An artist's energy is such a pivotal part of their musical aura. When that positivity, excitement, and warmth glows just as brightly from a towering festival stage as it does from an intimate club just a few feet away, you know they are unique. When Mija and GG Magree—aka So Tuff So Cute—walked into the media area at Ultra Music Festival, or rather when GG carried an injured Mija on her back, the energy was electric. Beyond their incredible individual artistry, they are unapologetically authentic. Their buoyant on-stage presence, punk-rock musical aesthetic, and quirky social media personas are exactly what you get in person. It was a refreshing and energizing start to my weekend at Ultra Music Festival.
They share similar trajectories through dance music. GG started her career throwing university parties in her dad's nightclubs in Sydney, Australia. She had an obvious knack for curation and figured if she didn't like what the DJing was playing, she could do it better independently.
Mija also started as a promoter. Throwing underground raves in Arizona. Running artist hospitality and ferrying would-be EDM stars around town, she formed friendships that would eventually help her on the come up. She famously played an iconic sunrise b2b set aboard the Kaliope Art Car at Bonaroo with Skrillex. She soon was brought into the OWSLA fold even before releasing her first record.
This DIY mentality and fevered faith in oneself that these two artists share combined with a red hot streak of sarcasm and quick wit have made them celebrated artists and personalities. Yet, as we sat and chatted, it was also clear that a beautiful balance in their relationship highlighted how their differences made each other more whole. Mija, an incredibly technical DJ being forced to take a backseat because of her foot injury has propelled GG to excel even further as a DJ. And where GG was the usual MC, Mija, a self-professed introvert has found her voice on the mic.
When they took the stage early Saturday afternoon, they attracted thousands into their orbit of radiating energy. They breezed through a set as vibrant and energetic as their personalities, effortlessly jumping between thumping house, grinding bass, thrashing pop-punk, and their gorgeous vocals. By the time they passed the decks to Wax Motif, they had more than filled the massive stage, and the crowd spilled out onto the grass and sidewalk beyond.
Festival Insider's pre-set chat was as much fun as you can have with two artists with this much energy. We talked about the best parts of traveling with your best friend, how they balance each other out, and at one point, we were even serenaded with some Sheryl Crow.
