Jen Cardini: Three Decades on the Dancefloor and Still Our Petit Monstre
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- 6 min read
After nearly 30 years of tearing up clubs from Berlin to NYC, Jen Cardini is still very much in motion. French-born, internationally renowned, and as busy as ever, they’ve been DJing, producing, curating, and running their legendary label, Correspondant — now adding a fresh solo project to the mix: Petit Monstre, a vinyl-only release on Chloe Caillet’s SMIILE Records.
Between curating the Nightclubbing festival in Paris and touring the globe, Jen’s vision is as sharp as ever: cheeky, intelligent, fiercely queer, and full of life. We caught up with them to talk music, mischief, and why the underground will always matter.
You haven’t released a solo project since the 90s. How come it's happening now?
I’ve been touring nonstop for three decades. DJing and running the labels were my main focus—so there just wasn’t that much space for studio time. It took me years to quiet the noise and feel confident in the studio. In the past few months, I’ve been taking classes with the amazing French producer Flore and have spent time in the studio with De Grandi, Priori, and Manu from Know Artist. I’ve learned a lot from all of them, and honestly, it’s just been really fun.
“It took me years to quiet the noise and feel confident in the studio.”
Petit Monstre is such a great title. Who—or what—is the "little monster"? Is it the music industry, the chaos of the night, or that version of yourself that only comes out after 4 AM?
Love those interpretations, especially the 4 AM one :) In French, petit monstre is actually an affectionate way to describe a cheeky kid. I’ve spent my life trying to keep that cheeky kid alive. To never stand still for too long, and to hold on to my appetite for love, music, food, life in the most open and spontaneous way. My partner, Simone, calls me “petit monstre”. She’s the one who suggested the title, and it felt instantly right.
“I’ve spent my life trying to keep that cheeky kid alive.”
You’re releasing on Chloe Caillet’s label, SMIILE. How does it feel to "hand over" your creative baby to a newer generation of queer leaders in the scene, rather than just putting it out on your own label, Correspondant?
I’ve followed Chloe for a long time and have always admired her work and the way she champions queer artists. Transmission and community feel more important than ever, and I think we really share that value. We always have good talks, she has a very good analysis of the scene. I relate to how she moves between the mainstream and the underground, which I’ve also tried to do throughout my career. As a queer artist, supporting smaller venues and uplifting our community matters deeply to me. She’s also a wonderful person, and I’m honored to release this EP on Smile.
“Transmission and community feel more important than ever.”
SMIILEWAX is a vinyl-only sub-label. In a world of instant streaming and digital fatigue, is this a romantic "fuck you" to the algorithm, or do you just miss the physical struggle of carrying heavy crates?
Ok, LOVE the idea of a petit fuck you to the algorithm. But honestly, I’ve never stopped buying records. Going to record shops with a friend, grabbing a coffee, and spending the day digging is still my favorite thing to do. Lately I’ve been thinking about playing vinyl again. I love the joyful constraints of it. Whatever the moment calls for, you make it work with what you have. There’s something special about carefully building your record bag before the weekend. It’s a completely different ritual from preparing a playlist. So I’m really happy to get a vinyl release of “Petit Monstre”.
"LOVE the idea of a petit fuck you to the algorithm"
You’re curating the Nightclubbing festival in Paris, but you’ve been a Berlin staple for ages. If you had to describe the "soul" of Parisian nightlife compared to Berlin using only a single drink + a specific feeling, what would it be?
Paris feels like a glass of pet nat - elegant, a little bubbly, a little unpredictable. Berlin is a Club-Mate and vodka or a shot of Hemingway at 7am and completely losing track of time. I stopped drinking years ago so my version of Paris is actually a tight double espresso - sharp, intense, and an instant rush. Berlin is sparkling water in a glass bottle cause it’s going to be a long ride, and you’d better stay hydrated.
“Paris feels like a glass of pet nat - elegant, a little bubbly, a little unpredictable.”
You’ve seen the underground go mainstream several times over. What is the one "dirty" or "messy" thing about the early 2000s club scene that you think today’s perfectly curated, Instagram-ready DJs are totally missing out on?
Everything is so well curated and algorithmically curated that it feels like there’s not so much space left for the mistakes. A lot of the most fun and ultimately defining moments in my career came from the mistakes - the bad decisions, wrong directions, tiny moments of chaos and not knowing what the fuck I was doing or what was going to happen next.
“A lot of the most fun and ultimately defining moments in my career came from the mistakes.”
After nearly 30 years in the game, how do you keep your "cynical friend" brain from getting bored? Is there a specific sound or a certain type of crowd that still makes your heart race like it’s your first residency?
The queer scene keeps me on my toes. I truly love my community, they mean everything to me. I always want to surprise them and share joy with them. Two of my favorite parties in London are Adonis and Unfold and after every set there, I feel ready for another ten years (lol). It refills my energy levels to the maximum. Musically, I don’t have one specific sound I love. I’m really open to everything. The level of production right now is incredible, just listen to Maara, Priori, Pancratio, Jennifer Loveless or Blood of Aza.
“The queer scene keeps me on my toes. I truly love my community, they mean everything to me.”
You’re touring everywhere from Vilnius to NYC to Kyiv. Where do you find the "quiet" in the middle of all that noise? Or is the idea of "quiet" just a myth for someone like you?
Tennis is the only moment when the noise is off and I feel connected to myself in a less tense/wired way. Also moments with my partner where I step out of my bubble.
Electronic music is often so focused on "the future." But with your festival and your history, you seem to value the past too. How do you keep the music feeling raw and urgent?
For me, music has to be raw and urgent especially now, as we’re living through profound social and political shifts. This isn’t a neutral moment. Using our platforms and art as tools of resistance feels more essential than ever. Resistance can only be collective, we need to stand together, to protect one another, and refuse to be pushed back into silence.
Transmission is vital, sharing knowledge, creating space, and uplifting voices are real ways to confront structural racism, homophobia, and misogyny. Culture has always been a battleground, it’s where we find our strength and this is why cultural and queer spaces are often the first targets of fascist authorities.
“Transmission is vital, sharing knowledge, creating space, and uplifting voices are real ways to confront structural racism, homophobia, and misogyny.”
What is the most "un-DJ" thing about you? When the lights go up and the set is over, are you the person looking for the afterparty, or the person looking for the best local bakery and a long nap?
I did the first one so much, I was at the afterparty, lol. I sometimes ended up in my hotel room or flat with half of the venue listening to music and speaking nonsense. Now, I’ve become a very efficient nap DJ, I nap before and after my set.
Berlin is changing fast. Does the city still give you that "anything is possible" rush, or has it become too much of a playground for tourists looking for a safe version of "edgy"?
Berlin has changed a lot in the last few years - there’s the gentrification and the techno tourism, but also major shifts in political and artistic censorship. So, it’s complicated. But somehow I still feel like electronic music will remain a part of the city’s identity, how the scene took over neglected spaces after reunification, how it brought young people together, how it helped shape a sense of freedom and possibility. Berlin will always hold that energy for me.
“Berlin will always hold that energy for me.”
If you could go back to the Jen Cardini of 1995 and give them one piece of advice about surviving the next 30 years of electronic music, what would it be?
Not to wear American Apparel skinny scarves. But it’s 2026 and I’m still dancing and playing (with no cotton scarves on) so I guess this petit monstre did just fine.
