What happens when you close your clinic, buy a second-hand controller off Facebook Marketplace, and go all in on a dream at 44? You get Shak Jackson — DJ, producer, and the first female artist to grace the iconic Hooj Tunes artwork with her very own stick woman.
This week Shanaz and Emma sit down with the brilliant Shak for one of their most inspiring conversations yet. Shak's story is proof that it's never too late to reinvent yourself. A former physiotherapist who built a successful clinic from scratch, she walked away from it all when music came calling — and hasn't looked back since.
In this episode they get into how a 45-minute mix recorded on tiny second-hand decks led to an invitation onto LP Giobbi's radio show Femme House, what it felt like to stand behind the decks at Lost Village while LP Giobbi played her track, the relentless rejection before Hooj Tunes finally said yes to Frisson, and the vinyl EP (complete with the debut Hooj Tunes stick woman) that's just dropped.
They also dig into the realities of being a woman — and a mum — navigating a male-dominated industry, the ageism that's very much alive in electronic music, plus, as a physiotherapist, Shak shares the DJ health hacks every artist should know—from protecting your body behind the decks to the recovery routines that keep you performing at your best.
If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start over, this episode is your answer.
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