From Building Stadiums To Building Vibes. Interview With Misha Bymishh

by Alexandra Mansilla

From Building Stadiums To Building Vibes. Interview With Misha Bymishh

19 Feb 2025

We are always fascinated by how creative people — DJs, artists, designers — become who they are today. Some of their stories are so incredible that they almost seem too wild to be true.

Misha Bymishh is one of those stories. Now making waves in Dubai, he first dreamt of DJing at 13, but life had other plans. Or maybe it all happened exactly when it was supposed to — who knows? His journey has been anything but ordinary: from working construction on a stadium to barely scraping by, hustling to prove himself in Moscow, moving to Baku, and finally landing in Dubai. Through it all, one thing never changed — his obsession with music and his hunger to explore new people, new opportunities, and new sounds.

His next stop is Karak on the Dhow on February 22! Pull up, vibe out, and dance like nobody is watching.

— Hi Misha! Where are you from? What is your background?

— I am from Kimry, a small town in the Tver region of Russia — one that most people have probably never even heard of. My parents are regular working-class folks: my dad is a driver, and my mom works in public service.

— Can you tell us more about this small town?

— To be honest, at one point, my hometown was considered one of Russia’s worst drug hotspots. It was everywhere. I tried to stay as far away from that as possible, and as soon as I had the chance to leave, I took it. After high school, I moved to Moscow for university.

— What did you study?

— Believe it or not, I studied construction! After university, I worked as a site supervisor at the Dynamo Stadium construction site for about a year. At some point, they started delaying our paychecks, and I realised I needed to make a change.

— And that is when you became a DJ?

— Well, yes! But there is some backstory to it.

The first time I saw a DJ was at a school dance when I was 13. I didn’t even know what a DJ was back then — I just saw this guy playing music and thought, “Damn, I want to be like that.” He looked so cool, so into what he was doing.

I went up to him after the set and asked if he could teach me. He said yes, but he never actually did. So I started figuring things out on my own, downloading software and looking up whatever info I could find. The problem was, the only DJ I knew was that guy from my school disco. Since I didn’t get to learn from him, I had no real mentor. Eventually, I lost motivation — there was no progress, and my studies took over.

My second encounter with DJing happened in my second year of university. I was working as a manager at a strip club in Moscow, and I caught myself standing next to the DJ booth, watching the DJ play. It was just like when I was 13, but this time, I wasn’t some kid who saw DJs as untouchable — I was actually communicating with them. That is when it hit me: “Maybe this is my second chance.”

This time, things started moving forward. People recommended tons of YouTube tutorials to me (which didn’t exist when I was younger), and someone even gave me a small DJ controller as a gift. I started practising seriously, recording mixes. I wasn’t performing yet, but it was my first real step into DJing.

My third breakthrough came with UPPERCUTS DJ Academy (shoutout to those guys!). They were amazing — and still are — but at the time, the courses were way too expensive for me. I dreamed that one day, once I had the money, I would sign up.

So, I started saving every bit of my construction job salary, barely spending anything. But then, salary delays started happening again. At that point, I thought: “Well, I’m quitting anyway. I’ll finally have the free time I never had before. Why not enroll now?”

So I paid for the course and went for it.

And you know what the best thing about studying at the academy was? Honestly, it wasn’t even just about learning how to DJ — it was the community. The people there were amazing — professional, inspiring, and always open to sharing their experiences.

— That is great, but starting out as a DJ in Moscow isn’t easy. The competition is crazy, and making a living from DJing sounds almost impossible.

— Oh, absolutely! I got a few gigs here and there through recommendations, but eventually, the money started running out. I was in a situation where I paid my rent for the last month and had literally nothing left.

I started looking for any kind of side job. No one was hiring me. Then, thanks to my girlfriend Zhenya, I got a job as an administrator at the Barcelona Football Academy — basically, handing out balls and keys to kids who came for training. Honestly, it saved me.

The best part? The job wasn’t demanding, so I had time during the day to watch DJ tutorials, dig for new music, and work on my craft. It was the perfect balance — I was making just enough to survive while still pushing forward in DJing

Over time, I started getting more gigs, sometimes even having to turn them down because of my job. At that point, I realised it was time to quit and go full-time with DJing.

I quit — and then, boom. COVID hit. No gigs, no income.

Again, Zhenya saved me — we got through lockdown because of her income.

After lockdown, I got lucky. The guys from Stereopeople Group — the ones behind Stereopeople, TekhnikaBezOpasnosti, and Dogs in the Fog [Ed. note: clubs in Moscow] — were opening a new venue. We already knew each other, and I casually told them, If you ever need help with anything, let me know.

Turns out, my timing was perfect. They were looking for someone to book DJs — basically a music director. That moment was the launchpad for my career in Moscow. I started running parties, booking artists, and connecting with managers. At the same time, I was getting booked more frequently.

Then, I got involved with Lager [Ed. note: series of parties in Moscow]. Big shoutout to Basya! They invited me to join their team, and from there, things just kept growing. I started DJing for brands and agencies.

Then, February 24, 2022, happened — and everything changed.

Many of my friends started leaving Russia. Zhenya and I weren’t sure whether to leave or stay, but we eventually decided to try.

First stop: Baku. We lived there for about two months, I played a few gigs, and I was still working remotely with Stereopeople. Eventually, it became clear that we weren’t going back.

Next idea: Dubai. We had always liked it, so why not? We could both work from there, and I was confident things would work out. And here we are — almost two years later.

— So you land in Dubai, realise you need to start making money, and… what happens next?

— I thought it would work the same way as in Moscow — I would go to parties, introduce myself, network.

The problem was that my English was far from perfect; I knew absolutely no one, and no one was responding to my DMs or emails. I must have sent over 100 messages to different venues — not a single reply.

— And how did your first gig happen?

— A trial set at a bar in Marina. And, again, there is a story!

I went there for a party and noticed the DJ was struggling with some technical issues. The manager was running around, trying to fix things, plugging in cables, but something wasn’t working.

I turned on my flashlight, saw that he was connecting something wrong, and quietly told him where to plug it in. He fixed it, said, “Thanks, man!” and ran off.

A little later, he came back and said, “Come with me.” He took me to the back, thanked me again, and asked, “How do you even know this stuff?”

I told him I was a DJ. He immediately offered me a test set.

I played the next day, just for the staff. Two other DJs showed up, listened to my set, and started asking questions. One of them was DJ Noor — he liked my music, and that moment changed everything.

The manager liked it too. I played another set at their restaurant the next day, and then he invited me to be a resident DJ twice a week.

Crazy, right? But… after that gig, I never played there again.

— Hahaha, what?!

— Honestly, now that I think about it, it is just a typical story — it happens! But I got lucky because meeting Noor turned out to be a game-changer. He introduced me to so many people, recommended me (which was shocking to me at the time — like, wow, people actually do that?), and opened the doors to a whole new level of events, including those by Aaron Ferns. Gradually, I started getting booked at different venues.

Then I met 1takennandos — another important connection for me.

— How did that happen?

— Back in Moscow, I used to play football. When I moved here, I was looking for a way to keep playing. I was already following 1takennandos, and one day, he posted a story asking, "Anyone up for a game?" I replied that I would love to join, and he instantly said, "Cool, you’re in!"

Turns out, it was more than just a random game — it was a community of really cool people. I became part of it and started getting to know everyone. Long story short, that same year, I ended up playing at Sole DXB.

I was always open to meeting new people and putting myself out there, and the connections I made played a key role in my journey — something I am incredibly grateful for. I truly believe that being open to new experiences and encounters is essential, and that is the mindset I continue to carry — always seeking new opportunities.

— And now, on February 22, you are playing at Karak on The Dhow!

— Yes! Faizal hit me up about a year ago and asked me to play at THE KARAK. I played that night (it was a two-DJ lineup), and the whole thing was a vibe — great energy and an amazing crowd. After my set, Faizal and I talked, and he said, "We have to do this again." Everyone loved it.

The next time, I played solo, and it was absolute magic — the vibe, the energy, everything clicked.

We started working together so closely that one day, Faizal just said, "Why don’t you take over the music direction for THE KARAK?" And that is kind of what I do now.

— That is awesome! How would you describe the music you play at these events? And do you prepare for your sets?

— Here is the thing: when you walk into a party, you don’t know what the crowd will be like. You don’t know how many people will be there, what mood they will be in, or what kind of music they will respond to. So, you physically cannot prepare a setlist that is guaranteed to work 100%.

I prep for each set, always digging for new music to bring to the crowd. I have kind of a general framework for every performance, but I never stick to a set playlist.

— So, how would you describe the kind of music you play?

— I would put it this way: everything you hear at THE KARAK — hip-hop, R&B, amapiano, jersey club, afrobeat and a lot of edits. No one tells you what to play there — it is a space for artists to express themselves. You play what you feel in the moment.

I love different kinds of music — house, afro-house, melodic, minimal. The best part is having the freedom to switch it up. If I am playing by the pool, I will go with house; if it is a restaurant setting, maybe some New York jazz vibes.

— Do you produce your own music?

— Funny you ask — you are probably the tenth person this week to bring it up! Maybe it is a sign.

To be honest, I have tried, but so far, I haven’t created anything I am happy with. So maybe a bit later, but for now… not yet.

See you all on Feb 22 at Karak On the Dhow! Pull up — it is gonna be something special!

by Alexandra Mansilla