Very proud to have a fellow midlands based artist on the show this month. At home mixing old school classics, forgotten gems, or shiny dubs - Ringers has already firmly established herself as a second city selector with endless versatility. Ranging from jungle to breaks, UKG to dnb, and garage to hardcore, she sits at the forefront of an exciting new generation of DJ talent emerging from in and around Birmingham. Featuring for a number of promotions in Brum and beyond, the bass music circuit has seen her honing her craft, as she captivates dance floors with trademark high-octane, powerhouse mixing prowess. Ringers is a founding member of High Key Records, outspokenly pushing for diversity and inclusivity within the UK rave industry.

Listen to the show below and enjoy the interview. Nuff said.

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Q: Name/Pronouns/Where are you based?

A: Poppy (RINGERS), she/her, Birmingham

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Q: Tell us about your mix for the show, what was the concept you had in mind for it?

A: I haven’t done any radio in a minute so it’s basically all the tunes I’ve been saving up to play on the airwaves 😎 Some unreleased bits there, some new releases and a couple older gems! 

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Q: What did your journey into music and djing look like? 

A: I got into raving in my first year of uni, but didn’t learn to DJ til my final year. I taught myself on a shitty controller during lockdown, which was excellent timing because it meant I couldn’t play to anyone else until lockdown lifted and I had actually gotten decent at it. Then played some house parties, and eventually signed up to an open decks and joined a local collective for female & nb DJs. It was so important to me that I found my people and my community because finding your footing in the scene can be really daunting at first.

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Q: How do you manage your mental health and well-being working in the industry? What specific elements impact that? 

A: It’s definitely still a work in progress, but I try to set my boundaries and be firm with them. If I feel like an event is not going to align with my values then it’s not worth playing. 

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Q: Alcohol and in particular drugs, are ubiquitous with dance music. What is your relationship with these from a personal and artistic perspective? 

A: I’m not sober but I’ve never been much of a drinker and people find it so weird! I’m always getting questioned about why. Drinking culture is so huge in this country, people can’t fathom that I just don’t enjoy it that much. Drugs are obviously a thing within the scene, but I think it’s also worth noting how many sober ravers I know! Whilst a lot of people go to raves to get off their face, so so many people go purely for love of the music, and for community. Despite the strong presence of drunk and drugs in dance music,  I definitely think there’s still a lot of space for sober ravers and artists.

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Q: In your opinion, what social and industry specific issues exist in dance music? (I.e nepotism, favouritism, brand posturing, fickleness, drugs, sexism)

A: Can I say all of the above? The dance scene has all different kinds of people, so it has much of the same issues of wider society. I’ve seen examples of all the things you mention above.

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Q: What would a fairer industry for all look like to you? What needs to change?

A: More diverse lineups. More safer space and diversity training. More women in management positions. More black artists being recognised within genres they pioneered. Greater accessibility for disabled and neurodivergent people. Less competition and more collaboration. More opportunities for grassroots artists. More regulation Those with influence need to listen to those with less of a platform.

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Q: What are your thoughts on social media’s role as part of an artist's career? How do you balance its negative factors with the opportunity it provides?

A: Social media is 100% a defining factor for artists’ success in this age. I can’t think of many DJs at the forefront of dance music atm who don’t have some kind of a platform online. I don’t think it's necessarily a bad thing; it makes promoting yourself a lot more accessible. I know people who have gotten hundreds of thousands of views just from posting videos of them mixing/producing at home, so it means you don’t have to land a big gig for a chance at exposure.

That being said, it's too easy to compare yourself to others based on what they are posting on socials. I find myself often stuck in a social media hole doom-scrolling other artists’ profiles and comparing my own DJing and gigs to theirs.

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Q: Any advice you’d give to an artist or DJ starting out? 

A: Say yes to things! And look for opportunities everywhere. I was super blessed that one of my first gigs was a Keep Hush event in Bristol; they had open applications to DJ and my friend shared the link. I submitted my details and a mix not thinking anything would come from it because I was so fresh, but I was invited to play. That was a super valuable lesson in putting yourself out there no matter what, because you might surprise yourself.

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Q: Share an event/festival you feel is going against the grain and moving the scene forward in a positive way

A: My lovely pals over at Lustrous (@lustrous.mcr) have been hosting some incredible parties up in Manchester over the past year. Run for and by the LGBTQ+ community, they put a spotlight on pioneering queer local artists. Events that center safe spaces and freedom of expression are so so important in all local scenes, and Lustrous is a great example of this for me.

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Q: Any brands or platforms taking steps towards positive change that you’d recommend people support? 

A: Sisterhood Birmingham are killing it at the moment for female & nb representation right now. I love how unapologetic and no-nonsense they are about calling out inequalities and issues within the scene. They’ve sparked a lot of conversation within the local scene which I think is really important. And of course I’ve gotta rep my own crew High Key. We host events, including monthly open decks, promoting diversity, inclusion and safer spaces. The open decks in particular I think are having a really positive impact on our local scene, as we are able to give DJs of all abilities, from all backgrounds, a chance to play a set in a friendly, low-pressure environment. My first time playing out was at an open deck night, so it means a lot that my brand can now give that experience to new and upcoming DJs. 

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Q: Who are your favourite upcoming artists and/or djs right now? Show them love

A: My fellow High Key cru member emil (@emil.mus1c) is easily my favourite producer at the moment- everything he sends me is so different and uniquely him. Wishing big things for him in the next few years! Also gonna shout out Ekstatic (@ekstatic.Uk) because there’s literally nothing she can’t do. Mad talented DJ, already making sick tracks at the start of her production journey, and insane vocals. Her forthcoming track with Majistrate and Primate is set to be a huge release and imo her vocals just make the whole track.