Elijah Funk, or ‘Elijah Elijah’ as he is known on the dance floor, is a name that is slowly but surely making the rounds on the Stuttgart scene. The 26-year-old Greek is a passionate DJ and a real music nerd. With his wild curly hair, casually unbuttoned shirt and sandals, he radiates a pleasant calmness. It’s a warm summer afternoon, we’re sitting in the library with an iced latte, and he cheerfully talks about his passion for music.

‘I want to get people dancing and take them on a journey!’

His name says it all: with his sets, Elijah Funk not only puts a smile on people’s faces, but also creates an atmosphere that is unmistakable – a funky ‘sunshine vibe’ reminiscent of summer road trips and nights spent dancing. Whether at Climax, Rakete or the AWARA Festival, Elijah knows how to strike a chord with the crowd with a skilful mix of nu-disco/disco, house and boogie. His style is characterised by a playful alternation between groovy rhythms and unexpected musical twists that keep surprising the dance floor. In a city where these genres are often dismissed as niche music, Elijah remains unshakeable. With his passion and flair for creating the right atmosphere, he has built up a loyal fan base that knows exactly what to expect: beats that get your feet moving and sets that feel like a musical embrace.

How did Elijah and funk find each other?

Elijah’s musical journey began very early, not in Stuttgart, but in a small town in Greece. He had always had a great passion for music and at the age of 15 convinced his mother to buy him a DJ controller. While his peers were caught up in the EDM hype, Elijah wanted to be different. Instead of mainstream tracks, his old music soul focused on disco, funk and 70s and 80s grooves, inspired by legends such as Rick James, among others. ‘Back then, EDM was all the rage. I wanted to listen to and play different music,’ he recalls.

He taught himself everything in his childhood bedroom, practising mixing for hours with his DJ controller and eventually developing a sound that reflected his passion. But when he DJed at his first parties, he met with resistance: ‘I was too experimental for the crowd. They wanted EDM, and I just didn’t feel it.’ As a result, he put DJing on hold for a while. It wasn’t until he was 24, after moving to Stuttgart to study technology management, that Elijah found his groove again. At university, he started DJing at parties and finally found an audience that understood his music. “The sound I played went down well in Stuttgart. I think people were happy to hear something different for a change. Today, young people are super insecure, and the political and economic situation, as well as Covid, have contributed to people longing for refuge even more.”

Art:al: Elijah’s musical playground, safe space and personal DJ highlight

It didn’t take long for Elijah to team up with his friends and fellow students to found the Art:al collective, which brought a breath of fresh air to the Stuttgart party scene. The crew consists of more than 20 members, including students, artists and DJs, and organises independent events – from raves and dorm parties to open-air events at the New Opera House of the Stuttgart art project contain’t. ‘It’s not always easy. The city could support collectives like ours better,’ says Elijah.

‘As a collective, we finance everything ourselves. It’s difficult to organise events legally; that only happens under certain conditions with clubs. You need a network first. If you’re not an association, you fall completely out of the cultural sector. There’s also a lack of space.’

Despite these challenges, he is grateful for the opportunities Art:al offers him: ‘With Art:al, I can experiment musically and have a community that celebrates the sound I love’, he says.

His sets combine groovy and nostalgic disco vibes that always surprise with unexpected twists. They are energetic, put people in a good mood and often follow his gut feeling. ‘Disco lifts the mood, and I just want to give people a good time,’ he says. With a mix of uplifting nu disco & disco, funk and soulful house, Elijah creates an atmosphere that lets you forget stress and everyday life for a short time. Exclusively for B-Side Stories, Elijah has curated a playlist that takes us on an exemplary journey. The very first track, ‘Let The Sun Shine’ by Milk & Sugar (Purple Disco Machine Remix), sets the tone: with your eyes closed, you feel instantly transported to a sunny beach – warm rays on your skin, the scent of salt water in the air and the freedom of a carefree moment.

‘The best gigs aren’t always the biggest ones,’ Elijah continues. His most memorable moment? A spontaneous performance after an Arabic concert, where the crowd went wild and completely overwhelmed him. But this gig was more than just a highlight – it marked a turning point: ‘I played a lot for free in the beginning, but that’s when I realised that what I was doing was good – and that I wanted to be fairly compensated for it.’ Money is often tight, especially in collectives, but Elijah has learned from this: ‘These experiences are essential for growing as an artist.’