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DJ Pierra: The reality of business in entertainment and how I made it

Lady Speak

Pierra Makena DJ, Actress, Brand Manager

As an actress, a DJ and an online personality, many would recognize the name Pierra Makena. Her acting and Djing skills have taken her around the world, with glitz and glamour but between motherhood and building a brand for herself, Pierra has had to sacrifice a lot to get to where she is.

In this candid interview, she talks to Hustle about life in the Kenyan Entertainment industry.

Did you always want to go into entertainment? Actually no. My dad was a doctor, so what I wanted to be a nurse. I liked the idea of taking care of people.

How did you go from that to the arts? I used to act in school and in church. One day during the Drama Festivals I was spotted by someone from KBC and they got me into a show called Kisulisuli. The experience of being in front of the camera, being directed, seeing myself on screen, I loved it. So I thought, I want to do this for a living.

Were you paid for this role? Of course. The main characters were paid between 10,000/- to 20,000/- per episode. I was 17, to me that was a lot of money. I wasn't paying rent and my parents didn't ask me for any of my salary. I'll confess I mostly used it to spruce up my wardrobe and my room in campus. Would you believe I had a doorbell? In campus?

What were you studying in campus? Communication. I loved acting but I also knew I needed a backup plan. I particularly liked the idea of marketing and P.R because I figured it could help me advance my career as an actress.

How did you move from acting to being a DJ? I wanted to diversify my brand and do something that had more direct contact with people. I wanted to be a personality they could relate with. So I applied for this job as a Radio Host and got it. As my popularity grew, I got the idea to start doing live DJ gigs.

Was it a difficult shift? It was a challenge yes, but it was exhilarating to have a full house dancing and screaming to music I was playing.

Female DJs are not very common in Kenya, how did you deal with that? I used it to my advantage. It helped me stand out. Then, I would make sure my mixes were great, my fashion sense was on point and I added something different by dancing during my mixes. That really drew people in.

Pierra Makena is a brand. How have you achieved that? As an actress, I always tried to play roles in a way that was unique to me. I wanted people to hear my voice and know, that's Pierra Makena, to see my fashion and says, yes, that's Pierra. I built my world around my personality and allowed the world to see me for who I was.

What would you say your big break was, as a DJ? My first New York tour. I had been spotted by some Nigerian Producers during a show. They asked me to DJ at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards in New York. I won't lie, I was very sceptical, I didn't know these people but I thought, what do I have to lose. I said yes.

What was the tour like? I had never been to the States before, so it was a bit daunting. Would you imagine my Producers didn't appear at the airport, so I had to get myself to the hotel. At this point I was wondering whether I had been duped, I even called my sister who was in California to tell her to book me a flight to her place. But then the Producers called me, turns out they were just late. The rest of the tour was eye opening and a life changer for me.

How much did you make on the tour? At the time I was starting out, so I was paid about $2000, but I was happy with it. They took care of the flights, food and accommodation. What mattered the most, was the experience and the contacts that I made. I've learned this industry is all about networking and positioning yourself.

How do you do that practically, as a DJ and an Actress? I'll give you an example. I was nominated for the NAFCA awards as Best Supporting Actress in 2015. The awards were taking place in L.A. I honestly didn't think I stood a chance to win because Vivica Fox was also nominated in the same category. Vivica Fox! But I wanted to go for the experience. Then I got the idea to do a DJ Tour while I was there. I used the contacts I'd made during my first visit to the States.

How different was it to arrange your own tour? It was exhausting. I would travel during the day and perform during the night. I started in Washington, while still jet-lagged. Then did Dallas, went to see my family in San Francisco, drove down to L.A for the NAFCA (Nollywood African Film Critics Award) , drove back to San Francisco with my family who had accompanied me. All this time I hadn't slept. So when I got to the airport on my way to perform in Kansas, I collapsed. I was admitted to hospital and treated for dehydration and fatigue. It was surreal, because at first they thought I had Ebola. It was during the outbreak.

That must have been very scary. Yes. But it also helped me see how easy it is for us to segregate people we think are a danger to us. As soon as they discovered I was from Kenya, the treatment at the hospital changed completely. Fear does things to people. I try to keep that in mind whenever I react to anything.

What are some of your fears as an artist in Kenya? Right now, my biggest fear is being in a situation where I wouldn't be able to take care of my daughter. I hadn't planned to get pregnant, not yet. The father and I are not together right now. When you are a single woman in the entertainment industry and you get a baby, things inevitably change.

What changed for you? I decided to focus on a full time job, as a Brand Manager and a Marketing Executive. Being a DJ, while lucrative, can also be sporadic, I wanted something stable for my child.

Did you continue with any DJ jobs? Once in a while, I did. When I was pregnant, I played at this gig which was exclusively for expectant women. To have a woman DJ for them, while carrying a child, I think that moved so many of them to know that just because you are a mother, doesn't make you limited in anyway. Actually, it enhances who you are. That was a special moment for me.

What's the way forward now, for Pierra? My daughter turns 1 in a few months. I think I'm ready to get back onto the DJ and the acting scene. I've booked a couple of films and two DJ tours. One of the tours is DJ Pierra Live in Kenya which will happen from end of June. The other is an international tour scheduled around the Rugby Sevens series next year.

Have you reached where you'd like to be in life? Not by a long shot, but I am well on my way. I work hard, I apply myself and when I set my heart to something, I make sure I accomplish it.

Advice On Being An Artist In Kenya

1. Trust Yourself: Many talented people wait for other people to validate their talent, to be 'discovered' or 'recognized'. I say step out of your comfort zone and do your thing. Keep doing it and improving it. That talent will eventually speak for itself. 2. Be Smart: I discovered a while ago, that as I pursued my acting or DJing, I didn't want to struggle for every last coin because that would make me desperate. So I have always had a job in a flexible office, which allows me to keep earning a constant salary while I build my brand. As much as possible, get a secondary stream of income. 3. Build Your Brand: Decide who you are and what you want to be known for. It's easy to get distracted by many opportunities but before jumping in always ask yourself, is this taking me towards growing my brand or is it just a time filler? Build something that anyone would recognize a mile away as yours. 4. Don't Follow The Money: As an up and coming DJ, I did many, many free gigs simply to get my name out there. I was paid peanuts in some places and I took it because I wanted the contacts. Weigh the benefits of whatever production or performance you're asked to do. It isn't always about money, sometimes it's about building a relationship. 5. Be Reliable: There is this notion that once you're famous you can do what you want and show up to work if and when you want. That can't be further from the truth. The people who have made it big and stayed there, have stayed there because they maintained professionalism.

Average DJ Earnings:

- 20,000/- to 45,000 per gig - 150,000/- to 200,000 international tour per Club. Most tours will hit at least 8 Clubs. - 100,000/- to 300,000 per gig for Celebrity DJs.

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