In Conversation with Fo: New Editor of Unmixed Mag
note from an editor:
As Editor-in-Chief, it’s rare to encounter a voice like Fo’s—fearless, uncompromising, and deeply attuned to the roots and realities of dance music. Unmixed was founded on the belief that our scene deserves more than surface-level sound bites and sanitized coverage. With Fo joining our contributor roster, expect the kind of insight, honesty, and resistance that keeps this culture moving and evolving. We’re thrilled for you to experience her perspective—one that refuses to let important issues go unnoticed.
more about Fo:
Fo is a powerhouse in the Greek electronic music scene, known for her lasting influence as a DJ, journalist, curator, and consultant. With more than twenty years at the forefront of dance music, she has held leading residencies at iconic venues like Sodade2 BackStage, sharing stages with a wide-ranging roster of celebrated international artists. Beyond DJing, Fo has shaped local and international music culture through editorial leadership, radio shows, and television, while driving critical conversations about representation, mental health, and community-building. Her dedication to equity is seen in her founding work with collectives such as HER Project and shesaid.so Athens, supporting women and new voices in the industry. Now, Fo brings her wealth of experience and bold perspective to Unmixed, continuing to advocate for progressive, authentic storytelling within dance music.
in frame: FO
Let’s talk: Q&A with Fo
What drew you to Unmixed, and what kind of stories do you want to tell here?
I was initially drawn to Unmixed because of the Instagram posts I was randomly and unexpectedly seeing—an account/mag that took a stance, and had a specific viewpoint on the scene, felt like a breath of fresh air to me. But above all, the fact that it was not afraid to call out, to shed light, and talk about all the things that matter to me. So, in that case, thank you, algorithm! I don’t think that I want to tell stories - I want to write what I believe is the authentic truth.
What’s missing from the current dance music conversation that you hope to spotlight?
More verity and transparency. It is undeniable that the world of dance music is built on spreading happiness through music and dancing, coexistence through frequencies on the dancefloor, and beyond. But behind the strobe lights lurk gloomy stories and patterns of power games, abuse, harassment, mental health issues, addiction, safety issues. According to the IMS Business Report 2025, the electronic music industry’s net worth is 12.9 billion dollars, meaning that capitalist standards drive the whole scene. Adding the technological evolution to the equation, the first thing that you fail to retain is meritocracy. This is what I always aspire to bring to the table - call me a hopeless romantic, but I still believe in the PLUR ethos that was the fundamental force behind dance music. I still yearn for it, I still believe in it, I still live by it.
How do you balance your creative identity with editorial work?
By being objective and just. By not succumbing to clickbait. Of course, personal favourites always come in play, but you cannot deny talent, real skills, and importance - you have to be able to differentiate and spot them at any given moment. Sometimes I fear that I am too rigid; I have spent countless moments questioning myself, but the process and the choices that brought me here somehow always justify my nos and yeses. There have been times when I paid for these choices, being excluded from lineups, or projects because I was “too vocal”, “too feminist”, “too inclusive”. Peers have advised me to keep it down if I “still wanted to have a career”. Guess what, I have never regretted a single thing and I am still here after all these years, so… :)
What does “underground” mean to you in 2025?
Underground does not exist in the same terms as it did 10, 20, or 30 years ago. I see the underground of 2025 in grassroots communities, queer sound systems, feminist collectives. I see it in the people who focus on containing, preserving the true identities of the different genres. I foresee that in some years, “underground” will evolve into a synonym for resistance.
How do you see music journalism evolving, and what should it resist becoming?
Journalism will evolve if it continues to tell the truth by bringing difficult stories to light, by giving voice to the underrepresented, and by giving room to new people, new perspectives. It should resist becoming a flawless, homogenised, AI-like, sterilized account of whataboutism.
What’s a moment in nightlife or culture that shaped your perspective most?
It was not a moment; it was my whole existence. Being a woman in DJing, in music journalism, in media, in nightlife, aka in man-dominated fields, it shaped me as a person and as a professional. All the things that I have heard throughout the years still echo in my mind and mobilize me to push more.
But if I had to choose one specific moment, it would be the first time my parents took me with them to a discotheque. I was six, and thankfully for me, babysitting was not available that night. From the moment I got into the room, the lights, the DJ, the music, and the sound system sent shockwaves to my little soul. I soon ended up in the DJ booth that night (the DJ was a friend of my father’s), and he explained to me everything he was doing, all the little buttons and knobs. I even ended up playing the lights, witnessing the impact of whatever he was crafting on the people underneath. It was the moment of profound realization of the power that the dancefloor holds, and when I decided that I was going to be a DJ.
If Unmixed had a manifesto line that you live by, what would yours be?
“It only takes one voice at the right pitch to start an avalanche.” - Dianna Hardy
What made you want to write about politics in dance music / what’s your personal take on the question?
Everything is political: from where we choose to buy our coffee in the morning and what we eat to which artist we support and where we buy our tickets from. We forget it sometimes, but even a single dollar and how/where we spend it, can be an impactful statement - it goes with the quote I chose just above. The electronic music industry is undeniably at a very pivotal moment in its history, and the only way to move forward to a more equitable and healthy future is to stand on the PLUR, inclusive ethos that built it in the first place.
Join the Conversation
Your perspective matters—leave a comment with your thoughts, experiences, or questions for Fo and the Unmixed community below. Let’s keep the dialogue going.
Stay connected with Fo and discover more of her work:
Follow Fo on Instagram: @fofitsesmeli
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