Her dad is the bassist of The Commodores. Her mom is a Harvard-educated lawyer from Iran. And Michael Jackson was a family acquaintance. Soraya La Pread is an LA resident who’s truly had a unique upbringing—and not just because she was born and raised in New Zealand. We talk to this up-and-coming producer and DJ about music, racial identity, and speaking up.

Photography by Magdalena Wielopolski ©