Pre Grietfest 2014 Interview Girl Talk With Ella G

 INTERVIEW 

ELLA G

Since surfacing in August 2013 at Tomorrow Never Happened in Pretoria, Ella G has fast gained a reputation as one of the most exciting Drum & Bass DJs in South Africa. Her ability to mix a wide range of Drum & Bass, and not just stick to one subgenre in her sets has also seen her play One Festival as well as led to several appearances at the weekly Addictshun parties in Johannesburgs’ Braamfontein. In March 2014, Ella G played Science Frikshun, becoming one of a just a handful of female DJs to have appeared at this premier Drum & Bass movement. With a growing slate of gigs and a unique style, Ella G is one of the most exciting talents on the current Drum & Bass scene.

Hello,  Ella G for taking time out to do this interview with us . Its such a huge pleasure: )

How are you doing today and how has winter been treating you?

I'm great thank you, this winter has actually been pretty mild…. 

To start of can you tell us a little about who you are on a non-musical front? 

I am 22, I have grown up in Johannesburg. Studied at Wits, where I recently got my honours in International Relations (I am actually a nerd.)  I am half Dutch, my favourite food is pizza and sushi and my favourite drink is Jameson ;)

How did you break into the music scene and why did you pick a career in music?
My first show was at Tomorrow Never Happened in August last year, so I wouldn’t say I ‘broke,’ into the music scene, but I did pick up on djing very quickly as I only started learning last year. The career in music also just came naturally, it perhaps has to do with me growing up in a very musical family with both my parents being very prominent in the music industry - although this had nothing to do with my djing taking off it definitely had an influence.

From the perspective of a drum ‘n bass DJ, what would you say makes this particular genre different from others in the electronic category in terms of the scene and crowd?
If you watch documentaries on drum & bass you realise how special and how far back its history goes - it stands apart from many other electronic music genres because of its longevity. A lot of electronic music comes and goes but only true music can have staying power. Lastly drum & bass is different in that it speaks to many different people (there are no stereotypes attached to dnb) and you see this with the crowds who are there just for the music.

Cape Town has always been known for its massive drum ‘n bass following, with many drum ‘n bass nights dating back to the early 2000s, would you say Johannesburg has caught up in recent years? What makes the scene here particularly unique?
It definitely has due to Science Frikshun and Rudeones passion for growing the scene, every end of month you can feel that Science Frikshun fever in the air. You can also see how unique Johannesburg’s ‘scene,’ has gotten by looking at Addictshun for example, it is a weekly party that gets up to 300 people a night, and it is not playing your typical drum & bass either. I think a lot can be said for a ‘scene,’ when the ravers start having a more eclectic deeper appreciation for the music.

You’ve been playing some weekly events here in Johannesburg, Addictshun in particular, would you say events of that nature contribute to the scene and help funnel and cultivate upcoming producers and DJs looking to break into the drum ‘n bass scene?
Definitely. Up and coming dj’s and producers have a platform to showcase their skills. Johannesburg has a group of producers who are extremely talented and weekly events have helped people make connections.

This year you’re playing Grietfest which is something of a unique event, catering to genres that don’t often get to be paired with production, stages and lighting of the scale we’ve come to expect from the Grietfest brand. How would you describe Grietfest to someone coming through for his or her first time in 2014?
Be prepared for a rave! There is so much music happening that it is hard to be everywhere at once so kind of have a plan. Actually scrap that - just have a good time, which you will have without a doubt!

What is the one thing about Grietfest that stands out for you?
The vibe Newtown has on that day!

 Do you have a crazy Grietfest story to share?
About 2 years ago it was raining and hailing so hard and people were couldn’t get inside because of capacity. I was inside raving and dry, so I was fine…my friends weren’t.

Which local DJs do you look up to and why?
Rudeone, Benson, Mr Green, because they each have their own sound!

Which international artists are you most looking forward to sharing the stage with at this year’s event?
Of course Black Sun Empire and Koan Sound, we may be on different stages but being on the same lineup is big enough! Amped!

If you had to the opportunity of playing to a genre-neutral crowd without fear of judgment or being booed off the decks, what are some of the songs you’d jump at playing that you’ve always been afraid of trying out?
The whole Spice Girls album mixed in with some N’Sync. Duh.

What are some of the tracks in you record box that never fail to get the crowd going?
Rat Trap VIP – Serum
Roll it Gal - REDS

Thank you so much for doing this interview .We hope to catch up with you soon at Grietfest

You can catch Ella G playing at  Grietfest 2014