Cheetatah On Groovy Electric House And Her Jamband Roots

Diffuser sat down with Burlington, VT staple, Cheetatah (Taraleigh Weathers), DJ and producer knows as the “queen of groovy electric house.”  Cheetatah’s a massive Phish fan, who is blending her jamband roots with house music and leveling up with each gig.  She simply loves to mix, dance, and catch the vibe of the room, and is now creating original music.  Check out our full interview below, along with some highlights of our session.

Diffuser: Let’s get into it. For people just discovering you, how would you describe the Cheetatah experience? What kind of sounds, energy, and vibes are you trying to bring to the party?

Cheetatah: I call my sound “groovy electric house” because I come from a jam band background. I’m a jam band girly, and since becoming a DJ, I’ve dove head-first into the house music scene. I love it so much, and there are so many similarities between the two. When you come to my show, someone told me recently, “You don’t ask us to play and let everything go at your show—you kind of demand it.” I think that’s because I don’t plan what I’m going to play at any show. I’m just with it and in it with the audience, and we’re both in this experience together. People are craving that right now. Everything is so serious and crazy, and I just want to play and help people forget about it for a moment, so they can take that energy back into the world.

Diffuser: Let’s talk about Burlington. I have some roots there.  What an incredible and eclectic music scene! How has being involved in that community influenced your sound and the music you play?

Cheetatah: I feel so grateful to live in Burlington. When I was a fan, I would go to Nectar’s all the time. It’s so sad that it’s not there anymore. I’d also go to Radio Bean and Higher Ground to see music all the time and got to witness some amazing things. Sometimes the guys from Phish would just be playing in a small room with fifty people. You really got these special experiences. Since diving into the house music scene, I’ve found it to be the most supportive, wonderful, and beautiful community. Everyone just wants to lift each other up and give each other space to create and play music. I don’t think it’s like that everywhere, so I feel really lucky.

Diffuser: Let’s talk about your approach behind the decks. I know you’re reading the room and feeling the vibe, but do you go into your shows with a master plan to take people on a musical journey, or are you just improvising and going with the flow?

Cheetatah: I’m totally improvising and feeling the vibes. I’ve been producing a lot of different events, and each has its own unique vibe. I have one called House of Sparkle that I’ve done at Ben Barn a couple of times, and I’m doing it again the day after Thanksgiving at Higher Ground. I also did an animal print party. Sometimes those events come with their own energy, but when I’m playing other people’s parties or events, it’s different. I went to Burning Man this year and played thirteen sets. That’s where I really learned how to read a room. There are twenty thousand other things people can be doing there, so if you don’t read what the crowd wants right away, they’ll just go somewhere else. Figuring out how to keep people engaged and take them on a journey was incredibly valuable.

Diffuser: What’s next for you? Any upcoming gigs, collaborations, or projects you’re working on? I saw you were in a studio recently; tell us what’s coming up.

Cheetatah: I’m actually heading back to the studio tonight and tomorrow. I’m working on five tracks that I started producing at home, but now we’re incorporating live music, guitar, keys, bass from other musicians. I’m so excited for people to hear these tracks because they blend everything I love about music: house and jam band influences combined in a way I’ve never heard before. I’m really excited about that. My House of Sparkle show is coming up at Higher Ground the day after Thanksgiving, and the day before Thanksgiving I’ll be playing at the Brooklyn Bowl. I’m really excited for both shows.

Cheetatah is a total vibe.  Make sure to follow her socials and catch her at a gig and enjoy the ride.