EDM artists Gioli & Assia on being LGBTQ, dealing with prejudice, their chemistry with audiences, and staying true to themselves
- ‘We are not the type that won’t perform in an anti-LGBTQ country,’ says Giorgia Lipari, half of EDM duo Gioli & Assia, five years after Malaysia cancelled show
- The women artists, also life partners, believe music should be able to bring people together regardless of sexual orientation
In 2019, electronic dance music (EDM) duo Gioli & Assia’s performance at the W Kuala Lumpur hotel in Malaysia was cancelled because of “unforeseen circumstances”.
Five years on, Giorgia Lipari and Assia Nania, also life partners, are back on the road. They will appear at Black Coffee Miami Music Week later this month, after having recently played at W Osaka as part of the hotel chain’s newly launched concert series.
“What happened in Malaysia was such a bummer for us, but at the same time, we received so many messages from young people telling us that they’re so sorry about what happened,” says Lipari, who at the time posted about their experience on Instagram and Twitter, now X.
“We have to sadly announce that our show at W Hotel in Kuala Lumpur has been cancelled due to our LGBT orientation. In their research, they have concluded that Gioli & Assia is of LGBT orientation and are seen to be promoting LGBT,” Lipari wrote. Her post referred to the Malaysian government agency that performs background checks.
Lipari adds: “The [young people] were really proud that we are spreading awareness of who we are and thanking us for being who we are.