Marissa Malik, AKA Manuka Honey, is a multi-disciplinary artist, DJ, astrologer and tarot reader. Malik is also the co-founder of SUZIO, London’s Latinx queer collective and club night.
One thing I want people to know about the tarot is it often confirms our gut feelings. It puts into words what we were too afraid to believe in ourselves.
How does your background affect your passions, musically and spiritually?
I grew up in an ethnically mixed household that really encouraged the exploration of spirituality and creativity. This exposure gave me the innate knowledge that multiple realities can exist at once, in harmony with one another. This notion always gives me the confidence to create and unearth new pathways into spiritual connection and sonic exploration.
Could you describe the past, present and future of the Latinx community in London, in one word each?
Building, Inspiring, Thriving.
How did you get into tarot reading? What should we know about the centuries-old form?
My grandmother was a tarot reader, and a very powerful Scorpio woman. One thing I want people to know about the tarot is it often confirms our gut feelings. It puts into words what we were too afraid to believe in ourselves.
How does your spirituality influence your DJ-ing and the way you engage with music and art?
It all happens in such an innate way for me. I let intuition guide me when selecting and creating, as so many other artists do. Perhaps they just call it something else; I call it ritual. I wrote this on Twitter last month “don’t ever try to tell me that djing isn’t sacred conjuring and ceremony when club music is composed of repetitive percussive loops that thousands of people flock to hear and move in ritualised ways”
Where is your spiritual safe place in London?
Boring answer but - my home!
Where is your favourite place in London for a steamy night on the dance floor?
How dare you make me choose. There is a sweaty imprint of my ass cheeks on so many venues across London. It’s been years, and my memories are practically an encyclopaedia of debauchery. Lately I’ve had a lot of fun at Ormside Projects, so my temporal answer is there.
Favourite place to listen to live music?
Southbank Centre or Barbican. It’s a tie.
Favourite place for a cheeky afternoon drink on these long summer days?
Favourite place for a big dinner and drinks out with your friends?
Plaza Pastor for their tacos and margs of course.
What’s your sign? How does astrology guide or impact your life?
Pisces. Astrology impacts everything in my life, it’s just about how much I choose to pay attention to it at any given time. Usually it gets a lot of my attention due to the nature of my work and my innate passion for Knowing.
What’s your favourite sign to date?
Leos for their passion and devotion, Capricorns for their stability, and Geminis for their wit and intellect.
What sign is your least compatible?
Romantically? Cancer.
What sign do you wish you could steal characteristics from?
Libras!
What sign is the wildest?
Sagittarius, love y’all.
What sign is most likely to be a DJ? hehe
Taurus!
It's August, Leo and Virgo's month! Can you give us a theme song for each sign?
Leo — Britney Spears - Circus
Virgo — Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone
Marissa Malik, AKA Manuka Honey, is a multi-disciplinary DJ, artist, astrologer and tarot reader - her work explores diasporic language formation, mysticism, and occult practices. US-born to a Pakistani father and Mexican mother, her multiculturalism translates itself sonically through beautifully chaotic DJ sets, intense live performances, and considered collaborations with the likes of Florentino, LIZZ and Nyksan. Malik, a prominent Rinse FM alumnus is also the co-founder of SUZIO, London’s fore frontal Latinx queer collective and club night.
