If you produce bass music, Denver is one of the best places in the world to live. This is why Cheyanne Muska, better known as Thrasha, decided to move to Denver during the height of COVID. She is originally born and raised in Massachusetts, and then moved to Michigan in 2014.
The first time she heard dubstep was when she was in high school. These were the days of “Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites,” “Hot Like Sauce,” “IDGAFOS,” and “Cracks (Flux Pavilion Remix).” When she was 18, her first festival was Camp Bisco, but it was Electric Forest that changed her life. “I would go [to Forest] every year because it was like 45 minutes from my house.”
NGHTMRE was the producer that inspired her to pursue being a DJ/producer as a career. Alison Wonderland is also an inspiration because she was one of the few female producers making heavier music at the time. “Run came out in 2015 and I was like ‘whoa, this girl is a DJ? I want to try this too.'”
In 2015, Cheyanne decided she wanted to learn how to DJ, so she taught herself. At first, she went to Guitar Center and played around with the equipment. Once she decided to pursue DJing, she bought some equipment and started learning in her bedroom. “I would pretend my hairbrush was a microphone and I was just talking to the wall.” She also taught herself to produce by making beats in Garage Band. “Grimes was an inspiration for me during this time because she made her entire album using Garage Band.” She moved on from Garage Band to Logic Pro and eventually Abelton, which she continues to use today.
If you’re new to Thrasha’s music, she recommends you start with “Show Me,” her favorite track. She also recommends her remix of “Back to Back” for Ecraze and DYNO because “the first drop is riddim and the second drop is dubstep.” Thrasha released her newest track, a collaboration with Hexxa called “Final Destination” last week.
Thrasha has released tracks on Rude Service, Bad Medic, and A Records so far. She hopes to release music on Bassrush, Sounds of Mayhem, Disciple, and Monstercat. If she could collaborate with anyone, her list includes NGHTMRE, Samplifire, Level Up, Jessica Audiffred, and Kompany.
Her favorite shows include performing at The Midway in San Francisco with Barely Alive; The Ogden Theater in Denver with Kompany and again with Jessica Audiffred; and Temple Denver with Herobust. She hopes to play at iconic venues like Red Rocks, Mission Ballroom, Big Night Live, Skyway Theater, Stereo Live, and the Brooklyn Mirage. Festivals on her bucket list include Lost Lands, Bass Canyon, EDC Las Vegas, Electric Forest, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza.
Memorable moments in her career include gaining recognition from bigger DJs who support her tracks and follow her on social media. She played her first out-of-state shows and secured a booking for the multi-day event Dubstation Massacre. Another career highlight was connecting with her management, Dubstep FBI.
Even though many women now make bass music, men still dominate the genre. When asked how she’s been treated as a woman in the bass scene, Thrasha stated “Back in 2015, the energy was different. That was more when men were mean to me. Sometimes men will still mansplain things to me. Something else that is common is people will say ‘She’s on that lineup just because she’s a girl.’” Thrasha lets her productions and performances speak for themselves, proving she can handle her own.
She has a lot of wisdom to share for anyone just getting into DJing and producing. When it comes to playing shows and DJing, “You’re going to play to nobody and it’s fine. But you still have to play like you’re the headliner.” She also said “You need to practice mixing, transitions, song selection, and pacing. You also need to have stage presence.” When it comes to production she stated “You’re gonna be bad for a really long time. You need to make music for yourself and not try to be a trendsetter. And it’s OK to take lessons and have a mentor.”
Branding is often overlooked, but it is essential in the TikTok and Instagram age. Part of Thrasha’s branding is the bandana she wears on her head when she performs. “You have to figure out what story you are trying to tell. Your visual brand identity has to be recognizable; “can somebody dress up as you for Halloween?”
She also stressed how important it is to find a manager that aligns with your vision. A big learning experience for her was working with management which wasn’t helping her reach her goals. “If your management is not on the same page as you and things aren’t working out, you’ve got to move on from them.” She now works with Chrissy and Yesi from Dubstep FBI, who have been key in helping her get where she is today.
For 2025, Thrasha aims to “release an EP on a label, book an even bigger tour, and master [her] branding.” She just released the second volume of her mix series Thrasha’s Kingdom and plans to release more flips on Soundcloud. Additionally, she has plans for singles, collaborations, and the diversification of her production.
When she isn’t working on music, she is a huge fan of live-action sports like skateboarding, supercross, and the X Games. She also likes to play video games like Fortnight and accumulate more tattoos. Follow along with Thrasha’s rise to the top by using the social links below.
