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MY ARCHIVE WITH DENIECE MARZ

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What happens when you add hip hop, jazz, a bit of lounge, alternative & reggae ( to name a few) into a honey pot and mix it to the groove of the beat? The otherworldly Miss Deniece Marz, that’s what. A friend of the brand (listen to her Archive playlist here), this multi- hyphenated dj has curated and played at some of the best gigs, is known for her head bopping playlists and of course, her music reviews on Instagram. She’s more than that though, and we got the privilege of finding out more. Here’s what she had to say.

Where does the “Marz” in Deniece Marz come from, what does it mean?

The Marz comes from my love for all things space related. I think Mars is definitely one of my favorite planets.

You come across as pretty young still (depending on who’s asking the questions) but your taste in music is so rich and mature, like how is that—were you influenced by anyone, in particular, growing up?

I get that question a lot actually. My Dad, brother and uncle have influenced my taste in music the most. My dad was the person who introduced us all to jazz and gospel music, being that he's a musician himself. My uncle introduced me to Hip-Hop. I used to sneak into his room while he was at work to listen to his CDs. My brother, who’s a music producer, introduced me to more eclectic and interesting genres.

If you had to choose between living without music or sneakers what would it be? Or if you could only wear one pair of sneakers or listen to one song for the rest of your life—what would you choose?

(Laughs) I'd definitely choose to live without sneakers over music any day! If I could wear any shoe for the rest of my life it would probably be New Balance 550. That type of silhouette is just so perfect to me. If I could listen to one song for the rest of my life (this answer changes by the hour) it would probably be 'Waves' by Joey Bada$$.

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How would you describe your taste in sneakers? What do you look for, is it any particular silhouette, style colour that you look for, or are you more of a brand or trends person?

I really don't know how to describe my taste in sneakers. When looking for sneakers, I really just enjoy looking for something that will work with many outfits. I'm not really too bothered about getting the most popular or trendy shoe cause then I'd be sitting with a lot of shoes I don't like anymore (because trends come and go). Recently, I've found that I really enjoy tennis shoes or shoes with similar silhouettes like New Balance 550, Adidas Home Alones or even HiTek Freedom Lux. Shoes that are never really "out of style".

What's your approach to curating a good playlist and how do you approach your Dj sets?

My process of creating a playlist (mainly the 11:11 Playlist) is to add a bunch of songs I've been enjoying, and then arranging them in an order that flows or kind of tells a story. As far as DJ sets, there's usually a song that's stuck in my head or that I would like to hear on loud speakers, then I build a set (according to bpm) around that song.

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What do you consider to be good music? What artist/band or song is that for you right now, one that you listen to all day and any day?

What I consider to be good music, is music that really evokes emotion or a feeling in me. Not that it should always be a "deep" song, but I just enjoy music that makes me feel. I've been playing a lot of Mary J. Blige's 'Mary (Deluxe Version) and music by Navy Blue' albums.

What’s the sneaker equivalent of that for you right now?

If I owned my own pair of New Balance 550s, it would probably be that. I think from my collection, my Nike Aqua Rifts or Adidas Home Alones might be that.

For anyone who follows you, they know you to love music as much as you love sneakers. What’s currently on heavy rotation on your playlist?

Currently on heavy rotation in my playlist is 'Life of the Party' by Kanye West, Navy Blue's 'Timberwolves' and 'All That I Can Say' by Mary J. Blige.

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If you could collaborate with an artist or a brand, who or what would it be?

If I could Collaborate with a brand it would probably be Nike.

What are your top five sneakers?

My top 5 sneakers are obviously New Balance 550s, Adidas Home Alone (Forum), most Jordan 1s, Nike Zoom Road Warrior ISPA and the Reebok Club C 85 Vintage OG.

Lastly, what can we expect in the future from you?

You can expect a lot more curated events, music related content and maybe even music from me.

Archive Quick Fire:

Analog or digital?

Digital

Vinyl or Mp3?

Vinyl

Converse or Vans?

Vans

Designer or Streetwear?

Streetwear

Low tops or high tops?

Low Tops

Collab or Retro?

Both but mostly retro

FOLLOW DENIECE FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON HER MUSIC JOURNEY:

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