Sounds of summer: curated playlists

Get ready to groove as local legends Mothafunk and Emelyne take over the speakers with custom-curated sets made for balmy afternoons and breezy nights.

Expect everything from smooth, laid-back beats to high-energy grooves that’ll turn the Square into an open-air dance floor.

Whether you’re passing through or settling in for a sesh, these sets will keep the vibes high and the summer energy flowing all season long.

Note: Sounds of summer playlists will be played on non-event days.

Schedule

Mothafunk playlist: 12pm–2pm
Emelyne playlist: 2pm–5.30pm

About the artists:

Crissy ‘Mothafunk’ Collins

Hailing from Chicago, Mothafunk, also known as Crissy Collins, is more than just a DJ – she’s a keeper of culture. Drawing from her roots in Black America, she aims to help continue, document, and expand on Chicago’s rich history of music and dance. Now making waves in Naarm (Melbourne), Crissy creates electrifying dance floor experiences by weaving a tapestry of global club sounds. Never delving too far from her foundational inspiration of Chicago house and Detroit techno. Both a DJ and journalist, Crissy’s work analyses how music and culture impact society and shapes our world. Mothafunk curates musical experiences that reach far beyond the dancefloor and onto the airwaves. A college radio graduate, she is now a regular on Naarm’s beloved Triple R radio. Crissy always has the dance floor in mind while playing. As a former (and current) club kid, she understands how to connect to the crowd and get them going. With over 10-years of experience, Mothafunk brings the energy, taste, and funk that makes her sets one of a kind.

Emelyne

Emelyne is an active force within Naarm’s vibrant music scene. Her one-of-a-kind energy and enthusiasm around music brings people together telling narratives of history through her woven tapestry of forgotten gems and little heard global sounds.

Emelyne is revered for her versatile bag of selections, with a special affinity for UK-inspired sounds, bombastic broken beat, forward-thinking rhythmic productions and booming dub. She taps into her love for bass heavy and experimental sounds through weekly show The Blend on PBS fm (co-hosted with Bevin Campbell) and you can catch her serving funky goodness behind the counter at Northside Records.

Her prowess behind the decks has led her to support esteemed artists far and wide including Azu Tiwaline, Loefah, Sully, Mark N, HTRK, Aya, Yaeji and Kush Jones to name a few, as well as grace iconic stages like Soft Centre, Sydney Opera House (Vivid), Inner Varnika, Potato Head Bali, Golden Plains Festival, Strawberry Fields, Sun Cycle and beyond.

Check out the full program of free live music, outdoor cinema and community events on as part of Open Air in the Square.