Juicy M is an Ukrainian electro and progressive house DJ and producer. She is best known for her videos on YouTube mixing with four CDJ players without using headphones. Juicy M placed among the Top 100 DJs on the Planet by The DJ List poll and Top Deejays global DJ database. Juicy’s early life was connected to music. At the age of five she went to dance courses, then piano class in music school and also worked as a news host on a music TV channel while studying journalism at university. She began her DJ career in 2007 as a resident DJ in fashionable nightclubs like Orangerea Supper Club, Patipa, and Matrix in Ukraine. The following year, she was the headlining act of the Fashion TV tour. Having participated in the DMC World Eliminations in Ukraine and World Technical DJ Championship in Dubai, she was named “Best Female DJ of the Year” at the 2010 ProDJ Awards in Ukraine. In 2011–2012, she had her first international gigs in Europe and Asia as a hip hop and R&B DJ. She opened for Black Eyed Peas, Backstreet Boys, Afrojack, Jay Sean, Skrillex, and others. Juicy M has also modeled for well-known magazines like FHM and XXL. Juicy M had always dreamed about huge festivals like Tomorrowland, Electric Daisy Carnival and Ultra Music Festival, so in 2013 she started playing and producing EDM.
Tell us please how did it come that you became a DJ and what was the starting point actually? Who was your teacher or was it a School for DJs?
When I was about 15 I went to a big festival for the first time and saw a DJ on the stage, one person who controls the mood of thousand dancers and drives them crazy, including me. There was something magical about it and that moment I’ve decided that I want to be a DJ and I went to DJ school. I actually was really lucky as my teacher at school was a heavyweight turntablist, a DMC regional champion for many years, who taught me how to scratch, play on the turntables like a pro and respect DJ skills.
Your first performance, how and where it was? What kind of impressions do you have from your first performance?
My first ever set was in a prime time at the one the best nightclubs in Kiev, Ukraine. I remember that I was trembling like hell, no matter how you think you well prepared – the first set is always damn scary!
If we are not mistaken you began your career with hip hop and r&b styles, so what pushed you to change the music style?
In late 2012 I was performing at H2O festival in South Africa. I played on one of the smallest hip-hop stages and after my set, I went to the main stage to listen to Afrojack. Don’t get me wrong, my stage had about 500 people and vibes were good, but it simply incomparable to the ocean of hands formed by thousands and thousands of people I saw on the main stage. And I just said to myself “Hell no, I wanna perform on the main stage here!” and it eventually brought me to EDM.
How does electro and progressive house speak to you?
First of all it’s all about energy. No matter how I feel before my show when I up to the stage EDM gives me so much power and passion that I literally forget about everything! I also love how EDM unites people, no matter where are you from, your religion or skin colour – we are all one, and this is the general idea behind electronic dance music.
You’ve opened up for some high profile acts in the music industry (The Black Eyed Peas, Afrojack, Jay Sean, Skrillex, The Backstreet Boys and more). How did these opportunities come about for you?
It’s a good opportunity to see how big names perform, to feel their confidence on the stage. I learned a lot from them and very thankful for that chance. But I never dreamt about being an opening act. I always wanted to light my own star.
What made you decide to mix with four CDJ players without using headphones?
To be honest there wasn’t any specific plan about headphones, I always mix without headphones when I’m training at home and always use headphones when I’m spinning at parties. So I would say it’s just a happy coincidence that I made this video at home because the initial idea was to show my mixing skills.
Your awesome sensational video with 4CDJ already gained 20milions of views in YouTube. Did you expect such an incredible success?
I didn’t expect anything at all. That was a time when I just switched from hip-hop to EDM and my manager asked me to do an online mix because all the promoters still were expecting me to play hip-hop and there was a problem. I don’t remember why I have decided to do a video mix instead of audio, but it turned out to be a really good idea that started a whole movement of girls DJs doing this kind of mixes. I absolutely didn’t expect that.
There are not so many high ranking female djs , what did you do to assume your spot among the top 100 djs in the world?
I concentrated a lot on building my skills, my music compilation, my production sound, my label and podcast. I practice a lot and most importantly I love doing it!
https://soundcloud.com/dj-juicy-m/sets/psyhaus
How to do you cope with travelling from country to country performing at events and does that affect your personal life?
I’m rather restless person, sitting in one place just kills me, so I find it really easy and comfortable to live out of a suitcase. Furthermore I enjoy traveling and I’m very lucky that I’m able to take my personal life with me all the time.
What’s your perception of life and how do you define success?
I used to think that meaning of success is to have a lot of money, yachts and expensive cars but when I meet some of the rich personalities I understand that real meaning of success is enjoying your life and doing what you love! This is what life is about for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_RVOB5iDxA