Some artists arrive with a carefully crafted image. Others simply grow into themselves over time, letting every project, performance and lesson become part of the story they’re telling.
Speaking to BEKIMACHINE, it’s clear she’s the latter.
We first crossed paths at Music Barn Festival earlier this year, where she brought her signature blend of melodic and driving techno to the Fleckies Stable Stage. I’d heard great things before we met, but what struck me most wasn’t just the set – it was how genuinely warm and down-to-earth she was behind the scenes. After chatting over email, that first impression only became stronger. Behind the bold name and high-energy music is someone who’s spent years quietly refining her craft, embracing change and following wherever creativity takes her.
Music has never really been something she discovered. It was simply always there.
Growing up, she threw herself into it from an early age, learning the flute before attending performing arts school and later studying Music Technology throughout school, sixth form and university. Alongside that came bands, performances and countless opportunities to experiment. She fronted a local rock band as a teenager before joining ska-punk outfit Just Say Nay as a flautist and backing vocalist, experiences that gave her confidence on stage long before electronic music entered the picture.
Looking back, those years built the foundations for everything that followed.
She was equally inspired by the music she immersed herself in. Paramore, VersaEmerge, Kesha and Kate Nash formed part of the soundtrack to her younger years before artists like Grimes, HANA, Purity Ring and Lights completely captured her imagination.
“I’ve always been massively into female-fronted bands and artists,” she explains. “They’ve really shaped my music over the years.”
Although many people now know her as a DJ, production actually came first.
BEKIMACHINE began life as a synth-pop project, performing original songs live using Ableton, vocals, flute and live effects. More than simply releasing tracks, she created an entire concept around the project – a cyborg alter ego complete with commissioned artwork, connected visuals and story-led releases.
“I’ve always had a creative brain,” she says. “Writing songs collaboratively in bands was so fun, but I wanted to try the process solo.”
Like many artists, lockdown became an unexpected turning point. While streaming on Twitch from her bedroom, she taught herself to DJ and gradually found herself pulled towards a different corner of electronic music. Melodic house evolved into driving techno, which eventually opened the door to hard techno and trance.
Rather than feeling like a dramatic reinvention, it sounds more like a natural progression.
“As I’ve grown as an artist, my music has become more of a reflection of who I am now.”
That willingness to evolve feels central to BEKIMACHINE’s creative identity. She isn’t interested in staying inside one lane simply because it’s familiar. Instead, she follows whatever genuinely excites her, building sets that she describes as “melodic, fun, energising and vibey.”
“You’ll always have a good time,” she laughs. That same mindset extends beyond the DJ booth.
Alongside producing and performing, she founded Cloud9, a techno event created to bring more electronic music to the West Midlands. Running an independent event is rarely glamorous. There’s endless organising, constant promotion and no guarantee people will walk through the door.
“The biggest challenge is getting a good turnout,” she admits. “There’s so much involved and often no financial gain.”
But almost immediately, she follows that with what matters far more.
“The reward is creating that space in the local scene.”
That sentence says a lot.
Throughout our conversation, she continually returns to community rather than personal success. Whether she’s talking about grassroots venues, local promoters or the friendships she’s built through music, there’s an obvious appreciation for the people who make scenes possible.
She’s also a proud resident for Altered Events, describing founder Paris Camille as both an incredible DJ and now a close friend. It’s another reminder that behind every successful grassroots brand are people choosing to champion one another rather than compete.
That sense of community feels especially important at a time when independent venues continue to disappear across the UK.
“It’s so sad to see,” she says. “There’s nothing like having a dance surrounded by friends and enjoying amazing music. That’s why grassroots events are so important – they keep the scene alive.”
When the conversation turns to being a woman working across DJing, production and event management, her answer is refreshingly honest.
Rather than focusing on external barriers, she talks about the pressure she places on herself.
“I feel like I’m not doing enough,” she says. “I’ve been trying to learn to give myself grace.”
Balancing music alongside a full-time job means accepting that there are only so many hours in the day. It’s a feeling many creatives will recognise. The desire to keep pushing can easily outweigh the need to pause and acknowledge how far you’ve already come.
And there have been plenty of moments worth celebrating.
Playing TwitchCon Amsterdam, winning Modul8’s DJ competition and closing for Helen Frey, hearing her music played on BBC Radio 1 Dance – they’re all milestones that remind her the hard work is paying off.
“It’s easy to forget to sit back and be proud of yourself.”
Right now, she’s building on that momentum.
Her latest release, Perspective Is Everything, created alongside Transistor Rhythms, has just arrived complete with a music video, while an EP is already taking shape for release later this year or early 2027. There are collaborations quietly developing in the background too, alongside hopes of bringing Cloud9 back after a short hiatus.
Nothing feels rushed. Everything feels intentional.
Looking ahead, it doesn’t sound like BEKIMACHINE is chasing trends or overnight success. She’s simply continuing to build something that feels authentic to her, one release, one set and one opportunity at a time.
Her advice to anyone wanting to follow a similar path captures that perfectly.
“Don’t give yourself excuses not to start. Just start.”
It’s simple, but perhaps that’s the point.
Conversations like this continuously make me think about just how many artists like BEKIMACHINE exist across the country – quietly putting in the hours, learning new skills, creating opportunities for others and keeping grassroots electronic music alive without expecting recognition in return.
Those are exactly the kinds of people Fleckies was built to celebrate.
And if her work so far is anything to go by, it feels like BEKIMACHINE is only just getting started.
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