Rock it DJ

Rock it DJ!

She has done a series of activities right from Fashion Designing to Graphic Designing. Priiyaa is a woman with varied interests and talents and a career DJ.

By Aditi Thirani

She has done a lot of designing work which included designing coffee table books, carpets. In fact she even worked in a Carpet buying house. Having studied all over India, she has got a great exposure and learning experience. "My dad was in army so we've never stayed in a single place for a long time. My childhood was fun because we did a lot of travelling and I always enjoyed travelling. Now my parents are settled in Noida like all retired army officers do, says Priiyaa.

Priiyaa is basically from Rajasthan. She has done modeling has well. But that never interested her much. "I always loved the sound of music. Life without music is incomplete. Music is like meditation. At one of the clubs I visited five years ago I watched the DJ play some electrifying tunes which made so many people happy and got them dancing that I got super inspired. Then I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Music gives people an emotional rush which they strive for. I get an opportunity to say something to people through music," relates Priiyaa.

She did a crash course in Sydney where she learnt the technicalities. Then she came back to India and got devoted to practicing. "I practiced for 6 months at a club called Opium in Bangalore. I used to play during the early hours when there weren't too many people. Six months thence I had my first gig at the same club where I was launched as Bangalore's first lady DJ. That night I played to hundreds of people. It was great! Thinking about it now is as thrilling as it was then," beams Priiyaa.

So did she face any challenge being a female DJ? "The only challenge was the challenge itself. To become a DJ was the challenge. I told myself not to be afraid to try something new. There's always more to learn. Every time I start my set the challenge is to connect with the crowd & to put in the right energy through the mix. I am extremely passionate about what I do. No matter what it is, I do it with all my heart & soul. It's like my life depends on it. Even if I decide to laze, I laze well... My experience as a DJ has been wonderful... The person I am today is largely because of what I do. I have travelled a lot, struggled too, worked hard like never before, interacted with hundreds of people, been in many tough situations, obviously heard and played a lot of music and in turn, made a lot of people happy which gives the joy which has no substitute. In short, life has never been dull," says Priiyaa.

She thinks a woman would have to be a mixture of various roles of a daughter, a sister, a mother, a grandmother, a granddaughter, a girlfriend, a wife, a friend, and a mentor. "Add a spoonful of sorrows, a gallon of strength, a barrel full of forgiveness, a pinch of joy, a tablespoon of laughter, a cup of wisdom, a slice of life and some sugar and spice. That's a woman. I am a woman. That's one label I will gladly accept. I am a woman in process and I'm trying just like everybody else. I try to take every conflict, every experience & learn from it," quotes Priiyaa.

She thinks that more than people's attitude it's the woman's attitude that needs to change and it is changing she feels. "Women are clearly in a different situation than they were twenty years ago. Think about what your life is like in comparison to someone who was your age 20 years ago. My first assumption is that it's worthwhile to hear women's voices, and my second assumption is that those voices have been too often ignored. Feminism has changed society to a large extent & it's good to see that there's a glimmer of understanding that women are to be valued and respected," says Priiyaa.

"The changes I have observed in the way women are seen are phenomenal. Name a place where women aren't present. Generically speaking at least one woman has entered most professions and have proved that at least one woman is capable of doing what men can do (For instance DJs, CEOs, athletes, politicians, jockeys). However it is true that within these male dominated professions, women still have to work twice as hard to be taken half as seriously," feels Priiyaa.

"Whether it's a working woman or a home maker (arguably, the task of raising the next generation is a noble one), I feel there are parts of our society which do not give women their due credit. This I feel must change. Men & women both need to understand that the different sexes were created by God with different roles but otherwise equal in every respect. Why must there be such a revolution to realize that all people are equal regardless of sex, race, culture, skin color," questions Priiyaa.

Priiyaa doesn't share her dreams till they are fulfilled. That's the kind of faith she has in herself. "Call me superstitious but I don't talk about things until they are accomplished. I'll get back to you once my dream is fulfilled. I expect a lot from myself. I expect myself to manage my time more efficiently. I expect myself to be more patient. I sometimes feel I am pushing myself too much but then that's how I am and I love being me," concludes Priiyaa.