DJ Emz is an international DJ, content creator, and radio DJ based in London who was recently featured on Apple News as one of 12 Female DJs Shaping The Scene. Emz has also been announced on the lineup for the highly anticipated DLT Malta and Recess Land events. Playing her debut set at longstanding LGBTQ club, Bootylicious on April 19th at The Scala, she heads up a new wave of DJs that includes NG & Kyma too. Also coming up is the DJ Emz & Allstar Remix of Shallipopi’s huge amapiano anthem, “Laaho”.
Having built up a dynamic presence through collabs, shows and socials, Emz has racked up events with brands such as Wireless Festival, MOBO Awards, Nike, Nando’s, Boxpark, Channel 4 and YouTube. She’s performed alongside renowned artists such as Burna Boy, Dexta Dapps, and Kehlani with highlights including DJ-ing for Stefflon Don, Parklife Festival, Reading Festival, Leeds Festival, Afro Piano Festival, the MOBO Awards After Party, FreeThe Youth X Jordan’s Party, LadiesLoveHipHop, Lick Events, No and Signal Recess. DMC checks in…
Hi Emz, great to catch up with you and can you describe the music you play and what your sets are about?
When I started DJing, I was in love with Dancehall, the vibe, and how it made me feel. It was like the minute you start to play the genre, it forces you to dance; the beats are so powerful, you can feel them in your chest. Being a female Dancehall DJ was very unheard of, so I tapped into that space and went with it. If you were to ask me now, I play a mixture of genres—Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Dancehall. I just love playing feel-good music that gets your feet tapping and makes you want to dance.
Making your Bootylicious debut, what are you most looking forward to on the night?
I’m mostly looking forward to being able to play music that will make everyone want to dance, as well as introducing my new remix of Shallipopi’s “Laho” – a song I helped make with my All-Stars group. It’s a great way to test it out and see if a song is a vibe or not. I’m also someone who thrives off crowd reactions to my mixes and song selections, so I’m very excited for that.
Having racked up huge support on TikTok with over 2.5 million views and 135.5 thousand folllowers and on Instagram, you’ve reached over 721 thousand people, what do you think social media platforms offer DJs such as yourself and can you tell us about some of your output and how it’s receieved?
I think social media platforms are great for DJs. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy trying to build a following; that requires a lot of effort, hard work, and consistency. We live in a world where everything is very heavily content-based, so putting content out there is vital. It’s like a portfolio where people can look you up, view all your achievements, goals, and dive into how your creative mind works.
It’s also a great way to reach so many different people across the world. The exposure it gives you, especially when content goes viral, is amazing and can really boost your career in the best way possible. In regard to what I post personally, it varies. I like to post snippets from my SoundCloud mixes, create remixes to trending sounds, or vlog my international bookings. I also like to update my audience on new songs that I like.
You’ve also collaborated with lots of hgh profile brands such as Nike, the MOBO Awards, Nando’s and YouTube, and can you tell us about what that entailed ie events or special one-offs? How do you approach each collab and is there any that you’ve turned down?
As of right now, I’m in my brand bag, so I haven’t turned down a collaboration. That’s mainly because the brands I’ve worked with are ones I genuinely either buy from and wear or have always wanted to work with. When presented with amazing opportunities like that, I like to grab them with both hands. My approach to working with them is similar to my bookings: I make sure I’m clear on the genres they want me to play, and I’ll then do my homework, update my music library to make sure I have the latest bangers, prepare a set list, or at least have a crate of songs that I know I have to play, as there are certain songs in that genre the crowd will want to hear. My team will also ensure that I have all the correct equipment, from controllers to CDJs, to make sure the day or night runs smoothly.
Music wise you play everything afro inspired from afro beats to ampiano and how did you first get into music? Were you hearing it at home and what othere musical influences have affected your journey?
I come from a musical family. My dad would always play his guitar, and I remember when he first bought a keyboard. I used to make up songs every week and perform them for my family to hear. My fondest memories of knowing I loved music would be the car rides home from school, listening to the radio over and over again. My dad would always go to HMV and get my favourite artists album when it came out to play on my CD player. He had a crazy collection of CDs and vinyl, and this really expensive Hi-Fi system that I wasn’t allowed to touch without supervision.
Once the iPod came out and you could upload all your songs from CDs to the iPod, that changed the game for me. There was nowhere you wouldn’t find me listening to my iPod—on the way to football training, on the bus, before I went to bed. I just loved it so much. My friends in secondary school used to ask me to make playlists and burn the songs onto CDs for them to play at gatherings. It’s crazy because when I was younger, I used to think maybe I’d go down the rap path or write music. I knew I was always meant to be in the music scene, but when I saw DJ decks for the first time and mixed my first two songs, I knew this was it.
Afrobeats and amapiano has grown hugely over the last few years and why do you think it’s become so popular? Do you feel the music has changed a lot over this time and are there any producers or artists you’re tipping right now? What makes their sound stand out?
I think it’s down to a couple of things. It’s definitely deemed more acceptable in our societies, especially with the global rise in popularity of artists such as Burna Boy, Davido, Rema, Tems, and the list goes on. The use of streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music makes it so easy to stream and constantly play music. I think the music has definitely evolved over the years, especially within the last two years. Afrobeats is now more infused with the slower R&B sound, whereas in the past, it used to have a very fast tempo, upbeat, celebratory vibe.
I’m very much in my Amapiano bag, especially 3 Steps. I’m trying to get back into dancing, so my playlist right now is filled with a lot of DJ Maphorisa, Shakes and Les, Mellow and Sleazy, etc. For me, it’s their beats. They’re so catchy and make you want to tap your feet along—you have to move when you hear their music.
You’ve played alongside Burna Boy, Dexta Dapps, Stefflon Don and Kehlani, and what have been your career highlights so far and what makes them so special?
I think my career highlight for sure was the Dexta Daps x Liberian Girl mix I made that went viral on TikTok, Instagram—literally everywhere. It was crazy to hear it played by almost every DJ I know, either at parties, clubs, birthdays, or even weddings. I was tagged in a lot of wedding entrances where the entrance to the reception was to that remix. Getting to meet and tour with Steff was also very lit. She’s such a lovely soul, and I’ve always admired her music and versatility. Being brought on as part of her touring team was really exciting.
Last year, I calculated that I had been flown out a total of 9 times for international bookings, which was nearly once every month for the year. That in itself is more than I could have ever imagined doing, so I’m super blessed and grateful for that opportunity.
What are you musical influences and inspirations – is it family, friends, clubs, certain artists and how have they shaped your musical journey?
My main inspirations are my fellow female DJ friends within the industry. I’ll start with my good sister Deejay Why. We bonded and clicked straight away through shared experiences in the industry, and having her to lean on when we were in university was great. Not to mention her incredible skills and creativity. I’ve always admired her creativity when it comes to mixing music.
Rachel Anson and Mercedes Benson are both killing the game. The way they carry themselves professionally in the scene is something I respect and also adopt in my approach to the scene. They’ve also been supportive of my journey, adding me to their lineup for their events and just showing their love. It can be a lonely road to walk, but having people in the same industry as you, who experience the same things, is a blessing.
What was your first big break and and how did you first get into DJ-ing? Did your first big break provide a spring board into other things?
I first got into DJing after I saw my friend DJ Active get his first decks and show me how to mix. It was like something clicked, and I became obsessed with mixing and creating mixes. I realised all I needed to do was get my own controllers (decks). After that, I saved money and bought my own controllers—the Numark Pro 3—and the rest was history.
I started DJing back when SoundCloud mixes were very popular. I had been DJing for just over 7 months and decided to drop my very first Bashment mix. The numbers this mix did within the first week or so were nothing I had ever seen before. Everyone around me in university was playing this mix, and people were starting to recognize me as a DJ. That’s when Dancehall became my genre, I guess.
Looking ahead what’s coming up for you this year?
This year, I’m focusing on staying consistent by dropping at least one mix every month on SoundCloud. Over the last two years, I’ve been so busy that my SoundCloud mix rate has declined. Additionally, international bookings are where it’s at for me, so I’m working on securing as many of those as possible. To be honest, I trust wherever God leads me, and I pray for His will to be done in my life.
DJ Emz headlines Easter Bootylicious on Saturday 19th April at Scala, 75 Pentonville Rd, London N1 9NL in the House Room alongside NG, Kyma and Sugabear. In the Main Room catch Resident DJs Kartel Brown, Biggy C (the daddy of Dancehall on the LGBTQ scene), Randall Watson and DJ Tyom with MC Tyron whilst Jeffrey Hinton and friends rock the Glass Bar. Tickets: £14.00 https://dice.fm/
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