remembering sundae with céline
Céline will be our guest on Saturday, July 18th in Paris at Cirque Romanes for our very first Astradanza x Passion
Céline's journey behind the decks began in New York, where she moved in 2007. She quickly landed a Sunday afternoon residency at the monthly Sonem party, an experience that let her meet and mix alongside a host of talented DJs and producers, and where her love for house and techno truly took root.
Inspired by New York's Sunday day-time party scene, she returned to Paris in 2009 and launched the city's first open-air Sunday day party dedicated to underground house and techno, fittingly named Sundae. It was an instant hit. Now legendary, the Sundae parties take over the banks of the Seine twice a month through the summer season — and it's no exaggeration to say they single-handedly put Sunday daytime on the map for underground dance music lovers, with some of the city's biggest events now happening on that very day.
Céline : ”I was a resident of a Sunday afternoon open air in New York when I came back to Paris and discovered the terrace of Café Barge. When we pitched them the Sundae idea, we were told it would never work. But since the boat's restaurant was closed that day, they let us give it a go.
We brought along two residents, Romain Azzaro and Vadim Svoboda — both DJs, but each with an insane live set too — and we started inviting the whole Parisian scene, from deep house to house by way of micro house, with most of the artists playing vinyl only, or live.
The formula was simple: reliable artists who lived and breathed the music, a good sound system under the trees on the terrace, two turntables, two CDJs if needed, and a bar stocked with beer and rosé.
We went from 100 people the first year to 800 as soon as the second season reopened, purely by word of mouth, since we were only half-present on social media. We decided to open only on sunny Sundays — though it was never a hard rule — from 3pm until sunset. We'd announce each event just three days ahead to make sure the weather would be on our side. It was free for anyone who showed up before 5pm, and we handed out ice creams to the dancers. It wasn't an after-party but a lovely, consensual Sunday afternoon ambush — an excuse to drink rosé while listening to big sound.
It was perfection for six years. We were lucky enough to have huge guests as well as young unknown artists we believed in and could give a chance to. It was a wonderful time, and ten years on, people still talk about it. Thank you for the memories.”
Recognized as an innovator and a pioneer of the Paris scene, Céline stepped into the role of art director and head of communications for the brand-new Malibv Club in 2012. Once an African club, she has since transformed it into a home for underground house and techno lovers, hosting weekly events that spotlight the best local talent in a cozy, intimate setting.
Her reputation has continued to grow through regular appearances at the city's most respected underground events. Her distinctive, sensitive DJ sets leave a strong impression every time, and the wide appreciation for both her work and her spirit has taken her to some of the world's hottest parties — from Berlin to New York to Tokyo.
