March 1, 2015

We Celebrate Her: Emily Rawson, DJ & Entrepreneur

March is a very special month for us-infact- it is usually our busiest because it is the month of International Women’s Day which is on Sunday 8th March 2015. International Women’s Day is a global initiative where women all over the world come together to celebrate women and raise awareness on all the issues that face us socially and economically. The official theme for this year is ‘Make it Happen’. We Celebrate Her is our new campaign- where we bring you interviews from women who we want to celebrate for their inspiring stories, infectious energy, humble spirit and their success!

We kick off #wecelebrateher with Emily Rawson who is a London based DJ and Director of Rock the Belles and Supa Dupa Fly. Emily  is one of the UK’s most in demand Djs and promoters. Her club night, Supa Dupa Fly is the biggest throwback Hiphop & RnB night in the country, and her all female brand, Rock The Belles is also a regularly sold out event. Emily has Dj’d around the world for clients such as  high end fashion brand Chanel, to Nike parties and artists including Big Boi, Eve & Kanye West.

How did you ‘Make it Happen’?

I started Rock The Belles just over 4 years ago after about 3 years of being too scared. I previously had a boss that actually told me ‘I wasn’t capable of starting my own company!’ I spoke to loads of creative women – everyone from djs to performers, artists, photographers & put them all together to launch Rock The Belles at East Village in January 2011. The event was crazy & caused a roadblock in Shoreditch! Supa Dupa Fly launched a couple of months later & the rest is history.

What kind of woman are you?

A very real one. There’s no pretense, I say far more than I should at times! But you’ll always know where you stand with me. I basically have the personality of the female Larry David! I’m incredibly driven, always looking for the next thing to get my teeth stuck into. I have now managed to balance things so I have enough going on to keep me occupied, but not so much that i’m super stressed & have no time to myself. It’s a good place.

What drives you to run your business?

I enjoy it. I started doing a club night when I was at uni at 19 because I wanted to give myself DJ sets. Djing to a packed out crowd, vibing on the music & getting lots of love is a pretty euphoric feeling. A lot of it is self worth too. What I do isn’t a job, it’s just an extension of me & certainly something I wouldn’t want to ever not do. I can’t see myself ever being one of those stay at home mums. I’ll be taking my baby to work with me in some super protective headphones for their little ears!

Why do you do what you do for a living?

I love music and food! So if you love something enough, you should always try & make a living out of it. Luckily for me, I managed to make it pretty successful. I feel very blessed.

Who has been the biggest help to your career to date?

My Mum is a great role model. Very driven single mother who juggled a good job & having time for me perfectly. Apart from that, there are a few DJ’s I looked up to growing up that certainly inspired me. Dj Swing (RIP) made me really fall in love with the idea of djing hiphop in 2000. (I started on garage in the late 90s) Big Ted has been a great inspiration too. Apart from that, it’s the obvious ones… women like Madonna & Beyonce for their incredible talent, drive & strength.

What kind of teenager were you?

A very rebellious one! We were going to the RnB clubs at 15, sneaking out when our Mums were asleep. Staying out for days without telling our Mums where we were! I have 100s of stories… We went out one night when my mum was away, lost the keys to my mums, rang the bell of my neighbour at 5am who let us into her house, let us somehow climb up her wall onto my mums balcony. She then gave us an axe to smash open the balcony door! The next day, I got the window replaced, gave the guy a cheque which obviously bounced… Mum ended up paying for it!

What has been your biggest challenge in business/career?

Definitely leaving my previous job & making the step to start Rock The Belles.

What is your biggest regret?

Not doing it way earlier.

What has been the highlight of your career/business so far?

Wow, there have been so many. Our stage at Lovebox in 2013 was pretty epic -1000 people in Victoria Park all dancing to DMX! Getting to play in NYC on numerous occasions, in Hong Kong, Manilla! Playing with Nick Grimshaw for Kim & Khloe Kardashian in November 2014 was pretty exciting. I felt like a big celebrity! (FYI I do not particularly like the Kardashians!)

To find out more about Emily and when her events are taking place this year visit: http://www.supadupaflylove.com/ and http://www.rockthebelles.com/

Do you know a woman who is just awesome and killing it in her career or business? Or someone who you just admire for their strength and attitude? We would love for you to share why you think they are awesome using the official hashtag #wecelebrateher

Come and join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/girlstalklondon and Instagram: https://instagram.com/girlstalklondon/and we will feature some of the stories on our website during March.

Happy International Women’s Day 🙂