Afrobeat, psychedelia, Latin-flamenco and spiritual jazz aren’t music genres the island gets to hear very often and it’s exactly these type of tunes that DJ Vanesha likes to showcase. Though fairly fresh on the local DJ scene and in her early twenties, Vanesha Pillay has already played at some of the biggest music events in Cyprus. This Sunday she’ll take over the decks at her favourite bar, New Division, with her world-infused tunes.
Music is a big part of Vanesha’s life, whether it’s her Mauritian father’s bongos laying around in the living room or the radio playing in the background. Though DJing isn’t her full-time gig. Working at an integrated marketing agency in London is how Vanesha spends her days yet rhythm has always been part of her DNA.
“Being exposed to Mauritian music growing up in Cyprus definitely has had an impact, especially as my father is quite musical himself,” she says, “always encouraging me and my family to connect with music anywhere and any way we can. Percussions, like bongos, have been in my house since before I was born and as cheesy as it sounds, rhythm is in my blood.”
Vanesha’s path into DJing sort of began at university when she hosted a radio show called Djembe. “This was born out of an immense love of Afrobeat music and provided fusions of Mauritian, Cuban, Venezuelan, Argentinian and Indonesian cultural sounds.”
When she returned to Cyprus for a placement year, she started working at Kafeneio Prodromou and decided to invest in a DJ mixer. After a couple of months of independent practice, a couple of her friends who created Brandy Sour, a platform to connect people with music by organising gatherings featuring local performers, asked Vanesha if she wanted to play a set at one of their events.
“Of course, without hesitating it was a big yes from me! Fast-forward to June 2019, after having DJed a few more times before I completed my final year at university, I joined forces with the Brandy Sour team and performed at a bigger and better event they hosted, Lost in Paradise.”
That was only the beginning. Last summer Vanesha got to DJ at one of the biggest music festivals of the island; Afrobanana Republic where she also hosted the Brandy Sour radio for four consecutive days. Following that, New Division reached out to offer Vanesha a DJ residency, playing once a week during the summer until she returned to the UK.
Now, whenever Vanesha comes back home, she tries to arrange a DJ performance, always collaborating with organisations and venues that are passionate about sharing selective music and care to create a positive music experience.
Sunday will be one of those nights and if there’s something DJ Vanesha manages to create during her gigs it is getting people on the dancefloor and creating a cheerful atmosphere. “I’m very excited to see some familiar faces and some new ones too. And most importantly, I’m looking forward to getting the crowd on their feet and dancing to my music selections.”
Part of her 2020 goals is to expand her performances to London as well but she says that Cyprus will always be her base.
DJ Vanesha
Young, local DJ plays a selection of afrobeats, Latin-flamenco and spiritual jazz. January 5. New Division, Nicosia. 10pm
