Despite the freezing Finnish temperatures — something she quickly pointed out with a laugh — Sonia described her first visit to Helsinki as “fresh and very interesting.” Her performance at the event was also a bit different from her usual club sets. Instead of focusing purely on dancefloor energy, she curated a wider spectrum of Taiwanese music. “As a DJ I have more options to play,” she explained. For the presentation she mixed her own tracks with Taiwanese pop songs, older music, and productions from underground artists. The goal was simple: to give listeners a sense of how diverse Taiwan’s music culture really is.

While the festival also featured several Taiwanese metal bands, Sonia sees clear parallels between the scenes. Both electronic producers and metal musicians often draw inspiration from traditional sounds and reinterpret them in modern ways. “Electronic music makes it easier to combine different elements,” she said, though she noted that the metal bands performing that night also integrate traditional Taiwanese instruments and melodies into their work. Her own productions frequently blend electronic rhythms with influences from across the world. Regional grooves and percussion from Africa, Latin America, and Asia all play a role in her creative process. One track even featured a collaboration with a South African vocalist, reflecting her interest in exploring musical connections across cultures.

Unlike lyric-driven genres, electronic music doesn’t always begin with a clear narrative. “Sometimes we’re just trying all kinds of grooves or bass lines,” she explained. While releases like her ‘Moonlight’ EP were inspired by a specific theme, many tracks evolve more organically through experimentation in the studio. One of her more recent productions came about through a collaboration with a Turin-based label celebrating its fifth anniversary. For that track she experimented with Budots, a dance genre originating from the Philippines known for its straightforward rave-style rhythms.

Cross-genre collaboration has also played an important role in her career. Ten years ago she created a remix for Taiwanese metal legends Chthonic — a project she says helped introduce her music to metal fans for the first time.

Beyond producing and touring, Sonia is also working to support Taiwan’s underground electronic scene through her own festival project. Now preparing its third edition, the event aims to create a space for artists outside the commercial EDM circuit. Inspired by the underground-focused festivals she encountered while visiting Europe, she hopes to build something similar back home in Taiwan.

For Sonia Calico, representing Taiwan internationally remains a strong motivation. “As Taiwanese, we always have to try so hard to let people know that we’re Taiwanese,” she said. Performing abroad is therefore not just about music, but also about visibility and cultural presence. With a European tour ahead of her back when we were talking, she was eager to bring that message to new audiences — hopefully next time in a proper club setting rather than a press conference stage.

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