Music gets Shirley-DJ into my element

For Shirley Andisi, 21, entertaining people through music is her passion. She has taken up her deejaying career to heart and is going places. She spoke to ALLAN OLINGO

What made you get into deejaying?

I love the nightlife. To me the town comes alive when the sun sets down. Music is what I do and it literally helps me get into my element. Whenever I have had a long day, the pace sets in when I get into my booth and on my decks. In this industry, it is your skill that sets you apart. If you are good, your talent will sell you. If you put in the hours they surely pay off.

What do you do as a deejay?

My main job is entertaining people, and to keep them moving. If you insist on remaining seated, then trust me you will be nodding your head to the tune. I thank God I have good taste in music, so it’s really hard to disappoint people when it comes to that.

How supportive have your parents been?

My parents are liberal. They listened to my deejaying ideas with an open mind and after consultation and meeting some of the deejays I would be working with, they agreed to give me the capital to get my training and buy some equipment. That was the deal-breaker. After I got my parents on board, everything else was up to me, although I still have curfews especially when I have to go to school.

Where did you go to school and how was the experience?

I took a deejaying course at the Music Technology Academy. The experience was amazing. I got to meet new people who opened up my world to new ideas. It also matured me from the high school mentality into the real world.

What challenges have you faced in doing your music gigs?

It mostly happens when dealing with fans. They come up to the stage and want my attention while I am doing my sets. As an entertainer, I have to be able to manage both the fans and the job at hand. It is not a major problem because at least I know I am doing a great job and they are just showing some love. An interesting challenge is when there is a blackout and the generator does not kick in. Your audience expects you to find a solution come what may.

How do you overcome them?

I’m a deejay who can also ‘mcee’. Those are the moments I use the microphone to my advantage — to calm down the crowd and communicate with them as I find a solution.

What have been your low moments?

When I was still a rookie, I once had to perform in front of a really big crowd in Carnivore and I got jittery. When I got to the stage, I ended up messing my night because I did not showcase my skills to my expectations. I must say it was a learning experience because since then, tension has not been on my list of problems. I guess it happens to most artistes at some point of their career.

How is the clubbing experience especially entertainment?

Most people don’t know this but the Kenyan clubbing scene is one of the wildest especially here in Nairobi. Young people like to party and when they do, they party hard. Young revellers are a force on their own — the crowd is always interesting and every experience is always different.

Are you in a relationship?

No. I broke up with my boyfriend a few months ago. His job moves him around a lot, so he is barely in the country and I am not really into long distance relationships. But we are still good friends.

What is your opinion on dating?

Considering the times we live in, the only way to have a lasting relationship is if there is trust and honesty. Respect is also key for a relationship to thrive. For young people, everything has its own time and education comes above all.

Who are your role models?

I admire DJ Babey Drew (USA). He started from scratch and now runs a successful career. He is also good looking (winks). In Kenya, I look up to DJ Klash — he showed me the ropes in the industry. 

What do you do with your free time?

I practise and try to improve on my deejaying skills. I love hanging out with my friends and play a lot of video games. They take me into a fantasy world where I do missions and stuff. I think in another life I would be in the army.