BEHIND THE SCENES: DJ SESSIONS (FUNDED BY MAES)

The DJ Sessions course (funded by MAES) last month in June was an absolute hit. We are lucky to have had a cohort of incredible young talent and passion walk through our studio doors, ready to upskill in the world of mixers and beat-matching. Over the two-week course, our trusty team of mentors helped the participants curate their music selection and learn the often tricky technicalities of DJing. All of their preparation was geared towards their showcase on the final day of the course! We spoke to Mason just ahead of his showcase to hear about his experiences of DJ Sessions and his exciting future plans.

Please can you introduce your name, and pronouns, and tell us a bit about what you like getting up to in your free time?

My name is Mason Neville Cooper (he/him). I love DJing, clearly, and I love learning everything there is to know about it.

What prompted you to get involved with the DJ Sessions course?

It was just that at one point, I heard a song, and it just resonated with me. I wanted to know how it was made and who made it – most importantly, I wanted to know if everyone else felt the same way about that song. And now a year down the line, here I am, learning about it.

What do you love most about DJing?

What I love the most about it is definitely the creativeness, you can literally be your own person when it comes to DJing. You can express yourself in a million different ways. It’s a good thing to always have at the back of your mind, and know that if all else fails, I’ve always got this. It’s not even just a good skill to have, but a backup plan – I enjoy waking up in the morning and DJing.

Did you have much experience in DJing before? What’s one stand out thing you’ve learnt at Reform?

I had barely any experience before, just a love for it. I think one big thing that I’ve learned is how creative you can actually be with it. Everything that we’ve learned altogether has been absolutely amazing.

How would you describe your DJ set in three words?

Absolutely bloody amazing.

Do you have any role models in the music scene that inspire your practice?

I have so many, I could spend all day naming them. I’ll name all the big names, you’ve got people like Chris Stussy, Kettama. There are a lot of people in the industry that I highly look up to and all for different things: the person that they are, their attitude, and how they make the crowd feel. The DJ world just gives off a really warm vibe, and it’s a great community to be a part of.

Let’s throw it back to your first day at Reform versus now, tell me a bit about your first impressions/feelings/emotions in comparison to how you feel now. What has changed?

Well, I’d say the first day, before even coming, I was a bit nervous because I’m not really the type of person to just meet new people like this. But the second I walked through the door, everyone made me feel right at home. I’ve made really good friends.

What will you take from the DJ course moving forwards and what are your plans from here onwards?

I’m definitely taking my attitude and everything I’ve learned with me. And my plans for after are to hopefully become the next big superstar DJ, hopefully you’ll see me at Parklife next year.

If you could DJ at any festival, event, or place in the world, where would it be and why?

Recently, there was a rave in front of the Pyramids in Egypt, which is my ideal place. Sunset, in front of the Pyramids, dropping absolute bangers.

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