Ballroom at Palais: Stella Z & Syz

Stella Z

Stella Z is a London-based composer, producer and DJ whose music bridges cultural roots with contemporary electronic experimentation. Growing up in a mountainous seaside town in China, she was immersed in Mandarin and Cantonese pop, post-punk, and world music — an eclectic foundation that continues to shape her sound. An emerging voice in underground music, she was a Rhythm Section Label Future Proof mentee in 2023, named a Mixmag Artist to Check Out in 2024, and selected for the AVA Festival Creators Forum 2025. Her sound is defined by intricate layers, deep atmospheres and organic sound design, infused with emotive personal storytelling through spoken words. This vision deepens in her 2025 album Music To Watch Seeds To Grow By: FIG, a music documentary of the fig and the bond between the flower and wasp. It follows her acclaimed 2023 debut LP, In The Woods, Will Be Late, a tribute to her hometown. Her music received praise from Mixmag, The Vinyl Factory, Bandcamp Daily, Residence Advisor. Electronic Sound and Test Pressing, with support from DJ Harvey, Vladimir Ivkovic, Ben UFO, Cosmo Vitelli, Ruf Dug, and more. Her signature sonic world also extends into remixing, from her downtempo rework of Echo Juliet’s “Red Sun” featured on BBC Radio 6 Music to her atmospheric cut of Derek V Bulcke’s “MAKE UP” for La Bonne Musique featured in Mixmag. On the stage, Stella Z crafts multi-genre, unpredictable sets, weaving slow-burn psychedelia, deep tribal grooves, and industrial beats while uncovering hidden Asian dance gems. She has also performed live set at festivals including Watching Trees (UK) and Abrupt Festival (Belgium). Beyond DJing and production, she has made various radio appearances on NTS, Kiosk Radio, Mutant Radio, and more while also curating QUIET CHAOS—a show exploring darker tone of listening music and the subtle nuances of sound.

Syz