London born and based Josey Rebelle is one of the most respected DJs on the scene. We spoke to her about fulfilling her lifelong dream of playing an ice rink ahead of her Skate Lates appearance this week.
It’s great to have you joining us on the ice for the closing weekend of Skate Lates. First things first, how are you skating skills?
I haven’t been ice skating since around 1995 and I wasn’t exactly Torville & Dean back then so I’m imagining they’re not great now! My brother used to take my sister and I skating at Lee Valley and Romford ice rinks when we were little and it was always such a fun, magical experience just being there. It’s been my dream to play at an ice rink because of that and I’m really honoured and excited to play Skate Lates.
What can people expect from your Skate Lates set?
I always remember the music being incredible when my brother took us ice skating so I’m definitely going to throw back to those 80s and 90s soul, boogie, electro and house classics across the night.
"It's been my dream to play at an ice rink"
Could you name one song/album/DJ that had a particularly formative experience for you growing up?
When I think back to my earliest ice skating memories, one album that immediately comes to mind is ‘Come Into My Life’ by Joyce Sims. When I hear it now it instantly transports me back to a time when I was really happy, always dancing and singing around the house.
And finally, what was the best piece of advice you’ve ever been giving about DJing?
I played a festival a few years ago and was finding it really hard to get into it for some reason, then I really beat myself up about it afterwards. I was telling the next DJ about it – Marcellus Pittman, an artist I really look up to – and he said to me that in those circumstances, I need to “stop giving a fuck” – in other words, stop overthinking and worrying and just enjoy playing and hearing the music as if nobody else was even there. I think about that all the time.
