DJ Jazzy Jane is the Fresh Princess bossing it behind the decks at some of Bar 7’s biggest parties! Here, she caught up with Graham Robson to share what she’s been up to while in lockdown and her Top Tunes to put a smile on your face…
Hey Jane, what have you been up to?
Hi, I have been putting up regular podcasts on Mixcloud and have also been live streaming most nights on Facebook Live and on Twitch. I’ve also been spending time sorting out my existing track collection and looking for new tracks & remixes to keep my streams fresh & varied.
How have the online sets been going down?
I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from people enjoying listening to my streams. I found by doing them regularly at a similar time each night more people get to know when I’m playing and tune in if they like what they’ve heard. I do get more viewers on Facebook than on Twitch at the moment but I have only just started using that platform.
Is it hard to connect with the audience?
When streaming you do get interaction with people commenting or asking for requests which is great, I love that interaction, but I do really miss playing to a live audience. In venues I play off the vibe of the crowd, seeing how people react to different tracks, the regulars who you can guess what they are going to ask for, the bar staff who dance behind the bar all night, the fist bumps and high fives across the booth and the banter that makes the night. For me just seeing people enjoying themselves and playing off the whole energy of the night is what I love.
It’s great to see so many DJs and drag queens using Facebook Live…
Yes I have seen several DJs that I know who are doing live sets regularly, mostly on Facebook Live. It’s good to watch their streams too and see what they have been up to. Streaming does seem to have massively increased now all DJs are at home and still want to keep their practice and profiles up.
Any tips to keep us sane during lockdown?
I like to keep my brain busy so I use the time productively, sorting out playlists and digital record crates, servicing equipment and sorting cables to see what I’ve got or need. I’ve been going back over a lot of my music and re-discovering some great tunes I haven’t heard in ages. It’s good to have little projects on the go as well, such as decorating or building/refurbishing furniture then in the evening you can relax knowing you have achieved something useful.
Top 5 tracks to cheer us up…
Can’t Stop This Feeling – Justin Timberlake
Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars
Hey Ya – Outkast
Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love) – Spiller
Show Me Love – Robin S
What are your plans for when this is all over?
Must be time for a night out and a couple of beers! Honestly I can’t wait to get back to performing to some live audiences in venues again and getting out doing some mobile discos, I do think I will keep up the live streaming, some from home studio and some from the DJ booth too. I also can’t wait to get back to my other passion which is obstacle racing, I’ve been exercising at home but it will be awesome to get back to doing races again.
Anything you miss?
I really miss seeing everyone at my regular venues, the bar staff, management, door staff and regulars who all make my night. I love the energy and atmosphere of a busy venue which inspires you to make sure everyone has a great night. I also miss doing my work in outdoor events where you meet some great people and every day is so different, plus I can’t wait to get back to training and running with my team-mates from the obstacle race team ‘Team Nuts’.
Any words of wisdom to keep us going?
I like to divide time into working and relaxing, finding all those little jobs around the house you never had time to get round to. All the days seem much the same at the moment so I find varying the routine at the weekend and doing something different makes those days still stand out from the weekdays and also helps me remember what day it is! Doing something productive whether it’s repairing something, decorating, gardening (if you have one) or even cleaning up makes you feel like you have achieved something for that day and you can indulge in a little treat to reward yourself.
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