By: Katie Hawthorne
How do you make a splash at dance music’s biggest week? No-one knows better than DiVine. The vocal MC, DJ and producer of irresistible house floor fillers takes a breather between a whopping eight shows to tell us how positive energy will always win at ADE.
Don’t Stress Over ‘Networking’
“I just try be myself as good as possible. I don’t introduce myself like, I’m DiVine, I’m a queer woman. I say: I’m DiVine, this is my beautiful family. This is my music. Love me for who I am. And it shouldn’t be about looks or followers. Who cares! I mean, everybody buys followers. It should be about what you bring.”
Be Brave = Impress Your Heroes
“I didn’t always think ADE was that interesting,” laughs DiVine. “I was focussed on my own thing. But then three years ago I came here, I was playing in a hotel and suddenly I looked to the back of the room and there’s Mark Knight from [hugely influential house label] Toolroom! I was like: oh my god. He’s here. He’s my hero. Then I thought, don’t panic – do something to get his attention.
So I played this track… and he came up to me! He said he’d Shazamed it, and couldn’t find it. I was like…” She pauses for dramatic effect. “Well, the song is mine… unreleased.”
That one bold decision kickstarted years of collaboration between DiVine and Toolroom. “And then I was like, okay I love ADE.”
Lean into Eye Contact
“I’m not afraid of anything, so that’s a start!” DiVine cackles. “But when I perform I love connection with the crowd. I look at her, I look at him, I look at the person at the back, and that’s how the party gets started.
“If the ladies are dancing then you’ve made it. If the ladies aren’t dancing, you’re not doing a good job. You have to look at the ladies! Then when you really feel it, when you finally have them, it’s like: Let’s go.”
Close A Set With Keys
“I love to end my set with a good piano-loving song,” she enthuses. “I love the David Penn remix of Big Love, it’s like… oh my god. That feeling when you’re drinking one more shot! Everyone’s loving each other! It’s gotta feel like: ahhhhh, that was nice!”
Catch DiVine at ADE:
The Cuckoo’s Nest (B2B Special), Thursday 20 Oct 2022, Hotel Arena, 22:00 - 05:00
Canal Cruise Women of House, Saturday 22 Oct 2022, Starboard Boats, 17:00 - 23:00
Women of House, Saturday 22 Oct 2022, Club YOLO The Jungle Amsterdam, 22:00 - 05:00
Katie Hawthorne writes about music, art and culture for the Guardian, CRACK, the Scotsman and more. Edited by Kate Pasola, Content Editor at TicketSwap.
