have you been watching?
AC: Yeah, ‘Baby Reindeer’, right?
CM: Oh yeah.
AC: That was good, that was really good. I really liked how they were showing a new side of vulnerability that none of us tend to show, and they were kind of like normalising it.
CM: Okay. Favourite movie as a kid?
AC: Oh my God, easy, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’, Tim Burton.
CM: There we go, we love that. That’s an iconic film.
AC: That film is great I still love that movie and the music influenced me a lot like the spooky melodies, I was like this is a vibe.
CM: ‘Here’s my new EP’. (laughs)
CM: Okay one more. Let’s see, what do you do on your days off?
AC: Hmm, I try to produce every day now.
CM: There you go. I really want to hear some of your new songs.
AC: I feel like you won’t like it. It’s super like, I’m going to the dark side, Chris.
CM: I mean, when were you not there?
AC: Everything I experience I just like channel it into the music now.
CM: I love that, I have to show you some of my dark stuff that I made in the past.
AC: I really like the tracks that you sent me recently.
CM: The ‘Addicted’ track, it’s from the EP I sent you that I’m going to release this summer.
AC: Yeah, they’re really cool. I actually have to download some. I have like a list of all the links people send me. I send it to myself on Facebook and then I like to go through them one by one and I download them on my computer. So, I’m going to do that.
CM: Okay, one more then. What’s your favourite sweet treat?
AC: That’s so hard.
CM: Basically, what’s your favourite, like, treat, you know?
AC: I would say I really like the whipped cream can that you like spray in your mouth.
CM: Wow, she dirty.
AC: Yeah. (both laugh) I love that.
CM: I love that for you.
AC: It’s bad for you, so I do it like here and there.
CM: Every once in a while.
AC: Yeah, but I guess, I don’t know, I like sour candy.
CM: Aw I love sour candy. Like anything like that!
AC: Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
CM: Okay, well, I’m gonna let you go. Thank you for doing this interview with me. You know, I love you forever and ever. Are you DJing tonight?
AC: Yeah, in Prague, it’s my first time here.
CM: Oh good, well done babe.
AC: Thank you I love you, babe.
CM: I love you so much.
AC: You too, speak soon. Bye.
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