For Sky Jetta, electronic music has always been close. Growing up in Detroit, techno, ghetto tech, and house weren’t things she discovered later — they were already there. “It was just on the radio, played at basement parties, and even at home,” she says. That early proximity still shapes how she plays today.
Her sets move easily between cities and sounds. Detroit techno sits alongside Atlanta bass, Chicago juke, and house, all feeding into one another rather than competing for space. Chicago house, in particular, remains a throughline. Sky Jetta is straightforward about the genre’s roots as house becomes increasingly global. Chicago is the birthplace, she says, and “if you’re in this space and don’t know this, then you’re not rightfully doing your homework.”
That grounding has followed her everywhere, including into PAPER’s world. In September, Sky Jetta played behind the decks at PAPER’s Demi Lovato NYFW cover party, keeping the energy up throughout the night. It was the kind of setting that suits her approach — responsive, intuitive, and shaped by the room in front of her rather than a rigid plan. “These days I rarely build a full set before playing. I usually have an idea of the direction and maybe five to ten songs I want to hit.”
Her confidence has translated to bigger stages. One of the clearest turning points came when she DJed in her hometown in front of 25,000 people during the Michigan Central Station reopening, sharing the lineup with Detroit legends and global names alike. “It opened my audience up to the world,” she says.
Now, Sky Jetta is stepping further into recording and production, leaning into a more experimental process shaped by collaboration and trust. The music she’s working on is gritty, industrial, bass-heavy, and raw. When people leave her sets, she hopes they understand who she is, where she comes from, and where she’s taking electronic music.
I recently interviewed Crystal Waters and she talked about how Europe often thinks they "started" house music when it was really in Chicago in the 80's. Do you have any thoughts on this/does this topic ever plague your mind?
I think people will always believe they started something, so this will be an ongoing conversation around house music. But there’s tons of evidence showing where the genre actually began. At this point, everyone should know Chicago is the birth place. If you're in this space and don't know this, then you're not rightfully doing your homework. Unfortunately, some are comfortable in ignorance, and it will take the newer generation of house and dance music artists — especially those from these cities — to keep the truth alive.
How do Detroit, Atlanta, and Chicago each show up in your sound today?
These cities have shaped music as a whole. Every set I play carries their influence — Detroit techno, Atlanta bass, Chicago juke. They coexist really well together, each genre feeding into the next. Chicago house, in particular, paved the way for so many new sounds.
What does this next chapter of your artistry look like as you move deeper into recording and production?
Very experimental. I'm honestly just doing me. Nothing is ever too strict in my creative process. I’m collaborating more, especially with friends and people who truly understand the soul and dignity of Black dance music.
When did you first feel connected to Detroit’s techno/ghetto-tech/house lineage, and how does it influence your sets or production style?
At a very young age. Even with how raunchy the ghetto tech-house sound could be, it was just normal for me. I don’t even remember learning it — it was just on the radio, played at basement parties, and even at home. My mom used to joke about playing ghetto tech in the ‘90s while I sat in my carseat in the back of her Jeep. That might be my earliest memory of the sound.
How do you build a DJ set emotionally? What story are you trying to tell?
These days I rarely build a full set before playing. Not out of laziness but as a way to connect with the music and the crowd in the moment. I usually have an idea of the direction and maybe five to ten songs I want to hit. Beyond that, my energy before going on stage guides the set. If I’m feeling high-energy, you'll hear music that matches that. If I’m feeling inspirational, I might play a Chicago House remix of a Clark Sisters track. My mood often drives the direction of the night. I remember playing in Paris for an Art Basel party at the Palais de Tokyo — I went in thinking I’d have to cater to a “French” crowd, but instead I just introduced them to me — my vibes. That ended up being the most liberating set of my year.
Which career moment so far has felt like the biggest turning point for you?
DJing in my hometown in front of 25,000 people, and internationally on television at the Michigan Central Station reopening. The lineup included legends from Detroit — Diana Ross, Eminem, Jack White, BIG SEAN — and I was part of that monumental moment. It opened my audience up to the world.
What’s something about the studio process that surprised or challenged you as you’ve started recording more?
Being vulnerable and experimenting with new things. Working with others, not just myself, has been eye-opening — trying new tones or textures without knowing how it will turn out. I’ve been lucky to collaborate with people who make me feel comfortable in that process.
What does “community” look like for you across the different music scenes you’ve lived in?
Community is about showing up and respecting the culture wherever I am. Detroit shaped my foundation and love for the roots, Chicago showed me how scenes connect and move together, and New York feels like everything is colliding at once. At the end of the day, it’s about supporting each other and growing alongside the people you create with.
When people walk away from a Sky Jetta set, what do you hope they feel or understand about you?
I hope people understand who I am, where I come from, and where I’m taking electronic music. Electronic music was started by Black people, and I believe we deserve a bigger stage. While I’m grateful for the platforms we have, there’s still more space to claim.
If you had to describe your upcoming work in three moods or textures (not genres), what would they be?
Gritty, Industrial, Bass. I'm going to sneak another word in — Raw! Everything is filled with realness.
Photography by Exavier Castro
