DJ Spotlight #4 - Paula a.k.a. DJ Pikachu
- Tana Abeni
- May 31, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 1, 2023
You can play Paulina's song of the week while you enjoy her interview!
1. How did you first discover West Coast Swing, and what drew you to become a West Coast Swing DJ?
I was a ballroom dance teacher and my partner suggested trying a whole new style of dance, so he found West Coast Swing.
That was in 2015 and since then I've fallen in irretrievably. I quickly became a WCS instructor as well as a DJ at local parties.
I didn't think about playing at international events, but I was convinced by Justin Petersen, and he offered me DJ sets at the Berlin Swing Revolution in 2017. That's how my DJ adventure started and since then I've been invited to many international events as a social DJ, competition DJ as well as Head DJ.
Why DJ Pikachu? Once at Warsaw Halloween Swing, I dressed up as Pikachu (my favorite Pokémon) and people started calling me "Pikalina", "Pikachu", "Pika-pika" and I loved it <3
2. Give us a glimpse of your musical library! Which styles influence your taste the most?
I like energetic music with a lot going on, as well as atmospheric tracks that you can get into and drift off into. My musical range is very wide, and I always try to go through all the music folders I have.
I am proud of the pieces of music I have introduced at WCS events and have been very quickly appreciated and spread by other DJs as well as dancers:
Whenever I play this the dance floor is on fire hahaha :D I played this song a long time ago as an experiment and saw that other dancers loved this kind of music too, so since then I play it whenever I get the chance and get thanks from dancers and pros for playing this song <3
“Ghost” by FRANKIE I love the music video for it (the Grease theme in a contemporary way - I recommend it!) and how the piece unfolds and is a form of dialogue.
“Pretty Please” by Uncle Maximilien & NNAVY I was delighted with one reel of this cover so I wrote in a comment on Instagram asking for the full version to be released which was supported by many people and after a few weeks we got the full version :D
“Shape Of You” - cover by Hobbie Stuart This is a masterpiece - mash-up of Ed Sheeran and Dido (”Thank you”). This song surprise in every moment and I love dropping it on the dance floor and watching how people react and try to Shazaam it, which is impossible :P So usually I got a lot of questions about this song :D
3. Can you share a particularly memorable or interesting experience you've had as a West Coast Swing DJ, and how did you handle it?
I like to tell a story using music tracks, so at Budafest in 2022 during the late night set, I played first "Leave The Door Open" by Bruno Mars, then "Careless Whisper" by George Michael and finally "You Can Leave Your Hat On" by Joe Cocker which was met with a happy audience and applause :D
And behind my back, the two dancers we all know, Leo and Attila, put on a great show, playfully interpreting the music and getting into the lyrics of the songs. Legend has it that somewhere in the underground there are records of this show :p
4. What advice would you give to someone who's just starting out as a West Coast Swing DJ?
Try to find a leitmotif between the songs to tell a story: an instrument that ties the 2 songs together, a similar vibe, a similar genre or harmonies between the voices of the two artists.
5. Outside of West Coast Swing DJing, what are some of your other interests or hobbies that help inspire your music selection or style?
I have been involved with music since I was a child. I sang in a choir for six years and led a children's choir for several years. I also played the guitar.
I went through many styles of dance, so music has always accompanied me everywhere. My other passion is sailing, and guess what - there are a lot of connections to music there too if you know shanties ;)
6. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our audience about yourself or your journey as a West Coast Swing DJ?
I would like to have more opportunities to play music during competitions, which gives me additional challenges and opportunities to grow. I think a DJ who competes in the higher divisions has a lot of insight into what the dancers need and what skills they have to interpret the music in the different categories. So far I have had the opportunity to assist at competitions a few times and play music for some of the categories, plus I have had the chance to be Head DJ at social events without WSDC points.
I would like DJs to be appreciated at events and considered an important part of the event in the same rank as teachers and judges. Without good DJs, there are no good parties, which are remembered by the participants of the event and most often judge the event by the degree of fun at the parties. A DJ is also a job, spending a lot of time before and during the event to prepare as well as possible, instead of hanging out with friends or dancing on the dance floor at the same time.
Nothing builds like praise from dancers and teachers for a good set, a song someone liked, or recognition from an ED or Head DJ that I saved the party or did the best job at an event. Thank you for all the feedback so far, and I am open to more ;)
7. Lastly, share with us any upcoming events or projects that you're excited about!
The upcoming events I'm invited to DJ are the Bavarian Open, Milan Modern Swing and TAP. I'm super excited to share my new tracks with dancers. The biggest challenge for me will be TAP, where the music is definitely different from European events and the audience preferences are also different.
Last year I was appreciated there by the EDs: Meech and Chuck, rocking the party in the extra hall and packed the dance floor for several hours with the help of my team, something that had not been done before, with a competitive party in the main room with live music! This is quite a success and a great honor for me, for which I am grateful, and I am looking forward to joining the rest of the team on the main dance floor in the upcoming edition of the event.
Follow Paulina on her Social Media accounts!
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