Travel the World with these 11 DJs Bringing the Heat to London dancefloors in 2023

One of the most magical things about London is that you can connect with world cultures through partying. From Hip Hop, R&B, and UK Rap, to Dancehall from Jamaica, Amapiano from South Africa, Afrobeats from Nigeria and Baile Funk from Brazil: music is translatable in a way that exceeds language.

Those DJs are storytellers, sharing beautiful narratives in the shape of music, powerful enough to make complete strangers blend in together making the floor wet and people dancing the whole night.

Dear underground DJs, who everyone knows, but no one knows at the same time. Who are not sponsored by big brands and traditional nightclubs, yet mobilise big crowds in their niches. Shout out to all of you whose art has helped us to overcome some level of sadness, anxiety and depression in hard times. Lockdown is over but we still suffer the consequences of it, financial struggles, loneliness and grieving in the middle of the cost of living crisis. Your work beautifully explains London being a multicultural city where people like me can find places that make us feel at home, even being far away from our country. Now more than ever, music is a medicine to the heart, body and soul, and we realise the essential role DJs play in this process.

I created this list based on a whole set of elements that make you loved beyond technical skills. The joy, engagement, and commitment in making the world better for everyone through music. The lines below are a statement to the world- a love letter. At each party, you touched my heart in a very special way. You gave me hope when I needed it. For the time I was there, I felt love.

1- Rare Treat

East London born and raised, Rare carries the Gambian and Sierra Leonean heritage. After watching the lack of diversity in lineups and insufficient representation of black women especially in House and Techno events, she started her career in 2018, whilst working at Mixcloud. Exploring the depths of African music and beyond, this DJ and sonic practitioner plays black music from a very eclectic array of genre-defying categories reaching the ears of those who are open to loving vibrations. She challenged herself and became the change she wanted to see, unlocking the door to people's minds bringing joy and compassion through music.

“CuLtUrE is ready for something new. I feel like people are getting bored, but they don't know what to do about it, it's time to take risks on someone new. I invite industry leaders, promoters, and anyone that this is resonating with. The space isn't inclusive just because it's open to more races or sexual orientations. It's when we're open to catering to differently- human beings, I mean that in the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental sense. It is time to nurture and foster wholesome spaces - I mean, we all want to have a good time. We just prioritise things a bit differently”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/KFTBm

2- Larizzle

Born and raised in London with Ghanaian heritage, Larizzle started as a DJ back in 2006 while studying at University. His passion and love for music (almost all styles) made him a multi-award-winning DJ and music producer. A family man, his wife who is also his manager, and 2 daughters are his biggest motivations. Sadly in 2020, Larah one of the girls passed away, she inspired Larizzle to make his dream come true by creating a label named Larah Records to continue his daughter's legacy as she had a great love for music and dancing just like her whole family. Larry became an icon promoting African Electronic music across the UK, Africa, and the diaspora. Responsible for the first Amapiano event at Shoreditch House, Larry built a beautiful and diverse crowd with people from different parts of the world joining his transcendent event Piano House to experience his sets, a form of escapism from day-to-day life for partygoers by promoting positive vibes, great energy, and good music.

“The main genre of music I play at the moment is called Amapiano. I would describe this type of music as a slower-paced style of house music that originated in South Africa. The music has a lot of soul and spirituality with hard-hitting baselines. I try my best to ensure that everyone that attends my events feels welcome and comfortable no matter their race, gender, or background”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/fMEYa

3- Lilo

Raised in Brazil and made in London, Lilo always used music as a relief and a creative expression. This is how she ended up learning piano. The DJ Hero turntables as a 12th birthday gift, transformed her obsession with making beats into 10 years in music. Lilo felt a massive gap of people playing music from Brazil, encountering Western music she recognised similarities of that in the music she was raised on. It was only a matter of time before she came to represent her country, especially the baile funk scene. Music has ALWAYS been the way she communicates. Lilo always made playlists for people that she loves and then that slowly turned into mixes. She speaks through music, it is her religion. A genreless DJ, if you like to be taken away by sound, then you are her audience. Otherworldly vibes are the sound.

“Book women. Book the people you don't see on the line ups. Give power to the people who are at the bottom of the barrel. The DJs who get all the big bookings, we know what we're coming to hear. Book someone that you fuck with. Fuck everything else. If you like it, it's for your audience. Break down the gates, build that community”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/2trFQ

4- Nicky Summers

With Jamaican roots, Nicky lives in the UK and started DJing at the beginning of 2019. As a house music fan, she wanted to play music that she would love to hear. It started with Afro House, the music that really spoke to her soul, even though she only knew a few people like Kitty Amor & Sef Kombo playing music she could relate to. Her audience is anyone who loves music. Being recognised as an international Amapiano DJ, she describes the genre like a sound that really takes you on a journey so you will be immersed in it. Behind the decks she sees a beautiful mix of people. For Nicky, London is a hub of diversity.

“Every time I hear something that speaks to me I can’t wait to play it and enjoy it with the crowd. To not love Afro house & Amapiano is strange to me simply because if you love house music this is it in just another form with a deeper feeling of joy”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/vWEX9

5- Vanessa Maria

Born in Germany, Vanessa grew up between East London and Bristol. For her, music is healing, it is her way of sharing a sense of joy with people. She categorises her music taste as eclectic and chaotic, due to the influences from her Jamaican dad’s vinyl reggae collection to her German mum’s folk music CDs. Her style is anything high energy at 130 bpm. Her job is the magic of bringing people together, community above everything else. Vanessa plays Baile Funk riddims, edits you’ve never heard, Jersey Club, hard-hitting Electro and anything that falls within Global Club music. The energy is infectious, it pulls you in and takes you on a journey.

“Less than 5% of the music tech industry is comprised of women, non-binary or trans people and less than 1% of these are people of colour! There have been slow changes which is great, but there is still so much work to be done. There are however amazing organisations like Mixnights which have been changing the game. Mixnights is a DJ course for womxn. I think we need to support more of these organisations and celebrate programs at the heart of change”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/YK3xF

6- Mango Park

Born and raised in London, Mango Park started as a DJ in 2011, when he was at University in Brighton. As an adult he lived in a few other countries, when back in the UK he wanted to hear the music he was into, being played out in clubs. He wanted people to be dancing, laughing, making friends, going crazy and feeling comfortable and free to be themselves. When he decided to start a party with his business partner Dj Emily Dust, Baile LDN was born to bring people together and celebrate bass heavy club sounds. This is not only a party but a community where you can put your phone away and just go for it. His audience is anyone who knows or is curious about how Brazilian electronic music like baile funk interacts with other club sounds from the UK, South Africa and more.

“I think the perfect party is one where people don't focus on the DJ all the time because they are having too much fun dancing. Transform nights in London even more inclusive and diverse is essential, from the lineups to promoters- representation is really important”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/kdjtj

7- Qdex

From Lagos in Nigeria, at age 15 he moved to the UK. He went to a music school whilst younger and played a few musical instruments. Qdex started djing while in the university in 2012, encouraged by his friends to take it seriously the mixes made on his laptop, one decade after and the fun became a passion. As an open-format DJ, his genre is Black music & vibes. Qdex also makes his own edits to tracks which elevate the experience for the crowd. The great thing about the edits is the surprise factor. You're most likely not expecting to hear some vocals on a track. For example, he has an edit of Asake's track Joha which he laid a Michael Jackson vocal on. His crowd is mainly the kool kids of London and everyone who appreciates good music and culture.

“We need to highlight the different types of parties happening. There are many niche types of events that people don't know about. It's all about spreading the word cos I'm sure if people knew, they'll go and they will love the vibe. Making everyone in a room have a good time is a feeling that you can't buy”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/ZPTM6

8- Blasé Vanguard

From Trinidad & Tobago, his career as a DJ started in 2014 when he was trying to survive as an international student in London. His love for music, creativity, and adventure kept him succeeding in the industry. Blasé is fortunate enough to connect with people from around the world through his art, he built up a core audience within the Caribbean Diaspora. Versatility is the word to describe this fusion between Soca & Calypso present in his style, with worldwide influences from UK Funky, Garage & Jungle to Dembow, Dub, and Afrobeats.

“My sound is ALL INCLUSIVE that can make people of all walks of life move together as one, through rhythm, melody, and BASS. London is naturally a cosmopolitan city, however, to make the nights more diverse and inclusive, would require more respect and proper consideration from the music industry with all people of colour who are part of the scene”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/H3xAC

9- Mister S

Born and raised in Peckham, South East London. Mister S started DJing in 2012, thanks to his brother who introduced him to an app that allows mixing music on your iPhone/iPad. His love for music was the main reason everything began: the magic of connecting people from the outside to the inside, whether introducing new sounds or reconnecting them with old ones. His multi-genre style tends to blend songs, and wordplay and keep the beautiful audience from as young as 25 to 40 vibing together the whole night.

“ I think supporting each other and communities helps the inclusivity. Let’s just keep having fun, playing GOOD music no matter the era/generation”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/fawV8

10- Cocobutta2.0

From Nigeria, she grew up between Ireland and Lagos and now completed 10 years in the United Kingdom. She started to dj in 2019 motivated by discovering new music and be able to play it. With a queer, bodacious (excellent, admirable.) and beautiful audience Cocobutta describe her style of music as “new nostalgia”, it’s like music that you remember when you were a child with future sounds and baseline techniques.

“In London that’s a party for every type of person. How wonderful it is to be somewhere, you are fully welcomed and free as a queer person. I’m very happy with the parties I play. I am super grateful for being in those spaces, and they should keep doing what they’re doing. London actually is one of the places that has a lot of diversity, but obviously inclusivity of more queer people in straight spaces would be great’.

https://on.soundcloud.com/NjgiP

11- CHLOEKNOWS

Ghanian born in the UK, started to Djing in 2019. She goes from House to Hip-hop with the mantra "if the BPM matches lets go". With the pandemic Chloe boosted her online presence sharing recordings of herself practicing on IG Live. As a rebel she intentionally challenges her tribe with more than viral songs, her sets are invites to an endless amount of great music to be celebrated.

“I was mixing Quinten Harris- Travelling with Mzbel- 16 Years, BPMs didn’t quite match but the mix worked and the teacher who prior was rolling his eyes at me and would make remarks about me not getting the hang of the art of Djing eyes lit up and said you got a good ear! That’s when I was like yeah I do biyatchhh this is how I wanna play, I wanna experiment and explore all these genres that I love and find my tribe who enjoy music the same way”.

https://on.soundcloud.com/TeGDv