The Life & Times of a Black Woman DJ with DJ Paulette

Girls Twiddling Knobs

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DJing is still a pretty white, male industry, but when this week’s guest, DJ Paulette, first began spinning vinyl in Manchester’s nightclubs in the 90s, black women DJs were few and far between. Winner of the DJ Mag’s Top 100 Lifetime Achievement Award, DJ Paulette's career has spanned over two decades and multiple locations. But inside this candid conversation, Paulette also shares the personal path she’s trodden along the way.

Paulette shares the real sense of threat she felt DJing as a black woman in the clubs in 90’s Manchester, her time doing PR for some of the 90s and 00s most influential dance music artists and setting Paris on fire with her iconic flavour of House music selections. But perhaps just as interesting is Paulette’s experience of losing her mojo with DJing, packing it all in and moving back to Manchester and how she’s rebuilt her career and reconnected with the DJ artform.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{04:26} Paulette’s early memories of music and introduction to DJing
{10:50} Her experience as a black woman DJ in the early 90s
{13:17} Inside DJ Paulette’s first gig
{17:16} What it was like being one of the only female DJs in the 90s UK club scene
{24:30} Paulette’s experience working in music PR alongside DJing
{36:23} Moving to Paris to pursue her DJing career
{46:03} Losing her mojo for dance music and DJing
{01:04:43} How moving back to Manchester helped Paulette fall back in love with DJing
{01:08:05} The importance of speaking out against discrimination in order to help the younger generation
{01:11:11} The meaning and inspiration behind her track “Sheroes”
{01:26:47} Episode Summary

DJ Paulette’s Website >>

DJ Paulette on Instagram >>

Listen to ‘Sheroes’ >>

Pre-Order ‘Welcome to the Club’ >>

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Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.
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Chapters

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Paulette’s early memories of music and introduction to DJing (00:05:40)

3. Her experience as a black woman DJ in the early 90s (00:12:04)

4. Inside DJ Paulette’s first gig (00:14:31)

5. What it was like being one of the only female DJs in the 90s UK club scene (00:18:30)

6. Paulette’s experience working in music PR alongside DJing (00:25:44)

7. Moving to Paris to pursue her DJing career (00:37:37)

8. Losing her mojo for dance music and DJing (00:47:17)

9. How moving back to Manchester helped Paulette fall back in love with DJing (01:05:57)

10. The importance of speaking out against discrimination in order to help the younger generation (01:09:19)

11. The meaning and inspiration behind her track “Sheroes” (01:12:25)

12. Episode Summary (01:28:01)