Tokimonsta

Jennifer Lee, better known by her stage name TOKiMONSTA, is a Korean-American DJ and producer whose idiosyncratic catalog masterfully combines alternative hip-hop, dance music, and R&B. Born on January 26, 1987, in Torrance, California to South Korean immigrants, her musical journey began with classical piano lessons, an experience that would later shape her music compositions and production techniques. A graduate of University of California, Irvine, TOKiMONSTA's foray into music production started with Fruity Loops Studio, later advancing to Ableton Suite. Soon after, she became a part of Los Angeles' beatmaking community, frequenting events like Leimert Park's Project Blowed and Low End Theory. After a brief stint at a video game publisher and facing the challenges of the US economic recession, she embraced music as her life's calling. Her connection with the city's beat scene led her to be the first female signee of Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder label. Her debut album, Midnight Menu, arrived in 2010, followed by several critically acclaimed releases including Creature Dreams (2011), Boom (2012) with Suzi Analogue, and the deeply personal Lune Rouge (2017)—an album reflecting her resilience post two brain surgeries due to Moyamoya disease. During this time, TOKiMONSTA struck a creative partnership with singer Gavin Turek, who would become one of her most frequent collaborators. The LP, which featured guest spots by Isaiah Rashad, MNDR, and Selah Sue, was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2019 Grammy Award. As an advocate for diversity, she was spotlighted in the 2020 documentary Underplayed, shedding light on the challenges of representation in the EDM sector. That year, TOKiMONSTA dropped her sixth full-length album, Oasis Nocturno.

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