DJ Chick

Miss Bliss is settin’ the groove in a male dominated scene

By Tracey Middlekauff

Ever notice that most DJs are guys? Cara Wolinsky did, but that didn’t stop her from chasing her dream. The 20-year-old Pomona College student, also known as DJ Miss Bliss, started mixing about a year ago, and now she spins regularly. Miss Bliss plays “breaks,” a style of music which she calls “more feminine” than straight-up techno because it uses more organic samples like voice and piano.

We talked to Miss Bliss about what it’s like to be a mixing chick.

react: What made you want to be a DJ?
Miss Bliss: I was dating a guy who was really into jungle. I guess that’s how a lot of girls get into it. But I thought it would be fun to try doing it myself, and it really was. I like playing for people, especially when they’re into the music and dancing.

react: Was mixing hard at first?
Miss Bliss: It’s hard. I guess it’s like any other skill. You mess up and try again.

react: Were you nervous the first time you played?
Miss Bliss: I was, but I just pretended I was in my room. I just looked down at the records and the turntables and pretended there was no one there, so it wasn’t that bad.

react: There’s a lot of sophisticated equipment involved. Was it expensive to get started?
Miss Bliss: Yeah, it’s really expensive. But I think any hobby gets expensive when you get to a certain level.

react: Do you act tougher so people won’t think you’re ‘just a girl’ DJ?
Miss Bliss: I don’t try to be tough. I just try to DJ as well as I can. I do play more feminine-type stuff. It’s not dark jungle or anything. It’s kind of happier–singing and pianos. And it’s hard not to be kind of a girly-girl when you’re playing that.

react: What advice would you give a teen who wants to be a DJ?
Miss Bliss: You definitely need to get decent equipment. If your turntables aren’t good, it’s really hard to have the right control over it, and you’ll just get frustrated. Find a friend who’s into it and use their equipment. Find someone who’s willing to teach you and go get lessons all the time. That’s how I did it.

Originally published in React