Eli Iwasa: A Force of Nature on Brazil’s Dance Floors and Beyond
For over two decades, Eli Iwasa has been one of the most magnetic forces in Brazil’s electronic music scene—a DJ, producer, curator, entrepreneur and cultural agitator whose influence reverberates far beyond the dance floor.
From her early days crate-digging for post-punk and synthpop gems at São Paulo’s Galeria do Rock, to founding genre-defining venues like Caos, Club 88, and Galeria 1212, Eli’s journey has been anything but linear. Instead, it’s been marked by a fierce commitment to authenticity, sonic exploration, and breaking boundaries—especially for women in an industry that hasn’t always been welcoming.
A resident DJ at the iconic Warung Beach Club, founder of the inclusive party series Closer, and frontwoman of the raw, genre-blurring band Bleeping Sauce, Eli is a testament to what happens when talent, tenacity, and vision collide. She’s inspired by women who defy categorization—think Patti Smith and PJ Harvey—and she walks that same path with unapologetic individuality.
But behind the glamour and BPMs lies a deeper narrative, one of perseverance in the face of bias. “If you are a woman, you have to work harder,” she reflects. “ You are not allowed to make mistakes, so a lot of girls just try to be the best in everything they do.” Her voice carries the weight of lived experience: early-career dismissals, industry gatekeeping, and the pressure to dim her femininity to be taken seriously. Yet she never wavered. “I never gave up, never stopped believing in myself. My resilience got me to this place I am now.”
Today Eli opens up about her artistic evolution, what still excites her after 20 years behind the decks, and why creating space for women on stage isn’t just a mission, but a movement.
Q: You've shaped São Paulo's nightlife not just as an artist but as a club owner. What does it mean to build space—for a scene you've helped define and what are some personal highlights of your career?
The most important aspect of my work is sharing opportunities and the spaces I accomplished. My work as club owner, also running Heels of Love and as an artist have allowed me to reach places I thought they were unattainable when I started out - so why shouldn’t I share them with other people? I didn’t have much support in the beginning of my career, and I wanted to change that. The impact of the opportunities when we support local talent is immense, showcasing upcoming producers and DJs and especially, inspiring other girls to keep pursuing their careers - in the end, it is about the community we build around our work, that, hopefully, I can contribute to, and make it stronger.
I think the first big chapter is my work at Lov.e Club. I was in my early 20’s, had organized only a handful of parties, and there I was, working at the most important club in Brasil at the time. I was so unexperienced, but very driven and passionate, and that translated into 7 years of dedication and love that helped shaping the house and techno scene in São Paulo - and also myself as a professional and on a personal level as well. I was in charge of the bookings, so there were Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos, Marco Carola, many of them touring Brasil for the 1st time and playing at a very intimate room for 500 people. Those pivotal moments are unforgettable, and I know I was lucky to be in that position, create those memories and basically learn everything I know about this business.
Another key moment was moving from São Paulo to Campinas, in the countryside, where I opened my first club - we have 6 venues in the city now, and some of the best Brazilian clubs are in this region. Also, my DJ career took off when I moved here, as Kaballah Festival took me under its wings - a few years later to become the talent agency Entourage. A lot of people said it was a terrible decision to move out from São Paulo, to a scene that was much smaller back then - it turns out that it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I feel our work really makes a difference here.
2017 was a definitive year for me; I had played Warung Day Festival and DGTL for the 1st time that introduced to larger audiences - and to more international festivals. From there, my career took a exponential leap - from Tomorrowland and Lollapalooza to Rock in Rio and all major clubs in Brasil. I opened my club Caos in Campinas, booked so many amazing artists - from old friends such as Laurent Garnier and Marco Carola, legends as Carl Craig and Dixon, Modeselektor, from Adriatique to Mind Against, and also had very diverse and mixed staff and crowd aligned with our core values - in a city in the countryside known for its conservatism, Caos broke so many barriers down, and changed the club scene in this area for good.
So much as happened in the past years, from a residency at Warung to launching my own label. I never rushed into anything, everything that really matters in my life took a long time to turn into reality, but I always trusted that it all happens at the right timing.
Q: From your earliest days behind the decks to launching Heels of Love, tell us about your creative process.
It has been a LONG journey, over 25 years dedicated to what has always been my passion. Since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to work with music and nothing else. Every choice I made was based on what felt right in my heart. I started out because I loved the music and its strong sense of community - there was not a lot of money back then, we were doing parties because we loved it and wanted to share it with people. It was very naive and romantic, and I believe it has given me the right vision and values that I carry ever since.
A lot has changed in the industry and in my career, but the mindset is the same. I was never the person aiming at profit or taking decisions only based on numbers - and that reverberates in every decision I make to this day, either at the label, in my DJ career and in my clubs. If it moves me or gives me goosebumps, I know it is right for us.
Q: Brazil has such a rich musical heritage. Tell us about your musical journey and your greatest inspirations/influences?
My first memories are very musical. I remember being 4, 5 years old and asking for records for my birthday or Christmas, instead of toys. I had my own record collection since I was a kid, that ranged from Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder to… Black Sabbath lol. My nanny was really into heavy metal and hard rock, hence the Black Sabbath records, my bedroom walls were covered with Michael Jackson’s posters. There was always music in my household, my family was really into Brazilian music from Caetano Veloso, Simone, Gilberto Gil, Marisa Monte - my aunties were always going to concerts and clubs, and they took me to my first live shows, including Marisa’s. I remember skipping school to visit Galeria do Rock, a mall in São Paulo downtown where the record shops are, so I could buy rare records and bootlegs. I lived in Guarulhos, a city outside São Paulo, and my father used to drive me to Ramones and Sepultura concerts because I was still a teenager lol. My parents, especially my mom, really support my passion - she gave me my first guitar, my turntables… I listened to everything: from bands like Fugazi and Minor Threat, to a lot of synthpop and cold wave bands - labels such as Mute Records, Wax Trax and 4AD are still a big influence for me - to disco and pop. Such a diverse musical background definitely shaped me as a DJ in the future, and you can also see that reflected in the vision for my clubs and my label.
Q: What's next for you?
We just released our 3rd EP by a Brazilian producer called Agrabah on my label Heels of Love, and it has been getting great feedback. I am taking some time in July to get into the studio and get my next EP ready, working with a Brazilian artist I respect very much. This week I am flying to Mexico and USA for my biggest tour so far, including Beats in Space with Tim Sweeney, whose show I respect so much and it has been such a great source of information and inspiration. Can’t wait!
Q: As a woman building a career in club culture and electronic music, what were the most defining moments—both struggles and triumphs—that shaped who you are today?
Being an artist and a woman in Brasil is very challenging - things are changing, but we still have a lot to deal with. I have been working very hard and standing up to be treated as an equal, to get as good slots and fees as men do, because I know what I deliver and bring to the table - not only musically, but in terms of ticket sales, image, my community . How many female DJs had a closing slot at the music festivals in my country? I just did a closing set at Warung Day Festival and I hope other promoters feel inspired to book all these amazing women for important slots not only the opening.
I have a great team beside me, and choosing the right people to walk this journey with me has been fundamental - I couldn’t do it on my own, without the trust and the support throughout long years of work together.
Q: Outside the booth and the business, what inspires you personally—books, artists, places, even memories—that keeps your creative fire lit?
Life inspires me. Travelling, absorbing different cultures and getting lost in the streets in cities I visit, discovering secret restaurantes where locals eat, or simply observing people. Art, books and movies are the only things capable of making me disconnect from all the noise and work, and I really treasure that. I still love going to concerts whenever I can. When I am off the road, I just enjoy staying at home, having dinner with my friends - real life for me is about simple things, finding joy in that, and strongly keeping a sense of normality that is so important to me to recharge and keep myself grounded and inspired.
Photography: Moa Almeida
“If you are a woman, you have to work harder. It can be frustrating, but it became our strength. You are not allowed to make mistakes, so a lot of girls just try to be the best in everything they do, it was just a question of time for a generation of incredibly talented women to take over, and own their position as protagonists in the industry. I never forget a conversation I had with a very powerful agent back then, saying that I would be never be taken seriously if I was too sexy or feminine. I had many no’s throughout my career, but never compromised. Many times I felt dismissed or my work was underestimated. I never gave up, never stopped believing in myself, and my resilience got me to this place I am now.”
