BOSS SELECTION: Interview with DJ Sabrina Solemani
DJ Sabrina Solemani on musical variety, mixing in a shed and Dogs in Jorts
Having started just three years ago, Ramsgate’s Sabrina Solemani has already played at international music festivals and featured in the iconic DJ Mag and Mixmag; she hosts her own radio show and is even opening a clothing store for hand-picked vintage garments. Despite her incredibly busy schedule, we managed to grab 10 minutes with the DJ to find out a little more.
Hey Sabrina, how are you?
Yeah, great, I just got back from Sardinia, which was more like a working holiday rather than a holiday-holiday. And I’m now getting ready for the shop to open in Margate, too.
So tell us about Dogs in Jorts... is it all vintage pieces?
I think the term ‘vintage’ is now very loose. But I think what makes Dogs in Jorts special is everything is hand-picked from different wholesalers. So I mean, I don’t just have one person that provides me. I tie it in with a lot of my gigs. I’ll find wholesalers in that city and meet up with them and carry a massive suitcase of clothes around.
This will be in Broad Street in Margate?
Yeah, I’m working with someone else. The main shop will be Don’t Blink and I’m taking a smaller section in the back. Big shout-out to Cake as she is taking it over, having worked in Handsome Freaks for seven years.
So that will allow you to continue to DJ?
It’s so that I can do music full-time again and be more of a touring DJ.
I’m just trying to balance both as much as I can. But I think music is pretty much the main goal.
It’s obviously going well! How long have you been DJing?
It’s coming up to three years. I’ve always known I wanted to work in the music industry, but I just didn’t really know whether I wanted to be an artist liaison or work at an agency. And then during lockdown all of my friends just started DJing, just for fun, and going to pirate studios in London when we could meet up and stuff. I would go meet my friends and we would talk about it, and they’d just bought these decks for £50 and literally just started doing it.
What were the first steps?
I just posted a few mixes and videos, which I’ve archived now because they’re so embarrassing, because they are me in my shed with my tiny little decks and tiny Bluetooth speakers. It got picked up by Printworks and by Fabric. I didn’t have a manager or agent at that point. But I think maybe it was the tune selection because I used to play a lot of old-school drum and bass music and tag all the artists, like proper 80s and 90s. And I think I got picked up because I really appreciated the history of it all.
What sort of music did you start out playing?
I played a lot of Marcus Intalex, a lot of Randall and Goldie. And when I tagged them on Instagram, I think they were all just kind of like ‘Who is this young girl?’. There’s tons of female DJs now, but even just before lockdown I think there were just a few coming through a little bit. I was one of them.
Tell us about getting noticed by Printworks.
I hate to say this, but it was off the back of social media. I think it’s OK if you do it in the right way and I like to think I did - I didn’t really post too much personal stuff on there and all that. It was just, like, very career-focused. And I like to think people saw that it was career-focused.
And you also played Fabric…
I did go to a lot of events before I was a DJ. And I went to Fabric under-age once. I snuck through the back door because I knew someone who knew someone and they let me in. And I remember telling Fabric after I played there, and they were like ‘Oh, I can’t believe you did that!’. I made sure I did the gig first, though!
What’s the state of play at the moment? Are you signed to anyone?
I was with a manager from Rinse FM and I was with Earth Agency. But we kind of agreed that I needed to find my feet first because they signed me when I was only a year into my DJing, you know? I was just saying yes to everything and not really thinking about longevity.
They’ve got my back still now in terms of giving me advice, but I’m still trying to navigate what I actually want to do within music, what music I want to DJ.
You don’t want to be pigeonholed...
I can’t just stick to one genre. I just can’t do it. I’m mainly a drum and bass DJ. That’s what I mainly get booked for, but then I’ve ? got a radio ? with Rinse/SWU FM that’s also doing non-D&B stuff.
What was your big break moment?
Playing Printworks and Fabric because those gigs were really special to me. But also when I went on a mini-tour with Metalheadz, which is one of the biggest D&B labels ever.
Favorite festival you’ve played?
SUNANDBASS Festival in Sardinia, which I just came back from. That’s got a place in my heart.
I also love LOCUS in Tulum and Bali a lot. They’re still new and finding their feet, but they’re great.
Your most played track in 2024…
That’s so hard, it’s got to be a D&B track. I’ve had more D&B shows this year. Probably The Nine by Bad Company (1998).
What are your hopes and dreams for the next 12 months?
Hopefully, to just be where I want to be. Be my own boss - with music I already am, without having my manager… I just want to be having good enough shows each month and playing shows that I want to be on, rather than ‘I’ll do this for money, do that for money’. And also I do want to get more music out.
And you’ve got a track coming out soon, too. Tell us more…
Yeah, I’ve got music coming out, not drum and bass, though… I don’t want to drop big names, but it’s like Prodigy meets Sherelle, so like jungle and a bit rocky, old school, a bit of everything, 140 BPM.
We’ll just see what people think!
