DJ MIX
Niamh
Interview by Ines Lefebvre du Prey
Hailing from the North East of England, Niamh is a DJ, presenter and music journalist. As well as being Mixmag’s Weekend Editor and a freelance writer, she hosts her own podcast Belta and has a monthly morning residency on Subtle Radio. We chat about all this and more in the following interview.
Take us back to the very beginning… How did you get into music journalism and DJing?
“I was writing my music blog during lockdown and then started doing bits for a uni music magazine and another local Leeds magazine. I wanted to take it further so found the email of a Mixmag editor on Twitter and got in contact with him. I worked hard on pitching and getting my first commission - it all started from there. In terms of DJing, I had been listening to electronic music for a while but only got into DJing in 2020. I found myself gravitating towards the techno side of things, which I think was a result of growing up on a lot of rock and punk.”
Do you think that DJing and writing about music naturally happened in tandem, or could you imagine doing one without the other?
“The two definitely complement each other - but you don’t have to do both at the same time. Since starting DJing I’ve met more people in a different capacity, when I was just writing I was mainly meeting industry people, whereas it’s nice to meet DJs in their own context and then bring them into journalism.”
“I think I’m able to have better conversations - like with my podcast Belta - I speak to people involved with electronic music and club culture in the North. When I’ve been speaking to people on there, my musical background helps me understand the conversations better. It’s not necessary but having a musical basis helps because people open up more when they’re confident you know what they’re talking about.”
You speak about the music scene in the North of England, do you think there is quite a big difference between London and your home scene?
“There’s so much going on in London which is amazing. It’s frustrating though because a lot of the music industry is heavily centred on London - Mixmag is great because there is staff from all over the UK so attention is paid across the country. I think you can tell if a platform or website is its people are very much from London - which is fine, but it can feel like the North is a bit neglected. Especially the North East - places like Manchester, with WHP, Leeds and Scotland - have a big profile, but the richness of the North East can be overlooked. There’s so much talent here - I’ve got to shout about it!”
“For me, it feels like there is a sense of togetherness in the scene up North - everyone involved in club culture is here for each other, looking out for each other. It’s a proper community, even if you go out and don’t know anyone people will chat with you. People are so supportive of each other - I have friends who run different parties, and even if their parties happen to be on the same night people will make an effort to get round to everyone’s parties. We all back each other.”
Have you noticed that techno (or a branch of it) has become more mainstream because of platforms like TikTok? On balance, would you say that the way social media disrupts is positive or negative?
“Completely. I’ve been working in the industry for four years, and even in that tiny space of time, I’ve noticed changes. Probably because of the pandemic, people increasingly had to turn to digital platforms during lockdown and that’s changed how people perceive music genres. I have always played techno-oriented soundscapes and some people see that as soulless beats, nothing else. Techno isn’t just that, but because of what is spread on social media and what’s been popularised, that can be the perception of it.”
“More broadly, social media is massive and recently I’ve noticed that there has been more attention paid to it editorially. I’ve been asked to write quite a few articles about social media, probably because of my degree. My dissertation was about algorithms disrupting underground club culture, and now for my MA, I’m writing about how people’s perceptions of genres have changed, and how people feel as if they have to fit with a certain aesthetic to be part of a genre because of social media. I’ve interviewed people who’ve said they’ve had to change their aesthetic - like changing their feeds to black and white or dressing a certain way - to fit into people’s idea of techno. It can be a bit frustrating because I do just think, if the music is good - can’t we just focus on that? But then again, everyone has to get by - and if getting by means playing the game of social media, then so be it. It’s a ruthless industry and if you don’t keep up you might just find yourself being left behind.”
“In terms of positives - for an individual, the algorithm can make you go viral overnight - it sorts you out. Sammy Virji was doing well for himself but his DJ Mag set has blown him up into an absolute star. And Interplanetary Criminal - at Dekmantel last year people were queuing two hours to see him!”
You have a radio show on Subtle Radio, do you still think radio is an important platform for music - will it last?
“I might be coming from a biased perspective because I always grew up listening to the radio - local radio stations or Radio 1. I’d like to think that radio will survive, it will always have its core listenership and I don’t think that’s going to go anywhere. Big community radio stations like NTS and Rinse FM are still making it work - even if they have to rely a bit more on commercial deals. There is a place for radio, when you’re alone it’s like having another person in the room - which is something special. It will be interesting to see how lower-profile radio stations do though."
I’d like to talk about your podcast Belta, how do you go about getting people on board?
“I approached everyone for my first series - I went for a serious variety of artists, to build up a portfolio and show that I could interview a range of people. Now it’s a mixture - sometimes their management approaches me, something I reach out to people. It’s worth saying that I’ve had a lot of artists saying no, and a lot of being ignored - it’s something you have to get used to, with journalism as well.”
With journalism, what articles do you enjoy writing most, and what skills do you use for different types of articles?
“Different skills are needed for different articles. My favourite thing is interviewing people and doing artist profiles. I love the challenge of articulating someone or something in a small amount of words and telling their story. Festival reviews are fun and I’m so grateful for that opportunity - but it’s difficult to synthesise a whole weekend festival into an article, and I’ve had to learn that it’s ok to be critical about certain aspects of festivals. That’s something I’m grappling with in all my writing at the moment. I’m trying to make my writing objective and balanced, portraying something fairly but also putting all the cards out on the table.”
Do you find it daunting to see articles you’ve written published online? And how does that compare to performing sets?
“I’m so critical of my own work and I always think I can do better - so yes definitely. I think whatever art you’re putting out there, you’re giving away a little piece of yourself - it’s very vulnerable. In the lead up I get more nervous about the DJ sets, with an article I get daunted when I remember that other people will see my work. I’ve had comments on Twitter about certain articles I’ve written and it’s always an interesting moment - seeing other people’s opinions and processing them, but also trying not to take them personally.”
What tips would you give aspiring music journalists?
“As stupid as it sounds - just write. Even if you don’t want to put it anywhere, just do it because every time you write you’ll be naturally improving. Another thing is to make sure you love it, don’t go into it because you think it’s glamorous or cool - deadlines are gruelling and editors can cut your ego right down. You’ve got to have the love for it!”
“One other tip about journalism is to bring a notebook around with you and try to write an article idea every single day. Build it into your routine - it can be rubbish but it’s a great way to get your brain thinking about potential articles. Finally, we say this up North, ‘shy bairns get nowt’ - don’t be afraid to reach out or pitch to people. The industry is getting more open, with class and geographical location, for example, so there are people there who will give advice if you’re feeling stuck.”
Have you noticed a change in the industry around class and increased diversity?
“There are still power dynamics at play in the music industry, as there are everywhere. Certain people in positions of power, representing similar backgrounds, can lead to it feeling quite homogenous at times. Having said that, there is definitely an increased awareness of the importance of getting a more diverse range of people involved in the music industry. More people are talking about it now, and keeping it an active dialogue will hopefully result in some sort of change.”
Linking to this, is there more neurodiversity? What link do you find between neurodivergence and creativity?
“I think there is such a link between neurodivergence and creativity. A lot of people I’ve encountered doing music are neurodiverse, and I think this extends to creative industries in general. Maybe it’s because they’re more willing to think outside the box, probably because our brains work outside the box! It’s something I want to look into more. DJ Mag actually recently did an amazing piece about it, written by Harold Heath - definitely worth checking it out.”
Finally, before we go - could you tell me a bit about your upcoming Boiler Room set?
“Absolutely! It’s on the 24th of February in Leeds. It’s going to be a proper family affair, I’m so excited by the line-up. To be honest I haven’t really taken it in yet but I’ve already started to prep for it. I’ve got the closing song sorted, expect a bit of electro, a bit of tasteful techno (I don’t want to blow anyone’s head off at 1 am!). It’s going to be fun.”
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