Venessa Michaels recaptures the magic of y2k pop with the otherworldly “Spirit On Mine”

California-born DJ and producer Venessa Michaels has been tucked away with “Spirit On Mine” being the first release under her name since 2019. The single serves as a crystalline product of her recent evolution. This recent resurgence comes with an invite into ‘2090’: a self-coined genre packed with early 2000’s R&B and futuristic garage glam. Michaels is eager for listeners to experience the world she’s created, filled with heavy club vibrations and funky platform shoes. She enlisted help from Luck, a singer/songwriter and close friend and collaborator of Michaels. Luck’s vocals effortlessly embody an edgy blend of soft rock n’ roll and R&B.

There’s “a lot of love, a lot of soul” in the new track and an undeniable chemistry between the pair; Luck’s voice is a perfect counterpart to its kaleidoscopic production. Michaels explains that “you don’t expect it to go where it goes”, with lush guitar lines dropping into a heavy house sound. It starts with a voice, then she builds around that: “there’s so much you can do once the vocals land in your track”. The two met at a writing camp a few years back and instantly clicked, making tracks together the same day. The song is at the forefront of her new project, with two more to follow. “The whole album is gonna be special”, she promises, with tracks set to be drenched in breakbeat and melodic club sounds.

It’s all inspired by the idea of ‘2090’, a society “like what you’d imagine the Spice Girls to be in the future” - all chromed out with huge flared pants and sparkly eyeliner. “That’s the world I’m trying to create”, she says smiling brightly during our Zoom call. She’s wearing chunky black headphones and a bomber jacket. “Most of it is just me in my bedroom waiting for something that feels good. That’s what you’re gonna start to hear,” she says, dancing around on the center of my screen.

“I came out of the womb making music, '' she laughs. Michaels was born in Encinitas, a small beach town in San Diego, but moved to LA when she started performing more frequently. Her passion for DJing is refreshing: “When you come to see a set, I want you to feel like you’re in space”. She has been crafting the perfect cosmic visuals for her sets. Fans feel like they belong when they see Michaels perform — it’s an experience they won’t forget. “There's nothing better than seeing how people move to the songs they love. If they know the words, it’s the craziest experience ever”.