In the heart of East Williamsburg, New York, at the flavorful Palenque Food Restaurant, I had the pleasure of sitting down with DJ Madame Vacile. The background, adorned with colorful posters referencing emblematic Colombian movies, literature, and culture set the stage to a conversation spanning passion, creativity, and resilience. In our conversation, Madame Vacile walked me through her musical beginnings to her love for electronic sounds, and even touched on her unique textile design business. This is an inside look at the mutli-faceted world of DJ Madame Vacile.
The Birth of Madame Vacile
DJ Madame Vacile, born Verónica Villegas, started her musical journey in Barranquilla, a coastal city known for its festive Carnival celebrations. Similar to Colombian Jukebox, DJ Madame Vacile’s musical journey began as a YouTube playlist curator. Her exceptional taste caught the eye of her friend Monosoniko Champetúo, who insisted she create a name for her project. A graphic designer by profession, her debut as a DJ was purely accidental. At a massive 6,000-person party in Barranquilla, where she was working as a designer for the production company, she seized a 15-minute gap in the music lineup and turned it into 45 minutes of her curated tunes. Sharing the stage with acts like Buraka Som Sistema, her impromptu set was a revelation that would set her on a journey like no other.
Champeta: A Gateway to African Music
Madame Vacile’s musical taste is deeply rooted in African sounds. Her portal into this geographic part of the world began with champeta, a musical genre deeply ingrained in African heritage and Colombia’s Caribbean culture. Champeta isn’t just a musical genre, it is a lifestyle. To start, the word champeta has morphed into the adjective champetúo often used to describe something of low social, cultural, or moral standing—vulgar, rough, and tasteless. Despite its pejorative use, many have embraced “champetúo” as a positive term, representing the resilience and spirit of the underprivileged.
Some of the neighborhoods and streets of the Colombian Caribbean coast become alive with picó culture or cultura picotera. This scene features pulsating music through gigantic sound systems, known as picós, which reverberate through entire blocks, becoming an essential element of the local party culture.
Photograph by Ariel Tagar
This certainly made part of my experiences while I visited Cartagena during my youth. Although at times overwhelming, I learned to enjoy the tunes of this genre that echoed through the streets, buses, and local radio stations. Cassettes featuring Elio Boom, Charles King, El Afinaito, and El Sayayín undoubtedly made their way back to New York with me. Meanwhile, my parents were less than impressed with my musical preferences, particularly the booming rhythms and explicit lyrics. My parents however, weren’t the only ones who didn’t understand this eclectic choice in music.
Evolving Curation and Audience Impact
Through Madame Vacile’s musical exploration, it became clear that developing a love for champeta is an acquired taste. She discovered that, despite the genre’s energetic pace of around 200 BPM, it didn’t resonate as deeply with audiences outside the Colombian Caribbean. This limitation in audience appeal prompted her to explore other African sounds that might connect better with her listeners.
Her curation process initially involved scouring artist blogs and stumbling upon various tracks. However, as she gained more experience, she began seeking out specific producers whose work she admired. Her travels across Europe and the United States further broadened her horizons, allowing her to meet producers who blended electronic beats with African rhythms. This exposure ignited her passion for electronic sounds, and she began incorporating these beats into her music more and more.
This marked the beginning of her shift away from champeta and the classic afrobeat. As she describes it, she started to infuse her Caribbean flavor into other tunes that resonated more with her audience. Living in New York has expanded her connections and audience, meaning she’s no longer catering solely to Colombian listeners. Notably, this growth in her electronic music incorporation has garnered increasing attention from her audience, marking a significant area of development in her artistic journey.
Journey to New York City
Moving from Barranquilla to New York City was a game changer for Madame Vacile’s career. “When I arrived in New York City, I realized it was exactly what I needed. It was a total reset,” she said. Landing in the Big Apple in 2021, right after the height of the pandemic, was a bold but necessary move. The music industry in Colombia had collapsed, and she needed a fresh start.
But 2021 wasn’t her first brush with the city that never sleeps. Her initial trip to New York was with the Afro Latino Festival, where she forged connections with fellow musicians, artists, and DJs. In 2019, she toured with Bomba Estéreo, making a memorable stop to perform at New York Fashion Week.
Her New York accolades don’t stop there. Madame Vacile has shared the stage with dynamic acts like Ghetto Kumbé and recently with Rita Indidana at Lincoln Center. She’s also been a featured DJ at Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City program. Now, she spins regularly at Bembe in Brooklyn, keeping the city’s pulse alive with her electronic beats. Her ability to blend electronic rhythms with African roots has made her a standout figure in New York’s diverse music scene, drawing an ever-growing audience and elevating her career to new heights.
Performing in Colombia vs. NYC
In our conversation, we delved into the contrasts between performing in Colombia and a city like New York. Madame Vacile highlighted that one of the key factors motivating her stay in the United States was the dynamic business culture within the music industry.
As someone who constantly listens to music and curates playlists, I understand the challenge of introducing new music to an audience. While streaming algorithms suggest new tracks based on listening history, they often tend to reinforce existing preferences rather than exposing listeners to fresh sounds. This is where promoters and cultural managers come in, playing a crucial role in shaping an audience’s musical tastes. As Madame Vacile pointed out, part of their job is to educate listeners, broadening their musical horizons and fostering an appreciation for diverse genres.
“La competencia me encanta. El tema es el degrado que le dan los promotores a esa competencia. Porque ya los promotores te ponen precio, entonces ya no es lo que cueste tu trabajo sino lo que ellos creen que cuesta.”
Although she thrives in competitive spaces, she criticizes promoters who create a cutthroat environment based not on talent and abilities but on price. This discouraging practice drives talent out of the country and can ultimately affect the quality of entertainment available on a national level. In contrast, the collaborative and merit-based approach in New York’s music scene has provided her with an environment where talent and creativity are valued, allowing her to flourish and connect with a broader audience.
The Textile Design Business
Madame Vacile is currently working on an EP with various Colombian DJs. She is also actively seeking collaborations with female DJ artists, eager to bring fresh and diverse sounds to her projects.
Beyond music, Madame Vacile harbors a passion for textile design. In fact, design was what initially set her on this creative journey. It remains a significant part of her creative portfolio. As a textile designer, she makes collages with both her designs and those of other designers, transforming them into unique clothing pieces like kimonos. This fusion of music and design continues to define her multifaceted artistic identity.
The Ongoing Saga
DJ Madame Vacile’s journey from Barranquilla to New York City is a testament to her talent, resilience, and unyielding passion for music and design. Through her unique blend of Afro-Colombian and electronic sounds, she continues to captivate audiences and push the boundaries of her craft. As we wrapped up our conversation at Palenque Food Restaurant, it was clear that Madame Vacile’s story is far from over. With her eyes set on the future, she is poised to make an even greater impact on the global music scene and beyond.
Stay connected with DJ Madame Vacile by following her on social media. Check out her latest mixes on SoundCloud and explore her stunning textile designs on her website. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Let’s keep the conversation going!
