Not your everyday girl in a denim jacket, DJ Bexie is a female DJ coming out of Australia.
Touted as one of the most promising EDM DJs to come out of her native Melbourne(Australia), DJ Bexie has played at top clubs around Australia such as Seven Nightclub, Eve Nightclub, Q, Trak, Billboards, Ladida. Fresh from a busy few years abroad, she has performed at high-profile festivals such as It's TheShip, Future Music Festival, Stereosonic, as well as Ultraglow Repainted.
We sit with here today to talk about her journey a week before she plays the enigmatic Bar Rouge next week on the 29th of June.
ADM: How did you get your start as a DJ?
BX: From a young age of 14, I had been part of the nightlife scene as a promotor/organiser and what not. I used to play the drum kit during high school too, believe it or not.
I was going through a rough stage in life, I needed a distraction, a diversion of my time. On a random night at the club, my venerable teacher (Sifu, I call him) approached me and asked, “Would you be interested in becoming a DJ? I can teach you. I believe you have the talent and the looks to become somebody someday”. My answer was “why not?” and that night was a total life-changer.
I met up with him on a weekly basis, he taught me the basics. I bought all the equipment at home, was practicing all day and night. I remember I was always asking him to teach me things that were completely beyond my range, I was so bored of him asking me to just count bars!
I began listening to music in a entirely different manner, and when you start to notice your body moving by its own nature and there’s some sort of energy buzzing and fuzzing in you, I truly began to understand music here and immediately knew that I was born for this.
I would never have thought it would turn into something serious.
ADM: Was it difficult being a female Asian DJ coming out of Melbourne? What difficulties did you face?
BX: ‘Female’ and ‘Asian’ fall into two separate categories I believe. In the world we live in today gender equality is a big thing and honestly, there will always be criticism whether it’s about being Asian or Female and it's a bit shallow I know. The best way to deal with it is – if you’re going to do something, do it well and be successful at it showing people you’re an independent woman and don’t even let it bother you. It’s all part of progress and growth.
I haven’t faced any difficulties in Australia but surprisingly I did in Asia a long time ago.
When the industry started noticing who BEXIE was, I got crazy offers of money in Asia for shows asking me to be a ‘bikini DJ’! What a joke! It was hard to get shows as a newbie but, no doubt, I rejected all those gigs/offers because I didn’t want to be all suddenly wearing something that is not me just because I get paid for it. I’d be real sad and hurt if one day I hear an event got me for sex-sell purposes.
Sometimes I genuinely dislike it when they promote you and use the term “female DJ”, like what is the purpose? What does it stand for even? Get ready for a strip show or something?
Music is passion and an art even for both men and women, we should all respect that and give each other precious support.
ADM: Having played major festivals in Australia and Asia, what's your next step?
BX: A couple of year ago, I made the decision to take two years off and declined all international gigs and festivals as there were other priorities that took over my life. In saying that, I never stopped with music. I made use of that time and had been experimenting music, like a scientist doing studies and really started to get into the producing world. DJ’ing is easy, but it’s the content that matters.
I tend to overthink a lot, questioning my musical skills and knowledge feeling like it isn’t good enough, setting goals too high for myself. I learnt that it’s okay to have discontent, as long as we turn it into positive discontent, once you change that mindset it will make you strive for the better and give you motivation to a whole new level.
Currently, I’m still taking the time to discover my signature sound, something that people will like and something that says my name all over it - this will never end as the music industry is always moving forward.
I’m ready now to share my music and some of my signature sounds with the world and hopefully I can get the opportunity to conquer countries I’ve never played at.
ADM: Do you have anything you'd like to share to the people coming to see you at Bar Rouge?
BX: Get ready for ‘the girl in the denim jacket’ to play heaps of new music, the new BEXIE style, lots of trap, bass music and hard dance. Sometimes I call it PSYTRAP.
I’ll be playing plenty of tracks that have not been released yet and you guys will be the first to hear it.
I hope everyone who comes to see me will have fun, go wild, crazy and fall in love with the music. Waving their hands in the air like you just don’t care?
I’m ready!
P.S. I was told not to play too hard at this show, I’m sorry Bar Rouge haha!
Set the date of Saturday, 29th June on the calendars, as Bar Rouge, Asia's highest dusk to dawn nightclub, brings the chic DJ on deck, turning dance floors into hours of non-stop dancing with her captivating stage presence!