Bella Claxton interview

Can you tell us a bit about who you are?

Hi, I’m Bella Claxton, I’m a DJ from Narrm/Melbourne. I’m part of the Associated Artists family and Co Founder and resident of Hyper Hype.

Talk to how you starting DJing? Who inspired you along this journey?

I have always loved music, obsessed even. Ever since I can remember dance music has been in my ears. My mum loved all of the 90s trance and hard house I listen to today. We would play it on the way to school, off the old Wild CDs. I never had the chance to learn an instrument when I was young so when I was introduced to a DJ controller, it was the closest thing I could latch onto that was like an instrument and fell in love with it. A group of my older friends had started driving down to Melbourne most weekends to go clubbing and eventually I got a controller. Like everyone else, I jumped on the decks at a house party and couldn’t get off them, it felt like a natural progression from always being the one on the AUX at parties.

I knew the local bar owner in Albury who had lived in London with her husband for many years and they loved dance music as much as I did. I wanted a change of pace from the guy with an acoustic guitar playing covers, so I started DJing there playing 5-hour sets Friday and Saturday nights learning the craft. I played a few gigs in Melbourne and started doing mixes for different crews when Walter from Novel asked me to do a Mix for their Novelcast series. When I sent the mix, I made it clear I’d love to play a novel event one day. He booked me for most of their events during that Covid period. I’m very Grateful for Walter combing through hours and hours of Soundcloud mixes, finding all of us up and coming DJs and giving us a platform. He and Novel have backed me from day one!

How would you best describe your genre and style when it comes to mixing? How did your style develop as you grew as a DJ?

Fast, vocals and euphoric - I have always loved big build ups, chugging baselines, and heavy vocals, I don’t think I’ll ever change. When I first started Djing, Patrick Toppings Be Sharpe Say Nawt was the greatest track I had ever heard and that’s where I developed my love for house. Then I saw acts like Dennis Sulta, Mall Grab and Jobs Jobse at Pitch 2019 and my ear changed to a bit more trance, techno and hard / rave house. That same year I went to Europe which echoed what I was hearing at Pitch, and that was the sound I played when I stared DJing in Melbourne in 2020.

What have been your favourite events / festivals you have had the opportunity to play at?

Let Them Eat Cake, the two times I have played Lost Sundays and the most recent Hyper Hype have to be the most memorable for sure.To play the main stage at LTEC was a dream come true, I was freaking out the whole day and had to have a cold shower and lay down before I jumped on the decks. The hour flew by… it’s almost a bit of a blur but I can’t wait to do it all again on January 1st. Lost Sundays is always a vibe, the Finely Tuned crew are the best and know how to put on a show. The dance floor has lots of different levels so there are people literally everywhere which creates unmatched energy. I look forward to going back there every time. The most recent Hyper Hype was another surreal moment, turning an empty warehouse into a sell-out rave with all of my best friends. It was epic.