WORK
From mistakes to big breaks, DJ Paulette shares the wisdom she’s accumulated over her 30-year career in the world of dance music
From The Haçienda to underground basements, headline sets and monthly radio shows, DJ Paulette has played to hundreds of thousands of people around the world. The 57-year-old disco, house and techno DJ was one of only two women to have a regular monthly residency at Manchester’s Haçienda, as well as residencies at Heaven and Ministry of Sound in London. Aside from DJ-ing, Paulette also curates events and exhibitions, regularly contributes to BBC Radio 6 Music and published her debut book, Welcome To The Club: The Life And Lessons Of A Black Woman DJ in January – so her career shows no sign of slowing down. Here, she shares what she’s learned along the way (so far)…
I fell into DJ-ing by happy accident…
…because I had a massive record collection and one night accepted the challenge of playing it in a nightclub. I loved entertaining crowds of people and making them happy, with a soundtrack tailor-made to encourage dancing.
Because I’m a seasoned clubber, I think I instinctively knew what made a great club night. I love music. I love performing and people and parties and nightclubs. And I buzz off the energy that comes with sharing that with people. I also had the guts to learn on the job and wasn’t afraid of making mistakes.
The environment suited me and it brought me so much job satisfaction. Quickly, I found I was good at it, so I followed my instincts and decided to make a successful career out of it.
The one piece of career advice I would give someone is…
Choose the thing that keeps your curiosity alive and allows you to continue to learn. Then find people who believe in you to accompany you on your journey. Travelling is always easier with company. And asking for help is a stre
