EDM artists Gioli & Assia on being LGBTQ, dealing with prejudice, their chemistry with audiences, and staying true to themselves
In 2019, electronic dance music (EDM) duo Gioli & Assia’s performance at the W Kuala Lumpur hotel in Malaysia was cancelled because of “unforeseen circumstances”.
Five years on, Giorgia Lipari and Assia Nania, also life partners, are back on the road. They will appear at Black Coffee Miami Music Week later this month, after having recently played at W Osaka as part of the hotel chain’s newly launched concert series.
“What happened in Malaysia was such a bummer for us, but at the same time, we received so many messages from young people telling us that they’re so sorry about what happened,” says Lipari, who at the time posted about their experience on Instagram and Twitter, now X.
“We have to sadly announce that our show at W Hotel in Kuala Lumpur has been cancelled due to our LGBT orientation. In their research, they have concluded that Gioli & Assia is of LGBT orientation and are seen to be promoting LGBT,” Lipari wrote. Her post referred to the Malaysian government agency that performs background checks.
Gioli & Assia perform at the W Presents event at the W Osaka hotel in Japan.
Lipari adds: “The [young people] were really proud that we are spreading awareness of who we are and thanking us for being who we are.
“That’s the thing – people who really want to stand for their rights are young, while the politicians are always older. I think probably in 10 years there will be a shift but it will take time.”
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Leah Chisholm, the global director of music for W Hotels, says: “Gioli & Assia are such a versatile and dynamic duo.
“They are individually talented and powerful women. Together, their power is exponential. They have a really distinct sound and are doing something … unique in the live electronic space. The duo was a natural fit for this programme.”
“The chemistry between us is really apparent and it’s part of the music and energy we share with the crowd,” says Nania.
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W Hotels launched W Presents, a global series of live electronic concerts in the Asia-Pacific region in November, to highlight and provide a stage for electronic-music talent.
“W Presents is about showcasing not only our passion for sound, but also creating an innovative live electronic music platform for artists from all backgrounds,” says Chisholm, who is also a DJ and music producer who goes by the professional name LP Giobbi.
Lipari is a DJ who performs live with drums and a hand pan. She started playing piano aged eight, then guitar, drums and cello. She expanded to house music, and has toured the world, performing in countries including Spain, Portugal, France, Hungary, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the United States.
Assia Nania of EDM duo Gioli & Assia
She met her partner Nania in November 2016, and together they founded their own music label, #Diesis Records.
Gioli & Assia’s sound is a mix of indie, classical and house music vibes. They amassed 30 million views on YouTube for their song Inside Your Head, and have seen millions of streams of their music on platforms like Spotify.
The couple are engaged to be married, and waiting for a wedding date. They intend to persevere with their music, regardless of perception.
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“For us, it’s really important to be authentic and true to yourself. Especially if you are a public person, you need to be able to feel comfortable and not need to hide or suffer because of who you really are,” says Nania.
They never felt there was anything wrong with them or their relationship, says Lipari, “so we hope that people who listen to our music and see our videos can be more comfortable about their sexuality”.
“Nowadays politics are worrying everywhere and it’s becoming more conservative, but I think with globalisation through social media, people are starting to open up more and more about LGBT issues, having depression, being a woman, or being black.”
Giorgia Lipari on performing in an anti-LGBTQ country
She adds: “We are not the type of artists that won’t perform in an anti-LGBTQ country, I think you should do the opposite.
“If there is a country [which] has laws that won’t allow you to be who you are, then you will go for the people who are oppressed there.
“You would want to shine a light, give hope to people and show them that it is normal for two people to love each other, no funny business, just be there to enjoy music with you.”
