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U.K. DJ Paulette drops fierce vocal House with a Twist
by RAF KATIGBAK
DJ Paulette is a busy lady. Aside from
being an accomplished music journalist with a degree in English and
business, on any given week this U.K. DJ supastah can be found hosting
her shit-hot weekly radio show for Ministry of Sound, judging on the
Dance Music panel at England’s prestigious Ivor Novello awards,
presenting awards at the ultra-hip Diesel U Music Awards, hosting U.K.’s
MTV Dance television show, creating custom club couture at home, dropping
some science at a local spoken word slam or flying off to any one of
a thousand exotic locations to spin house records and drive people absolutely
bonkers. Luckily for us, one of those “exotic” locations
happens to be Montreal this Saturday for BBCM’s Twist party. The
Mirror had a chance to catch Paulette during a rare 15 minute vacancy
in her schedule to talk house, glam, female firsts, and messing with
people’s heads.
Mirror: So, what can we
expect from you at Twist?
Paulette: Fierce vocal house mixed with dark, hallucinogenic
dubs, a few twisted a capellas thrown in for good measure and a result
that’s always uplifting. I’d say my style’s fucked
up and more than all right.
M: I read somewhere that
you were renowned for your “outrageous outfits and disco-ball
glamour.” Where’d that come from?
P: My first real residency was at England’s biggest
gay night, “Flesh,” at the Hacienda. I was the first female
resident there and since it was a real extravaganza, everyone made an
effort with their outfit.
M: So competition was
fierce?
P: Definitely. I always had to go one better so I wore
very little bikinis in silver, PVC, rubber—lots of hats, heels
and makeup that defied removal. When you wear it to a party that requires
so much dancefloor action, that shit has to stay on!
M: I’ve noticed
that gay events here in Montreal always have a certain attention to
detail and flair for the dramatic that isn’t normally found at
larger “straight” events. Is it the same case across the
pond?
P: Absolutely, but people who have never been out on
the gay scene don’t know what I’m talking about. More often
than not, people on the gay scene go out to have a great time, meet
new people (not stand around looking scary and moody), spot the talent
and generally work that mother out! The crowd is always a lot more up
for it, into it and ready to show their appreciation without feeling
that it’s uncool to do so. If you whistle at a straight club people
start looking for a lost dog, if you know what I mean!
Groundbreakin’ girl
M: You were the first
woman to play a sell-out tour across India, how did you find the response
in a country where, historically, women have had very defined and traditional
roles?
P: Initially the papers reported my arrival as if I
was a male DJ, “Mr. Paulette,” which upset me a little bit,
but then I realized how groundbreaking a move it was to be out there
doing what I was doing in a country where women do not rock the boat—let
alone wear Western clothing. And strangely enough, despite people not
knowing what to expect musically or technically, once they’d heard
me play, all the crowds were totally accepting of me as a DJ. By the
end of the tour I was treated like a rock star. Ridiculous but true.
It’s not every day you get on the front cover of the world’s
biggest selling newspaper, The Times of India, for playing other people’s
records. I had so many women coming up to me at the end of each date
telling me how much I’d inspired them and now I know that there
are definitely two female DJs out there who were inspired by me and
have taken up DJing professionally.
M: I hear you’ve
got a twin sister, you guys ever freak people out with a Parent Trap
type practical joke?
P: Yes! When I was the promotions director for Azuli
Records, my twin sister, Paula, came to stay with me for a week and
I was so snowed under at work that I asked her to come in and sort out
my database. I realized on the first day that no one in the office had
met her so I made her sit at my desk and get on with “working”
as people were filing in. She said hello to everyone, made idle chit
chat and even had my boss, David Piccioni fooled—until I stepped
out and freaked them all out. The look on everyone’s faces was
a picture. I loved that moment! s
DJ Paulette spins this Saturday,
Aug. 3 as part of the BBCM’s Twist at Club Med World, 945 Ste-Catherine
W. 10pm–8am |
