Schema Magazine

Photos: Article Teaser & Above Photo by Toranj Kayvon

Jessica Dhillon, aka DJ Goddess, kicked off 2012 on a stage with Canadian Chart-topper Raghav at a packed CityTV New Year's Eve bash. She was new to spinning, not performing. But even Dhillon—actress, model, dancer and Hollywood producer—felt the rush that celebrity brings at the Calgary party.

"It was an absolutely amazing experience. It's live and it's nation-wide - it's pretty exciting," says DJ Goddess of her first big gig, which was caught on national TV.

DJ Goddess will be spinning house and Bollywood this Thursday at Ginger 62's Republic of India party hosted by High Society. She also plays electro, top 40, mash-ups and reggaeton.

As we sit down with her at a café one chilly January evening, a casually-dressed and animated DJ Goddess recounts to us how she fast-forwarded through the baby steps; she went from messing around with turntables to DJ-ing at the NYE party within months.

DJ Goddess has certainly garnered a lot of attention early in her career and is often referred to as a "female DJ." Does this ever bother her? DJ Goddess says it never struck her as a problem: it is still uncommon for women to spin.

"When people say 'female DJ' it's because it's more of a rarity," she said. "The reality is that sometimes it does work for your benefit since female DJs are in high demand."

Her stage name, DJ Goddess, was specifically chosen to reflect female empowerment in male-dominated industries.

Photo: D. Dyer

Already a renaissance woman of sorts with a busy producing career that had her shuttling between London, Mumbai, and San Francisco, Dhillon found herself inspired by DJs Risk One and Aqeel. She then got a mutual contact to put her in touch with DJ Lisa Delux.

Delux is a well-known name in the Lower Mainland and has played all over North America. She became DJ Goddess' mentor, teaching her the basics over the span of just a week.

Inspired by her "amazing instructor", DJ Goddess began on vinyl and honed her skills with the help of pros in her already established network that were only a phone call away.

Shortly after, Raghav, whose single 'Top of the World' she helped co-produce the video for, invited her to play at the NYE bash. She had landed the biggest kind of gig a DJ could hope for.

"DJ'ing is something you have to throw yourself into," says DJ Goddess.

She was a nerdy child. She was both studious and athletic, and she cried when she got her first B at university. She decided to work hard, but experimented on the side with hobbies, which got her into acting, dancing, and modeling. DJ-ing was just one more channel for her creative urges.

DJ Goddess describes herself as both artistic and scientifically-minded. Her backup plan was med school. But after skyrocketing to success in various fields of showbiz she never looked back.

Photo: Kim Campbell

As she acknowledges, she started big. She doesn't know where DJ-ing will take her, but her tone is unmistakably determined.

Influences on her style include everything from house to Bollywood to hip hop. This year she is looking forward to making international appearances in Mumbai, London, and Vegas—especially Vegas, where she says the top house DJs spin. Also on her list of ideal venues is the Sunburn Music Festival in Goa, India.

DJ Goddess admits that with success comes sheer exhaustion, especially when she is constantly facing a challenge to prove herself.

"My motto is 'Be Fierce'. I've always worked in male-dominated industries so I think for that reason a girl has to be that much more fierce. There are days when it drains you. It takes so much out of you to prove you're not just a pretty face, to go the extra mile."

But she believes being attractive in showbiz or the music biz is not necessarily a bad thing if you don't misuse it. "In an industry where looks go a long way, a girl has to be that much more fierce and back them up with talent, brains and hard work."

And with that very combination at her disposal, DJ Goddess seems all set to spin up a storm. Don't miss her set on the 26th.

*****
DJ Goddess on Twitter: @iamdjgoddess | Check out her website and download free tracks: www.djgoddess.com | Facebook: DJ Goddess.

*****

Daily Dose will carry an ongoing series of DJ profiles in advance of High Society's Bollywood nights at Ginger 62, held on the last Thursday of every month! You can also find information at highsociety.ca.