From Doll House to Deep House: We Spoke to the Human Barbie About Her Forthcoming DJ Tour

Model, philosopher, and internet sensation Valeria Lukyanova—often referred to as the human barbie—is apparently planning to take the music world by storm. According to a recent announcement on her website, she is also a professional DJ, and will soon be embarking on a global "Space Barbie Tour," with planned stops in Europe, USA, China, Japan, Australia, and Latin America.

The press release states that alongside her collaborator, Ukrainian DJ Sender, Lukyanova will be blasting a mix of "futuristic deep house and space disco." With Sender's help, she has been practicing her DJ skills and working on a debut EP, although she has yet to release any original tunes—or announce any official dates or venues for the tour.

Lukyanova became a viral sensation around 2012, when images of her doll-like appearance quickly made her the most contentious beauty icon of recent memory. Her aesthetic polarized debates on body image, health, and identity. While some celebrated her cartoonishly perfect body, others mocked it as shockingly grotesque.

Lukyanova previously starred in VICE's 2013 mini-documentary Real Life Ukrainian Barbie, where she stated, "I use my appearance to promote my spiritual ideas."

As stated in her press release, the tour will also serve as a platform for her "spiritual mission," combining elements of meditation and dancing into something way more far-out than your typical evening out at the club. "Valeria will be using special words from ancient languages, which will result in a meditation right on the dancefloor," states the press release. "During her performance the Human Barbie will show special signs with her hands (also known as mudras) demonstrating a deeper immersion into the atmosphere."

THUMP contacted Lukyanova through email via her management to get a better understanding of what to expect from this cosmic, transcendental performance.

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

THUMP: What do you hope to achieve through your DJ mission?
Valeria Lukyanova: I would like to reach the hearts of people through mystic sounds and their application in modern music. Everything that I do with sounds can help people find themselves and their essence: heal, see what has not been seen, hear what has not been heard, and open hearts to meet the unknown.

How did you begin your collaboration with DJ Sender?
DJ Sender is a very special person! Eugene just like me, practices meditation and yoga. Before, I never even considered being a DJ. It began when I met Elena Bobkina, who worked as producer for ELLO TV, one of the biggest music channels on YouTube. Elena introduced me to Nadia Sognevich, the manager of Kazaky, a Ukranian electro group. Nadia eventually got DJ Sender involved. By pleasant coincidence, we are all practicing spiritual development.

What can people expect from the tour?
I'd like to introduce people to another side of my life and, perhaps, someone will be interested in this even more than my spectacular and colorful alien appearance.

What will people experience when they attend your DJ shows?
For most people, it will be a flash of insight, joy, or euphoria, but for others it may be something sad. They will see new horizons and feel an impulse to start something new.

How should one dress in order to best experience the "musical journey" you offer?
It should be something unusual that will be remembered for a long time. We must create an atmosphere and a reality around us. Take the first step in the creation of your own micro-universe and show off your identity and personal style. The more unusual people dress up, the better. Creativity is the basis of the entire universe!

What is the most beautiful aspect of DJing?
Disclosure of the hidden potential inside of me and the auditorium. Bringing people together, general vibrations of enlightenment, joy, and harmony.

Can you tell us more about the ancient languages you will use to facilitate meditation at your shows?
There are languages that are no longer spoken, but combinations of sounds and vibrations have certain energetic messages. These messages can plunge one into happiness or sadness. They help people to buck up, feel more natural, or find themselves and develop their personality.

Which mudra do you find to be most powerful to facilitate meditation?
You never know what message you will feel from the audience or what the audience will need. We can only speculate. I'll prepare something unique for each concert, but still leave room to improvise. Of course, we all need healing in different ways, so I think a comprehensive healing mudra is the best option for everyone.

What does music sound like in deep space?
Music of the spheres. It is harmonious music that consists of different styles, speeds, and vibrations. It creates a very fundamental, calm, and even tone. This music includes joy and sadness, laughter and tears, loud and quiet, screams and whispers, and flickering fractals—multivariate singing of mandalas that never stops.

Will people who attend the Space Barbie Tour ever be the same again?
They will never be the same again, even if they really wanted to. The energy that descends during the set will change them from who they were before. It's a very powerful and creative energy transformer.

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