Elza Soares gets the iZem remix treament

I can’t recall the exact tracklist from my very first DJ set, but I do remember two standout moments: Celia Cruz’s “Dos Jueyes” and Elza Soares’s “Mas Que Nada.” I was 22, playing at an international student dorm in South Paris where my then-girlfriend lived. Ever since, Elza Soares and that song have held a special place in my heart. Seeing her live during Recife Carnival in 2008 only deepened that connection.

The first time I heard her acclaimed album, Mulher do Fim do Mundo, I found its dark and bitter aesthetic challenging at first. I was really struck by the social impact of certain tracks in Brazil. When it came to remixing “O Canal,” I decided to pare it down rather than rewrite the rhythm and structure as I usually do. I stripped away some of the string and guitar layers to give the vocals and rhythm more space. I pulled it together under a tight deadline, so I can hear places now where I wish I’d done more—but that’s all part of the creative process.