For AfroPride Week in Brussels, Mykki Blanco joins The Standard, Brussels for a night moving between conversation and sound.
Curated by FOR ALL QUEENS! as part of AfroPride Week, the evening unfolds through Standard Talks with a panel on self knowledge and self expression, before shifting into a performative DJ set.
In a city where scenes overlap and evolve quickly, this kind of format feels right at home.
Ahead of the night, we spoke about performance, the dancefloor and moving between spaces.
You’re stepping into both the conversation and the booth the same night. Do you see them as two different energies, or part of the same flow?
Being a musician I’m constantly touring and have the opportunity to connect with fans and audiences all over the world. To have the chance to have an engaging and intimate dialogue during our talk with the community in Brussels is something I’m looking forward too. I see Djing as another extension of my practice in which I can connect with people through joy. Sound like laughter is healing!
You’ve performed in cities all over the world. What’s your relationship with a place like Brussels?
I love Brussels, so many great memories over the years. Some of my best concerts have been here. This has always been a really loving and high energy city. People really give of themselves with the live shows, no reservations. I wish there were more cash machines in the city, you always have to walk very far to find one haha.
Is there a moment where words stop and the music takes over, or is it always connected?
I’m a songwriter at heart. Much more than a producer so there is always a connection. There is always a pulse in my writing and I am always bridging words to create new sonic experiments.
You’re working on a new album right now. What does this chapter feel like for you creatively?
I am releasing a new album in September and releasing my first new song and music video in 4 years in June! I’m super excited. I spent 2024 and 2025 recording and working on this album in New York, Paris and Morocco. I can’t wait to share it with the world. It’s a rock n roll record both in spirit and in sound and I can’t wait to perform it at festivals.
Has your sound shifted compared to your previous projects, or are you building on something that’s already there?
I have radically different process to making music now in the second half of my career than I did in the beginning. I always work with organic sounds firsts. Live instruments, live musicians. The human element is very important to me because its more magical, its spontaneous and you can’t predict what will happen in a live session. I always work organic first then bring in the digital programs second.
The Standard sits between cultural space and nightlife spot. How do you approach a venue like this?
I would approach the venue like I would any live concert. A place to celebrate being with my audience, a chance to get to know each other a little bit better and come away from the experience feeling good, seen and appreciated!
Your sets are often described as performative. What does that mean for you in practice?
I think it means for me about connecting. My sets reflect my background as a live musician in bands and as a rapper. I can’t imagine just standing still and not engaging with the crowd!
There’s a strong connection between your work and nightlife. What keeps you drawn to the club space today?
I think club spaces are these amazing incubators to really in an organic way see what frequencies people respond too. What sonically moves them and what brings people to life.
Every city has its own energy. What do you pay attention to when you arrive somewhere new?
Green spaces. Third places, places where people are allowed to be without buying something or consuming something and lastly the quality of free public wifi.
Brussels has a mix of underground collectives and cultural initiatives. How do you connect with a scene in a short time?
Having the opportunity to be invited to join the talk here and then participate with the event at The Standard gives me a wonderful perspective in a short span of time to really connect, speak with and garner insight into what people care about here and then sharing good will and space with the community after!
What kind of moment are you hoping to create at The Standard that night?
I play music that puts people on their feet. That’s my goal. My set’s aren’t for tuning the world out or to serve as background noise but to get people dancing, smiling and connecting with one another. So happy to join you guys and see you soon!
From Standard Talks to a performative DJ set, Mykki Blanco moves between formats, shaping the energy of the space along the way. One night, one flow, where words turn into sound and the room follows.
Join us Wednesday, May 13 - from 7pm to 12am.
At Double Standard
Register here.
About AfroPride Week
AfroPride Week is a platform within Belgian Pride that centers Black voices, cultures and experiences. Born from the AfroPride Ball in 2019, it brings together communities across the diaspora through talks, performances and gatherings across the city, creating space for visibility, connection and celebration.
About FOR ALL QUEENS!
FOR ALL QUEENS! is a Belgium based collective shaping spaces where ballroom, performance, nightlife and activism meet, centering voices that are too often pushed to the margins.
