AGP Family: PAYDAR

I first came across Sabba on Instagram.  Somebody had tagged her in one of our Sallys Sneakers ‘AZADI’ collab jerseys and I was immediately curious to find out more about her.  She was playing a DJ set in Copenhagen in the video and her energy was next level!  Have you ever had that feeling when you see/meet someone for the first time and you get the sense that they were born to do great things?  That’s how I feel about Sabba.  It's not a matter of how, it's only a matter of when!  I got in touch and within a few weeks we had spoken over the phone and ready to launch our first collab project together.  This coincided with my trip to Copenhagen, where I had a pop up with local streetwear brand Quratee so it was definitely a ‘stars aligning’ moment.  The night before the pop up, Sabba was doing an opening set for London based DJ Nooriya, so we took the opportunity to launch the SS x Sabba Paydar tee on the night.  It was amazing and great to meet my Copenhagen family in person for the first time.  Since then we’ve kept in touch and managed to do another collab (possibly a third one in the works!).  So today I’m pleased to share this interview with Sabba which was done back in December 2024.  It turned to be an international affair, with myself being in the UK and AGP family member Sabina (@sabinajoohae) putting the questions together from Seoul, South Korea, all while Sabba herself was out in Japan!  Like I always say, Among Good People is local and we’re global!

Huge thanks to Sabina for all of her help putting this together, expect more coming soon!

  

SJ:  Sabba!!  How are you?  Hope you’re well and enjoying the Japan life!  So, tell us a little bit about you and what you do.

SP: My name is Sabba, but many people in Denmark know me as PAYDAR. I’m a human who loves and appreciates culture and how it brings people together. Every day, I seek to learn and grow wiser by exploring different cultures through traveling, music, working with locals, and simply experiencing life.

I love creating music because it allows me to express how I feel, and performing it live gives that expression even more meaning. To me, giving people any kind of feeling through music is what it’s all about. 

 

SJ:  What is one aspect of Iranian culture you wish more people understood or appreciated?

SP: Iranian music is not the same as Arabic music, haha. I wish people could experience it the way I do with my family and friends—dancing and singing together. There’s truly nothing more joyful than that. That’s why I try to incorporate it as much as possible into my sets, blending it with other genres.

SJ: What inspired the creation of your EP 'Middlebeatz', and what message do you hope to share through it?

SP:  I really just wanted to practice my first few songs and put them out there for myself. It wasn’t perfect at all, but I don’t think perfection is ever possible when you create something so personal and creative.

My inspiration came from instruments from Southwest Asia, as well as the sounds in movies and songs I grew up watching and listening to with my family. But I’m also a child of Europe, so I was influenced by different kinds of club music—hip-hop, Afro house, house, and electronic. I blend those sounds together, which is why I mix different genres in my sets.

I’ve never stuck to just one or two genres. I used to take dance classes where I’d switch from House dancing to Popping, or from Hip-hop to Afro. So, MiddleBeatz represents being in the middle of nowhere—and everywhere—at once. A lot of refugees can relate to that feeling: searching for your culture and childhood creatively.

On the EP cover, it’s my hands floating on the water. Water holds very different meanings for many refugees. For some, like my mother, it’s a weapon—a source of fear and struggle. For me, it also represents something calm and relaxing, a place of peace. This contrast is something I carry with me and express in my music.

SJ: Who are the top three creatives or musicians influencing you the most, and why?

My family—and I mean my whole family! The ones in Iran, my mom and dad, my sister and brother. Every single one of them has influenced what I know about music and the sounds I pick up today. I don’t know if they can all count as one, but definitely them, haha!

Then, there’s Michael Jackson, 100%. When I was 9, my family and I practiced a lot of his musicality and performances. The way he moved and his connection to music felt like something from another world.

Finally, the dance community. Watching and learning from my teachers about different genres and musicality through body movement has shaped the way I experience and mix music.

 

SJ:  What drives your passion for music and keeps you motivated to create?

SP: That’s a very personal question, but I’ll try not to go too deep into it.  I would say my childhood traumas and tough times have been some of my biggest motivations in life. My family also carries a lot of traumas, and that has had a big impact on my drive. Constantly proving myself, learning new things quickly, and adapting to challenges became my tempo. Taking on a lot of responsibility at an early age shaped me with a strong work ethicGrowing up in a Persian family has also deeply influenced my love for culture and community. For me, music wouldn’t exist without those connections.

SJ:  Can you share the story behind your journey into music? Do you come from a musical background, or was your path unique?

SP: My mom loved to sing and dance a lot. My brother loved to sing and play guitar. My sister is passionate about poetry, hip-hop, and art. So, music and creativity came to me in different ways from all of them. I grew up watching them sing together with friends and family—whether in the car while driving or in the kitchen while we were cooking.

I fell in love with dancing at a young age because we used to throw parties in Taastrup (the city I grew up in), where we’d form big circles, and my mom would push me into the middle. I’d move around, and people loved it, which made me addicted to expressing myself in that way with others from a young age.

SJ:  So you are currently out in Japan, how is it going and what are you taking from this time away from home?

SP:  I’m trying to learn and establish new routines so I can gather more experiences as a human. Exploring other mentalities and routines helps you grow continuously. Seeing how others approach their work expands your perspective and teaches you new ways to push boundaries. Growth thrives on that exchange of ideas and methods.

I spent the first few weeks in Tokyo on my own, and I met a lot of nice, kind people around my age. They’ve shown me around the city, introduced me to their friends, and connected me with other DJs from Japan who are event makers. That’s how I got some gigs here. Seeing the city and club culture through their eyes was incredible. It made me reflect on how my life would have been if I had grown up in Japan instead of Europe.

I’ve been doing a lot of music and edits while living out here, not only in the city but also during the long train and bus rides between cities, and especially when I was out in the countryside. These moments gave me a lot of space to create and reflect. I’ve also been observing how DJs here use their techniques while mixing and how their energy flows when they enjoy music.

I’ve also been observing how DJs here use their techniques while mixing and how their energy flows when they enjoy music.

In November, I took some time out of the city, to a place even locals didn’t know about. I spent time working with two different elderly Japanese couples—each with very different routines. The first couple were musically creative, and I helped with their guest house. The second couple had a more traditional, authentic lifestyle, focused on farming and growing their own food for dinner.

Stepping into others’ work processes encourages you to think outside your usual way of doing things. Trust me, I had plenty of time for my own thoughts being out there in the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t communicate much since I didn’t know Japanese, and their English wasn’t the strongest.

When I was with the elderly locals, I tried techniques and ideas I’d never considered before. But when I was with the younger locals in Tokyo, it was a whole different work process. The drive I got from them, and the different ways of thinking, is when real growth happens for me.

It’s been going really well. Been doing a lot music and edits while i've been living out here. The answer you just read comes from my notes taken during my time outside the city, when I had more space to appreciate and reflect on what I’ve learned—and am still learning.

 

SJ:  Talking of home, can you give us 3 top spots to hear live music in CPH?

SP:  Sigurdsvinbar often has live music, with a wide variety of artists and events. It's a great spot to check out different performances.

I always say the best time to visit Copenhagen is in June, July, and August because there are so many festivals and events happening—of all kinds.

Radio Panini and Drift Radio are also great places to visit if you want to experience and explore different vibes from DJs and live artists in Copenhagen. 

You can check more about Sabba and her first album with ARSHIA (dropped May 25') 'SALAMATI' on IG @sabba_paydar