From tearing up dance floors under the Mediterranean sun of the White Isle, to filling out stadiums in South Africa, partying it up in the Nordic seas on a huge ocean liner, to nostalgic nights at some of the UK’s most prestigious clubs; Miss Lashes has seen more of the party than most!

Taking time from her hectic schedule, she gives us an insight into her experiences in her very own inimitable way...

Me, Me, Me!!

My life

I grew up in a place called Holbrooks in Coventry with my mum, dad, 3 older sisters and 2 brothers; I am the second from youngest. It’s not always easy to live in such a big family, especially for my mum (!), but I’m lucky that they’ve always been ultra supportive with whatever I chose to do. I went to John Shelton School in my early years and then to President Kennedy Comprehensive School. When I left school my younger brother, my mum and I moved to Nuneaton where I got my first job in Marks and Spencers.

I started going out, clubbing every weekend at places like Moneypennys, Bakers and Chuff Chuff events. My favourite DJs at the time were Lisa Loud, John Kelly and the great and late Toni De Vit. I remember it was all new to me, but as soon as I discovered the music I knew I wanted it to be part of my life everyday: that’s when I decided to learn how to DJ. My good friend Baz had some decks, but his parents wouldn’t let him play loud music in the house, so I borrowed them off him. She did me a great favour there! I started buying records from charity shops and borrowing tunes from record libraries. My first record was Adam and the Ants Stand and Deliver, though I have no idea of where it is now! I often get asked about my DJ name; well I chose it because that’s what my friends and sisters used to call me when I was a kid as I have extremely long eyelashes. I guess my style and image suits it rather well!

My first gig was a boat party on the River Severn in 1997 for a friend’s birthday party.  I was lucky to be discovered by Madders that same night and that’s how I got my first residency at the legendary Sunday club in Birmingham called Sundissential. From there, I worked really hard practicing and trying to find other venues to play. People seemed to really like what I did and I got offered more residencies as my profile increased. I played regular club nights at some of the most prestigious clubs in the UK: Escape, Eat Your Words, Frantic, Fully Charged, Gatecrasher, Godskitchen, Golden, Goodgreef, Hotdog, Koolwaters, Naughty But Nice, Progress, Scream, Slinky, Storm, Temple Theatre, The Met, Tidy and Tranzaction. I’ve also had the privilege to headline all the top festivals – Godskitchen’s Global Gathering, Homelands, Tidyweekender, Tidy Magna, Creamfields (UK and Ireland), Homelands, Metro Weekender, Knebworth, SW4, Escape into the Park, Planet Love, Gatecrasher Summer Sound Systems and Dance Valley. I always enjoy these marathonesque parties where la crème de la crème of DJs are reunited.

My job has also enabled me to play all around the globe, and I think I’m really lucky to be able to travel the world like I do. I get to go to the most amazing places, greatest clubs and meet loads of different people. I’ve toured the United States, Canada and Australia, while making appearances in Brazil with Guess Clothing, Tenerife and Corfu. Travelling is tiring and it can take a lot out of you, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. I get to play the music that I love in front of crowds of clubbers who are passionate about what I do. Each gig is unique. In China on the Slinky in Heineken Tour, I was the only female DJ to have ever played to a crowd of over 5,000 in that country. Actually, my best club memory was also a massive gig abroad: I played in South Africa in front of 35,000 people -It’s the best feeling ever to perform in front of huge crowds like that.

The most amazing project I have ever been involved with was the launch of my Lashed in Ibiza parties. I’d already held residencies for several years on the island (Godskitchen, Judgement Sundays, Slinky and Tonic); but I wanted to create something completely unique on the summers hottest location. I wanted to put the fun back into the party! Lashed in Ibiza was an exciting way for me to celebrate my furious brand of music with legions of clubbers!

I still can’t believe the success of Lashed in Ibiza. It has enabled me to take it in a new direction and bring it to a greater global audience. This only became possible thanks to the help of everyone around me at the time. I will never be able to thank you guys enough. Their hard work helped to cement Lashed as a premiere dance event and therefore me as a top world DJ. I’ve taken the parties to China, Korea, Canada, America, Holland, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, without deserting domestic audiences in the United Kingdom & Ireland where shows are regularly sold out.

2005 was another massive year for me. I released a groundbreaking album on Resist that to this day I’m still very proud of. I blended hard dance with techno, trance and even breaks – it was a complete first. In the summer, I organised a one week Lashed holiday in Ibiza which was great fun! I then embarked on a colossal world tour where I played in over 30 clubs in 10 countries in only 2 months! This had never been done before and is definitely one of the greatest highlights of my career so far.

To date, my DJing career has been phenomenally successful, I’m happy to say! I’m the only ever female to be considered among the top ten DJs in the world by DJ Magazine. I don’t usually like to place too much importance on rankings, but it is an important achievement for me.  My mixed albums, Hard House Euphoria (2002) and Extreme Euphoria Vol.2 (2003), became the best selling hard house compilations in the world, and as a result I was bestowed with the nickname ‘The Queen of Hard House!’

Production-wise, 2008 saw the launch of my record label – Lashed Music, which is going from strength to strength. My first release on the label was Always Faithful and I was delighted with how well this was received. The launch of the label has given me the opportunity to be a lot more experimental with my style and in doing so, work with some of the leading producers on the scene.  Many of the recent releases have been championed by Radio 1’s new face of hard house, Kutski, and are picking up radio plays across the globe.

I’m fortunate that my position has enabled me to become a patron for The Pink Ribbon Foundation, a charity which brings together individuals, charities and organisations to fight Breast Cancer.

I have gained my worldwide reputation for playing hard dance but am now being recognised for my skills in the breaks style. I have performed my dirty breaks sets at my Lashed nights alongside people like Freq Nasty, Rennie Pelgrim, Leeroy Thornhill and The Freestylers but also in some of the world’s leading clubs - Godskitchen in Birmingham, Turnmills in London, Bar M in Ibiza. My recent breaks material is getting great feedback and is regularly played by some of the best DJs of the genre like Krafty Kufts.

Rest assured that whatever I do, I do it hard and dirty; it’s my favourite way!