Pulse: The Best Western pool party where you happened to be the main DJ couldn’t have come at a better time. Would you agree?
DJ Dii: Yes. The event was a big deal. It’s like the best thing that ever happened to me because it has opened me up to so many opportunities. Now, I play at different clubs every weekend and I also do private parties.
P: How did you land the biggest pool gig that every DJ covets?
Dii: I used to play at a certain club on Wednesdays and one of the organisers of the Connect Pool Party asked the manager to call the DJ playing and he was actually shocked that it was a female deejay. He gave me my first pool party and I have worked with them ever since.
P: Female DJs seen to be on the rise of late. Do you expect this new revolution to go on?
Dii: Yes, most definitely.
P: Are you a trained deejay?
Dii: I would say the better part of my deejaying skills is self-taught. I learn skills from other deejays and that is how I improve my skill.
P: What made you pick the name Dii as your showbiz name?
Dii: It’s the short form of Dida which is also shortened from Khadija. But Dida didn’t sound all that so I shortened it to Dii (Laughing).
P: What are some of the challenges you face as a fast rising female DJ?
Dii: I think my biggest challenge is people thinking a female can’t do as good work as a male one. Very many event organisers think like that and so female deejays end up getting no shows.
P: But on the contrary, people think it is easy for a female deejay to click a deal as you get favours simply because you are pretty...
Dii: Not quite. I really don’t think we get special treatment. The reason why female deejays get club gigs is because most clubs prefer female deejays for themed nights like ladies night on Wednesdays.
P: What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you while you were playing?
Dii: My worst experience was being spanked in a club as I was playing. I felt so disrespected.
P: With this kind of harassment, do you think it’s worth it being a club deejay?
Dii: I love music so much and I always wanted to do this since I was in Primary School. The job pays all my bills.
P: Where did you grow up?
Dii: I grew up in Nairobi. During my teenage years I lived in Nyeri because my mother had moved there then. I moved back to Nairobi a year after High School.
P: Are you currently in a relationship?
Dii: No, not at the moment.
P: What should we expect from Dj Dii this year?
Dii: I am working on my brand because I have bigger things planned for this year. However, I don’t want to say much as l want actions to speak for me.
