IT CAN BE TOUGH NOT BEING MALE IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS, BUT MRS MAGOO RIPS UP THE MACHO BULLSHIT TEMPLATE! HATS OFF SISTER!
As Jungle music makes yet another resurgence (did it ever go away?) we catch up with award-winning Scottish pocket rocket Mrs Magoo who’s carried the flag for the genre since she first appeared on the scene. Often tipped as female DJ of the year (in any year) and veteran of Glastonbury and Boomtown Festivals she’s now cutting it on the international scene too.
In a scene that’s historically been dominated by men, Mrs Magoo has become an inspirational trailblazer for other young women to follow and she’s regularly rolled out B2B with some of the pioneers of the scene such as Kenny Ken and Nicky Blackmarket.
She’s certainly a favourite at Full Send and we recently asked to get back to her roots.
So when did it all start?
I’ve been into dance music since I was very young. Both my parents raised me around lots of music. My mom gave me my punk and metal roots. My dad was the raver though, he started raving in 89 when I was born. So naturally I heard a lot of that from him. I remember “borrowing” a happy hardcore tape off him when I was 8 years old and I think that’s truly where that bug began.
Was there one significant event in your life that made you realize that producing DNB music was what you really wanted to do?
I’ve always liked the idea of producing, from the early days of toying around on Music 2000 on the PS1 haha. It was exciting to think what it would be like getting my own tunes out there for people to hear. When my first track was released, witnessing the crowd react to it definitely further cemented that I wanted to continue down the producer path because that buzz is unreal!
When you’re in the studio, what is your creative process like? Do you go in with a specific idea in mind or do you simply get in the space and create what comes naturally?
Honestly I’m still figuring a lot of things out, I feel like it’s a constant learning curve when it comes to making music. I’ve tried going in with a specific idea and ended up going completely off course so I’ve found just fiddling around and seeing what sounds and feels good to be the best approach for me. Studio donuts are a must too, need that sugary snack to get you through them sessions!
What’s your go to studio equipment? Analogue or digital?
So I’ve gone the digital route and I run cubase. I do love the idea of analogue but space is a huge factor for me. And money too to be honest. These things ain’t cheap!
What makes you so prolific? Honestly, I think it’s just having a genuine passion for the music I play. If it’s not fun, I’m not gonna do it. And I love what I do.
What artists have you been influenced by in the past and who inspires you today?
In the early days I was definitely influenced by the likes of Carl Cox, DJ Hixxy and DJ Unknown. My sound was very different back then haha. Now artists like Aries, DJ Randall and DJ Hybrid definitely play a huge role in inspiring me to be the artist I am today.
Wax or digital decks?
I learned on vinyl, still have my records now. But I’m all about digital decks these days. It’s easier with the standard club set ups and how most music is released digitally these days. It’s a lot more convenient too. No heavy bags to lug around and the technology has improved ten fold over the years.
What do you think of the club scene now? Too many mobile phones?
I honestly don’t have an issue with mobile phones in the dance. If that’s how people enjoy their time and they want to capture the moment, carry on. As long as they’re having fun. That’s all I care about.
If you could choose one artist in the world to work with, who would it be and why?
I would absolutely love to work with Aries, both on a b2b set and on some tunes. I think he’s a great artist and a really humble dude. I’d also really love to run a set with MC GQ. He’s got to be one of my favourite MCs that I’ve yet to work with. You’ve done a number of collaborations, who’s been the most interesting to work with so far and why? Gotta be DJ Hybrid to be honest. He’s really taken me under his wing and shared so much knowledge with me. The guy is a total wizard and I really mean that. I think it’s really awesome how versatile he is as an artist. I really respect him for the time he’s given me.
How do you think Drum N Bass will develop in the future?
It’s just going to keep growing I think. I hear it so often now on mainstream radio and on the TV, it’s pretty wild! There’s also so many amazing young artists coming through making really awesome tracks so I’m genuinely excited for the future of jungle music.
What’s in the pipeline?
So I’m in the middle of planning my next tour which is going to be in Canada this summer and I’m pretty stoked for it. It’s somewhere I’ve wanted to tour for the longest time! I did have one lined up there before covid, but unfortunately that had to be cancelled for obvious reasons. So yeah I’m pretty buzzed about that. Got some awesome gigs lined up including a world first b2b set but I can’t share any deets on that just yet haha. Hopefully get some more tracks on the go too, I’ve been moving to a new studio PC and just trying to get everything up and running again. Thanks so much for asking me to do this! Appreciate the opportunity to chat