DJ OF THE WEEK 5.19.14: SAM DIVINE

Telling from the loads of mushy, awe inspiring posts we see on essentially all the social networks, it’s obvious people love a feel good story -and kitten pictures, but let’s not go there. This is why I think a lot of people will relate to the backstory of a certain DJ who upon falling in love with the art of DJing promptly went out, purchased a pair of turntables, practiced 24/7, and six months later wins a DJ competition. Her name is Sam Divine and she is this weeks DJ of The Week.

Sam Divine, was born and bred in the Uk, in a small town near the city of Bristol. From a young age she loved music and like many aspiring DJs would record tapes off of the radio. She would soon grow weary of the run of the mill top 40 she was hearing and eventually had the presence of mind to tune into the strange but alluring sounds of House music. Didn’t take long before she she was hooked.

What did take Divine a little bit longer to realize is that her love of music was not just a passing fancy but something she wanted to pursue a career in. The thought that she would actually be a DJ was even further from her mind. It wasn’t until she was 20 years old that she purchased her first pair of turntables. She quickly began to practice feverishly every day and nite, week after week. She then heard of a DJ competition that was going to be held in Bristol and already working up her skill set, managed to work up the nerve and enter. Much to her surprise, she won!

Winning the competition lead to Divine’s first residency, and though within a years time she was doing much more than DJing at the club, but also managing the day to day affairs and booking talent, as well as opening up for them, she still wasn’t sure music was going to be a lifelong career. She eventually would move to London and of the many jobs she had one in particular would convince her for good, and that was as house buyer at the Chemical Records shop. Divine would spend hours on end digging through crates, building relationships, and as always diligently mastering her craft while also learning about the business side of the industry. Then it happened. She was invited to play at Ibiza for the Summer of 2005. I think that by this time she was convinced this was the career for her.

Divine would end up making Ibiza her home for years to come, holding down residencies at various clubs including a three year stint at Ushuaia. Eventually, she would catch the ear of Defected Records, who signed her as the first female artist on their roster. Divine would go on to travel the globe playing at the best venues and festivals in the scene.

Of course, being the business minded person she is, Divine hasn’t put all her eggs into the DJ booth alone. She is currently holding down the Defected Records podcast as host, and how much would you like to bet she is heavily involved in the labels administrative dealings -don’t be surprised if Divine is running the label or perhaps her own in the future. In the meantime, Divine has even used her DJ prowess and connections to bring awareness to breast cancer research through her annual charity event, La Vita.

Now you notice, there has been no mention of producer credits, no remix projects, or any compilation CDs. And guess what kiddies, that is great. Why? Because, you often hear these days that DJs have to be producers as well otherwise you won’t have a career. Well Sam Divine turns that philosophy on its head and proves that through sheer love and hard work, you can make your dreams reality. Now, let’s partake in Divine’s love and hard work as reflected in a set thick in the sounds of pure house music. That my friends is a great end to a feel good story if there ever was one.