DJ Priya, DJ @ Boiler Room

So Priya, if you could, uh, just tell us a little bit about yourself and what it is you do.

Hi, so my name is Priya, um, I'm from Southall and I'm a DJ.

Yeah, and why is it you wanted to get into DJing?

So, you know, I never actually had a musical bone in my body per se, um, I was always very much going down the business route, the, you know, 'Get into uni, do accounting,' or 'da da da da.' Like, yeah, I was always sort of more gifted in that aspect at school. And then, to be completely honest, you know, I'm a big believer of your life can change at any moment, and that's literally what happened to me. I saw an advert for a workshop on Facebook, and I thought, you know what, I don't really have any hobbies, I've got nothing to lose. And when I tell you, the first time I touched the decks, my life changed. It was just like, you know, when, um, like a butterfly effect in a game when it's like a whole new path that's unlocked. That's what happened pretty much.

Wow, well, that's, that's an unbelievable, like, start. So in terms of workshop, if I, you know, have researched correctly, that was with Jyoti, who's obviously a very famous DJ. Is that correct?

Yeah, so, um, Jyoti Singh at the time— this is going back about 4, 5 years almost now. She was sort of up and coming. Obviously she does a lot of bits for the community, and yeah, she was doing these workshops at Southbank Centre. The advert that I saw was actually on the Burnt Roti Facebook page, and spoiler, full circle moment, I ended up working with Burnt Roti earlier this year, so you know, things have come around 360, but Yeah, I saw the advert and it was targeted specifically towards South Asian females, and they were honest. They were like, look, there's 10 spots, so like be fast, kind of thing. And you know what's so funny? The first time I saw it, I actually was like umming and ahhing, and then I sort of left it to like God and the universe, and I said, if I see it again, if it comes up again, then I'll do it. And that's exactly what happened. So yeah, in the workshops we sort of learned the very basic beat matching, beat matching tempos, how to source music, sort of finding your sound. And yeah, I mean, it was only 6 sessions in the evening that ran for about 2 hours, I think. And obviously with 10 different girls, you don't get that much time, like hands-on time on the decks, but Everyone was so supportive, and when I tell you, we would even stay after the sessions and we would just chat. We were not just girls that wanted to learn something, we were doctors, therapists, you know, just chatting, and it was really, really wholesome. I haven't actually seen anything like that before, but one of the big key things Jyoti kind of drilled into us, into me especially, something that really drove home with me was like, um, you've always got to pay it forward, you've always got to help other people, you've got to put other people on. And she was very much like, don't take what I've given you and just hold it. Like, if you can give it to someone else, do that. And that's what really inspired me to then go on and teach my own workshops, to do a lot of community work for myself. Um, I've worked with, um, people one-to-one, I've run workshops for refugees, stuff like that. So Yeah, that's something that I'm really glad she kind of said, because I think at the time I must have only been about, um, very, very early 20s, very early 20s, like a fresh kind of fresh person in, you know, the scene. And yeah, I would never have sort of come to a lot of these conclusions by myself, I think, because she already had some knowledge of the scene. Um, it was sort of like a masterclass in a, in a way of like these are the tips and the tricks. And obviously Jyoti then went on to upload exactly that, tips and tricks on YouTube. So yeah, that's pretty much how I started out. And funny enough, like over the 6 weeks, the people that started coming were just getting less and less. And I think you could kind of tell, the first week was 10 girls, then it was 7, and then it was 5. And you could sort of tell who was gonna, I think, stick with it. And yeah, at the end of the 6 weeks, Jyoti was like, I'm playing Alchemy Festival and I want you to play with me. And it was like, what? Like, this is my first gig, I've only had about 5 hours practice, like, what's going on? But yeah, that was my first gig and it was a festival. And yeah, from there I think everything's sort of been down to being in the right place at the right time. Like, I can almost put everything in my career down to that when I say I've been extremely lucky and extremely blessed. And it's sort of, if you look at the trajectory of how I've gone, it's sort of just gone like that. And yeah, that's the story of that workshop and how I sort of got started and all of that, you know. Funnily enough, I didn't actually get my decks until lockdown hit, so until then I was still going in and out of Pirate Studio and, you know, we had lots of—

Guess what, when do you actually think you were able to turn this passion and ability into a career? Like, what was the moment that you were like, I can crack on with this?

You know what, um, funnily enough, right, I get a lot of people asking me this, and when I was in Switzerland last week, somebody said like a very similar thing. People just seem to assume that this happened overnight, and I have to say like, no, I'm almost 5 years in now. I've only just started making money off this, like it's not an overnight sensation thing. There are years and thousands of hours of practice that have gone into it. So really I think I got put forward for the Mixmag show last year, the In the Lab Mixmag. I guess somebody had dropped out and my name was sort of put forward. I had a week's notice for a show that big. I'd never really played in a crowd, that was very intense. It was like, right, you're on camera and you're in a crowd and this and that. And yeah, after that show, I remember just like reloading my Instagram constantly, and over that weekend I got like 3,000 followers, and before that I had like about 400. And, you know, after that, it was like, that kind of launched me into like a really good place, and clips of that went sort of viral, and from there I started actually getting offers for paid bookings and I was just like, oh my God, what? And it was only sort of over the last year where I said to myself, like, right, I think I can take the plunge and actually become self-employed now. But you know what? That was a whole can of fish in itself because nobody teaches you about that stuff when you've got no sort of family to help you or anything. It was just quite overwhelming, but yeah, I only sort of realized in the last year that actually I think I can make it. And, you know, I've had some really cool moments, like for example, it's not just like when the gigs go well and you think, oh, I can do this. It's not just that. It's like I got fitted in the Diesel store and they were like, anything you want, anything you want, anything your friend wants, and I was like, I was like, I think I'm gonna make it, you know. So there's been a couple of moments like that kind of thing.

Well, yeah, that's amazing. And you mentioned like obviously very uncharted path that you're sort of taking on your own, not much help from anywhere else. What are like some challenges you felt, um, maybe like practically but also like maybe mentally as well, um, on that path?

You know what, I think, um, the thing that people don't actually talk about is like DJing can be very lonely, you know, even though you're in a club and you're surrounded by hundreds of people. Um, I mean, I've been quite lucky that I have managed to tour with my friends and go back to back with some of my incredible friends, but yeah, a lot of the time I spend time on my own. I had to very much learn to love my own company, and that's something that I never had before, especially with like, you know I mean, I'm sure everyone knows everyone has some sort of mental health issue, myself included, and yeah, I very much had to do a lot of work that I didn't really realize I had to do. I had to make my head a nice place to be in so that when I do tour and I am on my own and I am sat in these hotel rooms on my own, like, that I was happy. Yeah, you know, I don't think a lot of people talk about that. You have to be in in a good mental state, and you have to be able to be alone. And it's a switch, you know. The amount of times I've gone into clubs and I've been like very anxious, and, um, it— the person you get before the show and the person you'll get after I've played a show when I've got all the adrenaline in me, like, I very much separate them. I have like Priya and then DJ Priya, and DJ Priya is the best. Like, you can't tell her anything. She's the baddest. She's, you know, But Pri is very much like walks into the club and very inconspicuous, and she's very shy, and she doesn't, you know, it takes a lot for me to kind of chat to people. And when people chat to me before the show, it's very different. And when they chat to me after, it's very different. Some other challenges that I have faced, obviously, I mean, I think everyone talks about this, being a woman in music is not great, but we've all done tons of interviews on that and stuff. I mean, a lot of the time we're not believed if something happens. I had something earlier on the year that I won't touch too much on because it's still sort of very fresh, but something happened. Me and a non-binary DJ, we were not believed, and we ended up just sort of having to find our own feet in the scene, and that felt quite lonely as well. So that wasn't easy, and I do feel like maybe if I came from a better family, maybe if I was a man, like all these things that maybe would have been different. But yeah, what else? I've said about the feeling lonely, about the mental health. I think that for the most part, that's it, you know.

Yeah, well, I think anything in the creative industry is quite a manic-depressive thing to be in, whereas major highs and, you know, things close. How do you sort of keep yourself motivated through that whole, the whole experience? You know, day to day, what do your days look like? Like, how are you keeping yourself productive and busy?

I'm very, very lucky that I love music as much as I do. Like, I, I say to a lot of people, don't go into music for money. If you're trying to go into it for money, you're doing it wrong. So I'm very lucky that I know it doesn't matter, like, what mood I'm in, how I'm feeling, as soon as I literally hit play, it changes. And I know that not everybody has that, and I know that that's something that's great, and that's something that works for me. Especially since I've been busier, it's been easier to kind of stay productive and stuff like that, just because I feel like a whole new world has opened up to me since I've sort of got more regular bookings. But before that, yeah, it was hard. I would have to sort of set myself little goals and like targets. I remember at one point I wanted to do a mix a month and upload it, and I was really struggling to hit that because, you know, there's not an unlimited amount of music. And at that point I hadn't really kind of honed in on the sound that I wanted. I think at the time I was playing more UK garage stuff, and yeah, I wasn't really motivated. I remember when lockdown hit that struck me quite hard because I was very much like, I relied on being able to leave the house for happiness, if that makes sense. And that kind of taught me a lot about myself and a lot about the way the world works. And yeah, that, that was sort of when I was like, right, you need to, you need to just keep busy. And, um, so I bought the decks, I did the mixes, upload them. A lot of them are private now because I wasn't very good, but yeah, I think just, I know that I'm sort of a very privileged part of my career now, but yeah, it's not that hard to motivate myself because I can visualize this is going to be in a club, or this is where I'm going to be next week, or, you know, I'm going to be on a plane, or this and that, so it's easier when I think you've got the physical stuff that goes alongside it as well. I hope that answers the question.

No, definitely. And I'm sure a lot of our audience, obviously, as we mentioned before, like a lot of them young graduates or students, find themselves in positions, maybe not to the degree of yourself where maybe they have such commitments and an audience and stuff like that, but they find themselves in a place where, yeah, they need, they need to be kept busy and stuff in order to maintain motivation. But I guess, um, in terms of like if we you know, move on from, from what we, what we're talking about there and kind of move towards the future. So as you said, your upwards trajectory, um, it's only going up at the moment. You're very busy these days. Are you finding— are you almost daunted by the future in terms of how busy you might become, considering the lovely trajectory, the events you're getting booked, you're getting bigger and bigger? Um, what's your plan, or do you have one?

You know, that's a really good question. Like Really good question. Yeah, I'm trying to find the balance at the minute of like not burning out. It's not just me, like it's a lot of my friends as well. When we do see each other, I'm like, babe, are you okay? Like, are you eating? Are you sleeping? Because, you know, these 2 AM sets and playing after midnight and you don't necessarily get home straight away. So a lot of it, you do need to make sure that like you're rested and you're recuperating. So yeah, I've been trying to find a balance with that. So, um, in terms of being a bit worried, yes, absolutely. I don't have the best health. Um, it takes me a lot to sort of recover from the shows, like, even physically, but yeah, like, mentally as well. I remember there was one point, um, when the show started becoming more regular, and I would just, like, come home or go back to the hotel, wherever I was, and I would just sit on the floor and cry because I was just so overwhelmed. But, um, yeah, I think the way that it's sort of going now, I'm playing at least 4 shows a month, and some of them might be international. So I am a little bit worried, I'm not gonna lie. I feel like a very small fish in a very big pond. Um, but obviously I don't have a plan B. This is sort of— I'm just gonna try and give it 100, try and go full speed for as long as I can. I think as long as I can do it, I know that my heart is pure and my intentions are its best, and I'm making a positive impact on people and I'm making people happy. You know, something that really motivates me as well is when I see these people in the club and they come up to me, or people DM me. Like, I very much do reply to the quote-unquote fans, and just hearing people say like, this mix means so much to me, or your high-energy mix motivated me to get out of bed— like, that's why I do it. It's another reason. Like, I imagine those people that are gonna hear it and come to the shows and stuff, so that makes it worthwhile. But yeah, I think, um, I'm gonna try and just do as much as I can whilst maintaining my health and my happiness. It's a very sort of, um, it's a very sort of sensitive ecosystem, you know. If one of them goes, it's sort of— they all sort of rely on each other, do you know what I mean?

Definitely. So now you're at a stage in your career that you're getting that verbal feedback, you know, people are telling you they're hyping up your music, you know, you're getting inspired by that. But when you first started 5 years ago, you didn't have that. I was wondering, what is something you tell yourself 5 years ago when you were getting into the industry?

Oh, there's a few things I tell myself. I'm not sure exactly how many of them I can say on the podcast. Okay, so something that I tell myself is, I would just say, you know what, not everyone has the same heart as you in the industry. At the end of the day, it's an industry. It's not a music club where we all just love music. People are gonna exploit you to make money. People are gonna have intentions that aren't great, you know. That's something that I would say to myself. I would also just say, you know what, like, don't worry so much. Like, you end up being all right, you know. I think that's the big thing. I was very much like, I would record something, I didn't have the best technology, like I used to record stuff on my laptop and it used to like be glitchy and stuff, and I would just sit on them for ages because I'd be like, nobody cares, nobody's gonna like it. Like, we're all like our worst critic. But I just be like, babe, just upload it. Like, nobody cares, you know. My partner actually said to me, and this is sort of a turning point in my career as well, and I thank them all the time for this, but in lockdown I recorded one mix, and like I said, I was trying to push mixes, and they literally said to me, just upload it, just upload it and send it to everyone. Like, what's the worst that can happen? Anyway, I uploaded it, I sent it around, and the first like radio show I got sort of guest mixed in on was Pure Spice, Manara's show on BBC. And it was literally just somebody that was like, yeah, okay. And you know, that's the advice I still give to people now. And if I could tell myself that 5 years ago, just upload it, just send it around. The worst people can say is no. And yeah, I'd probably, well, I was gonna say, I'd tell myself to get some decks sooner, but obviously I didn't have the financial means to do that. I think it's very much like when you love something so much, you'll figure out a way to make it work. So like I said, on my laptop.

Well, yeah, I mean, that's obviously advice that I think very much applies to your specific industry, but for everyone who's trying to pursue, you know, their goals, just do it. And as you say, it's great, great advice for everyone. Well, anyway, let's move on to something a bit more— well, of course that is very light-hearted in a sense, but Your biggest achievement? You've done so many cool things. You mentioned last week only you were in Switzerland. We found, um, you first from the Boiler Room. You did a couple weeks ago—

I saw you at Warehouse Projects.

So many huge— like the bucket list, you're just ticking them off one by one. But what would you say are some of your biggest achievements, some of the things you're most proud of? And that could be in terms of these events and things like that, but also like the challenges you've overcome and things like that that you might be very proud of.

You know what, I mean, as far as the sort of DJ achievements go, yeah, mine are kind of, without sounding, you know, too big-headed, they are sort of endless. But really, the biggest achievement for me is just overcoming my mental health to do it. You know, like, I am my own worst critic and I almost took myself out so many times. And I really try to live every day as like a miracle that I'm sort of here. I think, yeah, the— not just in music, but that's just my biggest achievement ever. Like, just prioritizing myself, working on my relationship with myself, um, being a good big sister. Like, those are the things that— like, I was put on this earth to look after my sister and to be a good positive role model for her and other young women and non-binary people and trans people. Like, I was put on the earth to be some sort of inspiration, motivation, somebody that they could relate to. I had something a little while ago where somebody messaged me, and I'm very, you know, I'm a hairy girl, I am, and I don't shave. And somebody said, look, I've seen that you're quite hairy on your arms, and just to let you know, like, anytime I feel like I'm being bullied or I want to shave my arm hair, I look at you and I think, nah, like, Priya is out here sort of in the spotlight, and she's doing it for the women. And you know, that, that's— that is the biggest achievement for me. If I like can just cheer somebody up or make somebody feel like they're not alone or like they're powerful or they're a badass, that's the biggest achievement for me. That's the best thing that came from DJing, the ability to do that and sort of have an audience to do that for, as well as doing it for myself. Um, now I know that might not be the most sort of you know, a stereotypical answer, but really I think like the world needs to care about more people. There's, there's, you know, we can all talk about DJ accomplishments and this and that, but that's my favorite thing that I've done, like just being somebody for people that don't have anyone. And I'm very, very vocal at my shows about trans rights and, you know, kids in foster care and Yeah, just people that didn't go to university, you're going to be fine, look at me, like, just try your best and try your hardest and something will work out. You'll always land on your feet and you're always going to overcome things that you didn't think you ever would. So yeah, those are my biggest achievements kind of thing.

Yeah, I think that's so important. What's great about this podcast, I think, is that you can be yourself and someone will listen to what you're saying, you know, whether it's a lot or just a few, and they'll completely resonate with what you're saying. And really help them out more than just some generic advice. Say you have gone to university like we have and you've got this passion for music and you really want to like see if you might have a career in it, but you're scared you might have left it too late to like see what it's about. What are maybe some initiatives or some advice that you could give to people that have committed to some career path and then why it's not too late to explore one in music?

Really and truly, it's never too late. Like, I looked at myself and I was like, oh, you know, I'm I'm in my 20s, am I too late to the scene to be DJing? Like, I'm not gonna lie, there are DJs a lot younger than me that are out here doing it. My cousin is 12 and she's DJing and she does the graphic design for me and Gracie, and she sampled me and sent me a birthday mix. So, you know, there are people out here a lot younger that are doing it and they're good at it. Um, but yeah, it's never too late to change your life ever. I think people sort of seem to forget that we have all the control And, you know, like, I think I try to visualize, like, my life as a game sort of thing. Like, if I lose a friend, right, there's an empty character slot there, you know, somebody else can come in kind of thing. And yeah, you know how, like, if you're playing The Sims or something, there's nothing stopping you from doing something else. Like, it's all just— it's a mental block. So I would say, if you want to do it, do it. You don't have to— let's say you've got a degree in law, you don't have to drop that and be like, right, I'm gonna go DJ in a club once a week, but I think a lot of these universities will have some sort of club, some sort of music club. I know a lot of student unions have open decks and a lot of club nights do stuff similar. I think university is sort of the best place to find like-minded people. One of my really good friends, actually, we both went to this night in London called Facedown, and it is like an emo club night, and I remember just, I saw him and I was like, oh my god, there's another brown emo, like what, you know. And I went on the event page when I got back and I was like looking for the photos trying to find him. I sent him a friend request, we're still very good friends like 10 years later. But yeah, I think, you know, club nights are a good place to socialize and network and meet DJs, Open Decks, student unions, like music things, like there are so many things that are available, and I don't think we always know that. And I think even if you just like reached out or dropped a DJ that you like, like a message, or, hey, I saw you play last week at this club, I thought you were wicked, um, just wondered if you have any advice, or, you know, can we maybe hang out or go back to back or something? But yeah, I think, um, I mean, everyone curates playlists now, you know what I mean? So I think everyone's got it in them to DJ. I actually saw this meme that was like 'In 5 years we're gonna have no doctors because everybody wants to be a DJ.' I mean, yeah, that's me.

That's literally me.

Well, I mean, yeah, as you say, like, the power of— literally, in terms of— we use the story of yourself. We just sort of emailed you saying we're huge fans, and now we're here. So I guess people are so much nicer than you think and are always willing to help out. I think that's definitely a lesson, right?

Absolutely. Absolutely. And also, like, the worst that somebody can say is no. And I think social media has so much power. Like, um, think about how much of a great tool it was over lockdown to connect with your loved ones and your friends and this and that. You know, it is— everything's on social media. You can even find tutorials how to DJ on YouTube. Like, you don't necessarily have to come to the workshops. I know a lot of people that bought the little controllers and watched YouTube tutorials, and now they're in the clubs playing the same clubs as me. So I don't think there's any one road to go down. I think there's multiple routes, and I think they all go to sort of similar, you know, destinations. So yeah, I think the internet is your best friend. To be part of the music scene, I think it's really important to support it. So go to these club nights, meet these DJs, chat with them, become their friends, become a sort of regular and stuff like that. That's sort of some really good advice I think is very helpful.

Everyone has their own idea of what success looks like to them and it changes all the time, but also right now, what is your— does a successful career look like to you and does it look different to when you first started?

Yeah, again, another good question. So Something that I'm really trying to tell myself now is to just stop and smell the roses. I am at a point in my life where I used to pray for this. Like, I don't know if everyone's religious. I am. Um, I found God again at my lowest, um, right before I started DJing, actually. And, you know, um, one thing that I would say— happiness is a big one for me. You know, because I spent so much time just being unhappy. So yeah, for me, even like 5 years ago, I mean, 5 years ago it was more career-based, but now that I'm in that career, it's like, okay, happiness is success for me, health is success for me, having friends, people I can rely on. But yeah, I'm very much like, I'm at that point where I prayed to be at, and I I think because of the speed of everything, I'm already thinking, right, I need to do this, I need to do this, I need to do this. It's like, babe, just calm down, just enjoy it, just smell the roses. You know, I just played my last gig of the year and I was like, oh, maybe I could do one more. No, just enjoy it, you know, just be happy, just be healthy. But yeah, I think everyone has a different idea of success. I was never happy, I was never healthy. I never really had that many friends, so that's something I always wanted. But I mean, obviously somebody that was always that might be, you know, wanting a certain salary a year and stuff like that. So yeah, I guess it's different for everyone, but that's sort of what it looks like for me.

Well, yeah, I mean, as you say, it's different for everyone, but that is very, very wholesome. And I guess that's a great— I mean, it's very sustainable as well because, I mean, that's not got any benchmark against anything you know, in the physical world, that, you know, it's within yourself, which is very, really refreshing. Um, you touched on maybe your background, um, and your personal background. So if you're willing to, I mean, share to our audience maybe your childhood as well and what, what you sort of, uh, your unique upbringing, um, from what, you know, what you told us, um, and kind of how that, that sort of shaped your, your view right now.

Um, you know what, I didn't have an incredible childhood. I'm not gonna lie, there were bits that were good and there was a lot of it that wasn't good. But yeah, I think, you know, I could sit here and be like, oh, you know, from the get-go I would sort of had the world against me, but I'm not gonna do that, you know. I think I was definitely sort of— it was very possible for me to go down another route, very possible, you know. A lot of people they end up sort of very similar to the people that are around them, you know, their friends and their family and stuff like that. And sometimes when they're not the best people, it can be very hard to sort of separate from that. I remember trying to actually separate myself from that, it took me a long time. And I used to have pastoral workers in school telling me like, 'You need to cut that off, you need to get away from that, this and that and the third.' Um, so, you know, I didn't have a great upbringing. Like I said, I'm very much navigating my 20s on my own, starting new traditions on my own, even Diwali, like celebrating that and buying clothes from my culture and teaching myself my mother tongue and the recipes and stuff, and buying just nice little bits that one day I can hand down to my own daughter.

I think just to add into that, how do you think it's molded you into where you are now and who you are today?

I think from a very young age I started prioritising different things, you know. As a kid, I very much just wanted deep meaningful relationships with people. You know, you always sort of want what you lack. I wanted to love and be loved. I wanted the support. I wanted friendship. I wanted to be happy. Just a bunch of stuff. And I think considering the upbringing I had and sort of how my teen years hold it out and spending a lot of time on my own and sort of not feeling a lot of support and love, I think it's made me, um, prioritize that a lot. And there's not a lot of people in this scene that do that, you know. When I play a show, I go around to everyone, like the stage handlers, the artist liaison, the security, even my crowd. I, um, every single time I play a show, I'll share a post if you're sort of new to what I do, I don't think you would have seen this, but every time I share a post and I buy personal safety alarms and I say, listen, no questions asked, you come up to me at a show, no questions asked, I will give you one. If you don't feel safe, I'll make sure you get home safe. I say to the security, are you okay? Is anybody horrible? Have you had enough water? Like, I take care of everyone in the scene, not just the artists, because it's not just the artists that make the club night, it's so many people behind that that don't get any recognition. And I think a lot of that does stem down to, like, how I was raised and my childhood and stuff like that. Like, I've become one of the more sort of prominent caring figures in the scene, and I'm not just a DJ, I'm a friend, I'm somebody that you can go to for help. And it's what I work so hard to try and, um, upkeep. And it, you know, I make sure that everywhere I play for has a safe space policy and that they enforce it, and if they don't then I'm not going to play, or I'm not going to be part of this, you know. So I think, um, sort of anyone that had the quote-unquote normal upbringing might not do that to the extent I do. They'd probably just turn up, play, and go. Actually, a lot of them do just turn up, play, and go, and some of them will turn up late and, you know, take it out on other DJs and stuff like that. But, um, yeah, I, I don't want to be like it was all negative because I've managed to put a positive spin on that, um, My friends sort of joke and say that I'm like the Princess Diana of the music scene.

Well, that's a glowing review. I guess, yeah, there's so many lessons there. I guess, you know, whatever career path you go down, you know, it's being true to yourself and actually being like a good person. It doesn't cost anything a lot of the time. And yeah, that's really inspiring for yourself.

Just to wrap things up, and I really loved everything you had to say, and I think it'll really help a lot of people, including ourselves, Um, if you could leave listeners with one minute, if they can only listen to one minute of the podcast, what would you like them to take from it today?

Um, I would say, you know what, it's never too late to follow your dreams. Honestly, you're always only one decision away from changing your life. If you're not happy, do something about it. The time is now, really and truly, because if not now, then when? And I would say, um, the world is kinder than you think. There are kind people out there. There are people out there that will have the same have the same heart as you and want to support you and your passions and your goals. Um, and to just do the thing you want to do, you know, as long as it doesn't hurt anybody. Like, the worst somebody can say is no. Record that mix, upload that show, do that podcast, message that person. Why not? Like, life is too short. It could end now. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, so you might as well start living the life you want to live now. And yeah, just be a good person and try and do everything with pure intentions. And yeah, you know, go get them. And also, it doesn't matter your upbringing, your funds, your upbringing, where you live, none of that matters. Like, you can do it. There are multiple ways to do something, you know, multiple different avenues. You'll get there in the end. Uni is not always the be-all or end-all. Having no parents is not always the be-all or end-all. Having no money, you know, if you really want to do it, you'll figure out a way to do it.