Beijing's Most Interesting People 2014: Michael Ohlsson

The year is drawing to a close, and once again we wanted to look at the people who are helping to shape our lives here in Beijing. So we looked at the artists, the chefs, the entrepreneurs, and a whole lot of other people who are making their mark on the city – and on us and our lifestyle – and put together this look at 10 individuals who are giving it their all. Each one of them is a true Beijinger, regardless of the length of their stay: creative, determined, and hard-working.

Michael Ohlsson
Founder/Owner, Dada

Not many people have thrown up on Sir Richard Branson and yet managed to continue working at Virgin Records, but that’s exactly what Michael Ohlsson did earlier in his career. By comparison, running the Beijinger Reader Bar and Club Awards Nightclub of the Year for 2014, a place he regards as a “dive bar,” shouldn’t be quite so difficult.

Dada actually began with its Shanghai location (yecchh!) before becoming the nexus of the late-night Gulou hipster universe. Throughout, it has been Ohlsson’s guiding hand that has kept a steady stream of acts both from Beijing and beyond onto the stage. He called it being “sincere” in one interview, and that sincerity extends to wanting to nurture local acts and a local scene, both in Beijing and Shanghai.

Give the guy some credit: he picked a name that not only refers to an early 20th century avant garde movement, but also happens to be really easy to say in Chinese.

More stories by this author here.

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Photo: Elephant Studio/the Beijinger