Today we’d like to introduce you to Beki Powell.
Hi Beki, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m Beki Powell—artist, author, DJ/producer. Born and raised in New York, I was an awkward kid, definitely more elf than human. Not fitting in became my superpower. Free from the pressure to conform, I embraced my eccentricity and channeled my energy into art and writing. Music developed alongside. I fell in love with classic rock, hip-hop, R&B, soul, and disco. House music pulled me into NYC’s underground scene, where I found my rhythm as a professional club kid.
In 2006, I started DJing on my boyfriend’s Technics turntables. After posting a few mixes online, I got offered my first gig in NYC. I nervously told the promoter, “I never played in a club before”, to which he said: “So what?” Two little words gave me the nudge I needed to crush the set and land a weekly residency at the National Underground in downtown Manhattan.
Since then, I’ve held residencies in New York and Miami, including at the legendary Electric Pickle where I was known for my extended soulful, multi-genre vinyl sets. I’ve won awards, hosted multiple radio shows, and co-founded two gender-expansive DJ collectives. Today, I’ve begun merging visual art with live DJ sets and spoken word performances.
Over the years, I supported my creative path through modeling and design jobs, and a decade-long career in copywriting. A few years ago, I decided it was time to tell my own story. I wrote a book, coming out in 2026, and I have two original tracks dropping soon. This year, I also launched “Birds in Paradise”, a radio show, DJ duo and soon-to-be party series with my best friend, Katie Ox. Our second show, “Birds at Play”, debuts on Frisky Radio December 23rd – and in 2026, our original party series will take flight at the Sagamore Hotel Pool.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the hardest challenges I’ve faced has to do with my mental health. As a kid, I was labeled with bipolar disorder, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and panic disorder, and put on medications that made me numb and creatively blocked. When I tried to go off them and experienced withdrawals, doctors insisted my bipolar disorder was returning.
It wasn’t until 2020 when I entered into a beta trial with psychedelics that I was able to reclaim control of my mind and body. I got off the meds completely, and with ongoing talk therapy and EMDR, I was able to find happiness and peace of mind. I realized those labels never really defined me, or even fit me at all. It took years of healing and unlearning mental health narratives to reach the level of clarity I have now, and with it, the freedom for my creativity to flourish.
Since childhood, art has been the primary outlet for which I process my emotions. I’ve also always known in a way that art and emotion are somehow inextricably connected. I use emotion as fuel to create art, and I create art to soothe my emotions. A sort of symbiosis woven into the framework of our sentient, expressive beings. To commemorate my coming off the medication, I made a painting called “The Breakthrough”. The imagery depicts my ‘breaking through’ the monochromatic lens of mind-numbing pharmaceuticals, and finally seeing and experiencing the world in full color for the first time.
Another major challenge I faced was losing the safety net of my copywriting career to AI. I’d spent over a decade writing advertisements for everything from air fryers to sexual enhancement products, all to support my bigger artistic vision. When that sense of financial security disappeared, I was terrified. It took me almost a year to get back on my feet. When I finally did, though, I recognized that what seemed like a tragedy was actually a blessing in disguise. I didn’t lose anything at all. On the contrary, I gained the freedom to do what was more in alignment with my purpose.
I was never meant to use my talents to manipulate people into buying products. I am meant to tell my story, to make art, music, and books that move people. Letting go of this abstract definition of “stability” gave me space to finish my book and fully commit to using my art, music, and writing to uplift and inspire. It hasn’t been an easy road, and the puzzle is still coming together, but I believe staying aligned with our purpose is the key to unlocking true abundance and fulfillment.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I create experiences that move people – sonically, visually, and emotionally. As a DJ, I specialize in vinyl and love layering different genres like house, funk, disco, R&B, and hip-hop. In that layering, you end up creating something entirely new. The key is blending the tracks seamlessly so listeners don’t notice the shift, only that they’ve suddenly arrived somewhere unexpected. That’s part of the magic for me: balancing people’s expectations with moments that surprise them.
Mixing records is all a matter of instinct. You have to feel the rhythm and trust your ear. I always say the moment I first beat-matched two records together was the moment I became a woman. There’s nothing more gratifying than knowing you earned your mix!
These days, I tailor every set to the crowd and occasion, bringing playful, high-energy performances and staying unafraid to dance. I often weave spoken word and poetry into my sets and original productions, which can be described as groovy, deep, funky, and full of soul.
When it comes to painting, I work mostly in oil. I love painting reflections, or as I like to call them, parallel visual universes. Whether it’s via mirror, glass, plastic, or water, strange phenomena tend to happen when life is imitated in a confined space, especially when subject to the reflective material’s unique warping and distortion. When a reflection becomes a painting, all the beautiful little details produced by the arbitrary combinations and interactions of light and color as generated by Mother Nature are amplified. The image transforms into something new, a world that never existed before: a dreamscape. I have an eye for spotting these optical wonders in their natural state, and being that I am a reflective, sensitive artist myself, it’s no coincidence that I am drawn to these phenomena.
I often like to compare oil paint to vinyl. Both are rich and buttery, making them a pleasure to blend. The result is something full-bodied and alive. As far as my writing goes, I bring the same playful, distinctive voice to my poetry, songs, and books. What sets me apart is how I merge all these disciplines into one cohesive, multi-sensory expression.
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The project I am most excited about is my joint-venture with best friend, Katie Ox – Birds in Paradise. Katie and first I bonded over our love of music and birds, and quickly became best friends. She dubbed me her DJ fairy godmother, in light of my encouraging her to start performing in public. As Birds in Paradise, we have an established monthly radio show with a live video broadcast on Jolt Radio, a second show coming out on Frisky Radio premiering December 23rd, multiple DJ residencies, and original productions in the works.
We are also thrilled to announce our new party series at the Sagamore Hotel Pool launching January 24th, 2026, with more details to come!
What does success mean to you?
For me, success isn’t defined by monetary value. It’s about fulfillment. It’s living in alignment with your purpose, feeling abundant, happy, free, and using your gifts to elevate humanity. When you’re doing that, you’re succeeding.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bekipowell.com/
- Instagram: @bekipowell
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bekipowellart/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bekipowell/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bekipowell
- soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/beki
- Other: https://soundcloud.com/birds-in-paradise
Image Credits
Carly Cook Jay Kantor (Kung Fu Breakfast) Anne Dignam
