‘It’s so important that we have more POC and fem DJs’; NAK on opening at Bourke St’s React – Beat Magazine

words by sidonie bird de la coeur

Kicking off the party at Bourke Street Courtyard as part of Novels series React tomorrow is NAK, an up-and-coming Melbourne-based DJ. The React event series is really special to me because it was where I was introduced to those deeper and darker shades of techno genres like breaks, trance and electro that are all hallmarks of my sound now, she told us.

I have a really particular memory where I saw Jennifer Loveless play at one of the Reacts, maybe 2 years ago.

She played a phenomenal set that night, and seeing an Asian woman up on the stage made me think for the first time that DJing was something I could do too, as someone of Asian background myself.

It was like before Id reserved the idea of DJing in my head as a man-only activity, unless you were a super influential, international or cool white woman.

The opportunity to see someone with the same cultural background as me up on stage was so empowering which is why its so important that we have more POC, fem and gender non-conforming DJs.

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Now, two years on, NAK is opening set for Novels takeover of Bourke Street Courtyard tomorrow. The setup Novel does for their Bourke St Courtyard is insane speakers, lights, projections so Im stoked to be a part of that. Also feels like such a full circle moment, I remember listening to Schackes Kisloty People on repeat with my friends a couple years ago.

If Im recording a mix at home, thats completely planned I usually have an idea in my head of the journey I want to take the listener through, she said when I asked her what her process for planning mixes is. If its a DJ set at an event, Ive actually been trying to walk in without a plan Ill just prep a playlist beforehand with way more songs than I need that I think will fit the vibe of the event.

Someone once told me that all their best DJ sets have been entirely improvised, as you have to read the crowd throughout the event you really cant perfectly plan and predict where the set will go.

Since Im opening this event, Im more so setting the mood for the night, warming up the dance floor etc. so that means slower tempos, grooves, breaks as people start to fill in. Lowkey, opening sets are hard because everyones sober

Im genuinely just excited to play my music on nice speakers, it makes such a huge difference, Novel has so many resources and they really know how to pull off a party so this is gonna be sick. Literally my React playlist at the moment is just every song I want played on big speakers.

Its really nice full circle moment to return to React, so surreal to think Im going to be standing right where I saw Jennifer play.

React at Bourke Street Courtyard is on from 3pm, on Saturday 25 June. Grab your tickets by heading here.

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'It's so important that we have more POC and fem DJs'; NAK on opening at Bourke St's React - Beat Magazine