Beads and Beats: Meet 5 Hardcore Kandi Kids

Trading kandi has long been a sacred ritual in the raver community, symbolizing much more than just swapping beaded bracelets. It’s an exchange that physically and spiritually represents the tenants of PLUR, one of the strongest reminders of why we do what we do. Here, we talk to five self-professed kandi kids, people who spend more time making kandi to share with others than, well, doing anything else. If you’re ever lost at a show or simply want to learn more about kandi, head to the nearest decked-out raver; they’re some of the finest people around.

RAGE

Hometown: NYC
Wide Awake Since: 2011
Rave name: Ragehound. I also go by Cupcake, Hellie and Jaan.
How and why did you get started making kandi?
When I first got to New York, I had some difficulty meeting new people, so I grabbed a set of beads and started making tradeables to start conversations with people. I needed a way in to the rave community, so I started making every sort of single you could think of, mainly in my favorite colors: teal and pink.
What’s your favorite kandi trading experience?
At EDC NY last year, I had a rainbow peyote cuff that said “peace, love, unity, respect.” I had just traded a rare piece of kandi and received one that said “jizz” in exchange. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy about it. I wasn’t going to trade my rainbow cuff after that, but I noticed there was a guy next to me in a rainbow shirt who was eyeing it and clearly really wanted it. We got to talking, and I found out the poor guy had just gotten thrown out by his family for being gay, and he had come to EDC NY to bring some positivity into his life. I immediately gave him the cuff and asked for nothing in return.

I had just traded a rare piece of kandi and received one that said “jizz” in exchange. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy about it. I wasn’t going to trade my rainbow cuff after that, but I noticed there was a guy next to me in a rainbow shirt who was eyeing it and clearly really wanted it…

What do you want people to know about kandi culture?
I want people to know that it’s not a one-sided community: There are those that trade kandi and those that sell kandi, and both sides are perfectly acceptable. I don’t think that those who sell kandi should be scrutinized so harshly. The kandi we’re making today is unbelievably different from what kandi used to look like. As the craft changes, the practices also change, and change isn’t such a bad thing for this community. I also want to momentarily point out that kandi kids shouldn’t be so harshly looked at. I see so many internet memes slandering kandi kids. Before you point your finger and call us names, spend a little time to get to know us, and you’ll see we’re all very happy to make your acquaintance and spread the love.
What’s your favorite piece of kandi you’ve made?
I had just become a big fan of Crizzly’s, and when I found out he was coming to EDC NY 2013, I just had to make something for him. He’s probably the most enigmatic person I’ve ever seen on stage and always goes 110 percent. I spent six hours making this insane cuff, freehanding the entire thing. The result was this almost starburst-like pattern that was four times the size of anything else I’d ever made (it practically swallowed my arm). Sure enough, when EDC NY rolled around, I managed to quickly trade it to Chris. As much as I wanted to keep it, it just felt right to trade it, and now it’s one of my all-time favorite trading experiences.
Rename PLUR:
Proactive: Be aware of your surroundings, and help others when you can.
Loyalty: Commit to ensuring those around you are in a good state of mind.
Understanding: Be empathetic to those around you. Even though it is easy to make quick assumptions, don’t.
Resilience: Stand up for what you believe in. No matter how hard you get knocked down, get back up.
Rage’s creations are on Instagram and Twitter.

Airy Michelle

Hometown: Oshkosh, WI (currently living in Orange, CA)
Wide Awake Since: EDC L.A. 2010
Rave name: Ms. Jaded
How and why did you get started making kandi?
I first started raving in Chicago back in 2007. My friend gave me two kandi bracelets after I asked what he was wearing around his wrists. The next couple of events I went to, my friends gave me a few more pieces of kandi and told me to keep them. I thought they were very cute, and the idea of exchanging them to form new friendships was intriguing.
What’s your favorite kandi trading experience?
My first real trade was at Together as One 2010. After moving to California and seeing how popular kandi was, I bought some supplies and started making my own. I wanted to be able to give something back in exchange for all the kandi I’d received. I made about 20 pieces of kandi for TAO and traded them all within the first hour of the event! I was so ecstatic that people wanted to trade with me.
What do you want people to know about kandi culture?
I want people to know that these colorful bracelets are way more than just beads on string. People put time and love into each piece they make. They’re symbols of friendship and creativity. I’ve noticed that certain events are starting to ban kandi, and it saddens me. Kandi is a wonderful icebreaker and is the reason I’ve met so many people across the world.
What’s your favorite piece of kandi you’ve made?
My favorite is my Poliwhirl epic cuff. I wanted to make a gigantic cuff with my favorite Pokémon on it, and I’m very happy with how it turned out!
Rename PLUR: Positivity, Laughter, Unique, Rainbows!
Airy’s creations are on Instagram, Facebook and Etsy.

Luis

Hometown: Paterson, NJ
Wide Awake Since: EDC NY 2015
Rave name: Lucho
How and why did you get started making kandi?
I started making kandi after a show in New Jersey last year. After I noticed that the dark kandi masks don’t shine, I started inserting LED into the pieces.
What’s your favorite kandi trading experience?
Any time I give away my masks or singles to people who have nothing but love for me. Meeting up with them again at other events is always great.
What do you want people to know about kandi culture?
I want to push more people to be a part of it! There are people making kandi for their first time, and no matter big or small, everyone should try it. The only requirement is to put love into the pieces you’re making.
What’s your favorite piece of kandi you’ve made?
I like unique pieces like those combining a flower single with an LED light.
Rename PLUR: People Like Us Raving
Luis’ creations are on Facebook, Instagram and Etsy.

Holly

Hometown: Mansfield, OH
Wide Awake Since:
Planning on attending EDC Las Vegas next year! My first rave was a warehouse party in Columbus in 2000.
Rave name: Toybox
How and why did you get started making kandi?
I was drawn to kandi from my very first event. Once I learned the meaning behind it, I fell in love with the culture and wanted to share it with everyone I met. Making someone happy is the best feeling in the world.
What’s your favorite kandi trading experience?
My favorite trading experience has to be when I met my kandi inspiration, Eric from Indiana, back in 2000. Kandi looked a lot different back then (it was mostly singles, ladders and two- or three-stranded bracelets). Eric gave me a three-stranded kandi bracelet and a kandi necklace with toys he had drilled holes in, unknowingly starting my own kandi journey. I hadn’t seen anything more than a single-stranded kandi before I met him, and instantly felt inspired. My mind went wild with the endless possibilities.
What do you want people to know about kandi culture?
Kandi culture is a feeling, memory, friend, event, inspiration and a way of life.
What’s your favorite piece of kandi you’ve made?
A Rainbow Brite dress and Rainbow Brite boots.
Rename PLUR: Positive Light Uplifting Relationships
Holly’s creations are on Instagram and Etsy.

Lauren

Hometown: Anaheim, CA
Wide Awake Since: EDC L.A. 2010
Rave name: I was named “Neko,” the Japanese word for “cat,” at my very first event. Little did I know, that name would play a part in my future as an artist. I adored it from the first moment the word slipped from the mouths of my friends. It felt right—purrrfect, even. As soon as the name Neko clicked, I really and truly felt connected to the people around me. It’s a moment I will never forget!
How and why did you get started making kandi?
I was first gifted kandi by my fiancé’s sister and her husband-to-be back in 2009 (the same ones who gave me my rave name!). Their Christmas presents to us were kandi and tickets to EDC Los Angeles! When we opened our gifts, we found a note that said, “Wear these this summer, we’ll teach you what they mean.” About a week before the event, they taught us about PLUR and the hand gestures that accompany the trade. The first pieces I made were, let’s just say, “special.” There were mismatched beads strung together with no real clear vision of a final product—but strung together with love, excitement, nervousness and anticipation. At EDC Las Vegas in 2013, I laid eyes on my sister’s epic cuff, watching in rapt fascination as she seemingly wove beads together out of thin air. She then taught me how to make them. It was a long and frustrating process to bring that very first one together, but when it was done I was so proud, despite all the lumps and bumps. I ended up gifting that cuff to my sister during EDC. It is thanks to her that I was inspired to pick up a new medium and pursue it, and I will never be able to thank her enough for it.
What’s your favorite kandi trading experience?
My favorite experience was my first trade with a stranger at EDC L.A. 2010. It was the second day, and I was having a massive anxiety attack, sober as a lark and sick to my stomach. As I leaned over a trashcan, head hanging in shame and listening to not-so-friendly passing comments, I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder. I looked up and locked eyes with a girl. I nearly cried when she asked if I was doing OK. She then gifted me a piece of kandi that said “Zen” and was blue and green with little flowers. After, she gave me the biggest hug and told me everything was going to be OK, that if I ever felt my anxiety come back up, to look down and think of her and Zen. Before I had a chance to give her a piece, she was gone. My friends came up to me and asked how I was doing. They all said the same thing—that it looked like something beautiful was happening—and they were right. I still have that piece she traded me, and I’ve restrung it a few times, as the elastic has worn out. It means so very much to me, and I can only hope that everyone who trades kandi can experience such an intimate and life-changing moment.
What do you want people to know about kandi culture?
Kandi is not a status symbol. You don’t need to be covered from head to toe to feel a part of the culture, and you don’t need the best-quality beads or the most flawlessly made pieces. Every piece I’ve traded or been gifted is special to me, and I will never trade them away. When you trade or gift a piece to someone, you are giving them more than just some plastic bits strung together. You are giving someone a gift, showing them a special connection that may last a minute or a lifetime—you never know. You’re giving someone a piece of yourself, a piece that was made from a moment in time that you will never get back. It’s a part of your heart and soul that you’re sharing. As an artist, one of the biggest and hardest lessons to learn is that you cannot hold on to your art forever. Trading kandi teaches you that on some level, and it makes me happy to know that out in the world are so many people who own a piece of my artistic journey.
What’s your favorite piece of kandi you’ve made?
My favorite piece is easily the first mask I made for myself. It was a learning process, and took me an entire day to bring together. When it was finished, I couldn’t be more proud of what I had made. I didn’t think it was much of anything special, but it took off like wildfire. Soon after, I was designing my own patterns and felt guilty when I put them up for sale. To most, I probably looked like a girl who was trying to make money off the kandi community. The truth is I have been an artist my entire life. When my first mask came to life, I felt that fire stir up again, and making more masks only served to fan the flames of my artistic passion. I’m proud to say making masks is now my full-time job. I wake up every day with the blessing to be able to bring other people’s artistic visions to life. I am grateful for it every day, and thankful to the people who trust me to deliver one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Even writing this brings happy tears to my eyes!
Rename PLUR: Compassion, Acceptance, Guidance and Wisdom. All of the people I have met, and friends I have made through Insomniac events, have all exemplified those four words.
Lauren’s creations are on her website and Instagram.