Triple j's Queen of party Nina Las Vegas is headed to Cairns for timeOUT Day In The Park. timeOUT caught up with Nina to find out what she%u2019ll bring to this year's biggest live music festival.

This is your first time playing in Cairns … looking forward to your tropical holiday? Have you heard much about our little city in Paradise?

It’s actually my first time in Cairns full stop! I’m embracing travelling at the moment (I only just got back from a month-long overseas holiday), so I’m actually staying an extra few days to really check the place out, slash relax and take it all in.

You and Drapht seem to be getting quite a few tropical holidays lately! He said you guys were really good friends and have been touring a lot together lately – where did you meet?

I knew of him through the whole triple j world and via our mutual friend Scott Dooley, however, I think we met in Townsville last year. He is super cool, and so is the extended Drapht crew – who I got to know all really well during the Groovin The Moo festival. When you’re one of the few girls on a tour, it’s pretty nice to have a lovely group of WA boys watch your back.

Tell me how you first got into spinning tunes – you’re from Wagga Wagga originally yeah? Can’t imagine it’s got a kicking club scene or anything like that … tell me where it all began …

Yes! Born and bred in Wagga Wagga. I can’t really comment on the club/DJ scene at that time, as I wasn’t even 18 when I lived there. However, I was definitely part of a pretty big music scene throughout my school days. Most of my friends were all in bands (me included), and I spent most holidays entering talent quests or performing in community musicals. Although my parents forced me, I took almost 10 years of classical piano lessons. At the time I hated it, but it has definitely come in handy!

And how did you get picked up by Triple J?

I started at triple j when I was about 19 years old. I was studying design and sound engineering at the university next door and was constantly bugging them for work experience. My radio production skills got me a wide range of work for almost four years at the station, and that was all before I took over Library Spice as the host of House Party. Mid-last year, when Nicole Foote left triple j, I entered a call-out to be host of Mix Up Exclusives. Although I had been backfilling the role for a while, I still busted my guts to get through the seemingly endless rounds of interviews. Actively part of a DJ scene and openly passionate about loving club music; it was pretty easy to convince triple j that I would work super hard at producing the best party and dance radio shows possible!

Tell me a bit about your philosophy on music. you like a really broad range of stuff. What parts of a track grab you, irrespective of style or genre?

My job required me to listen to so much of everything. It isn’t a bad thing at all, it just means I want to play it all in the one set. From hip-hop to dubstep and UK garage, house, indie dance and more; after immersing myself in so many different sounds, it’s no surprise that my DJ flavours change daily.

Who are some of your favourite artists to spin in your sets right now? What about a track, or tracks, that are completely rocking your world at the moment?

I cannot get enough of SBTRKT, as I’ve had his debut LP on repeat for the past month. I also am really vibing other UK producers like Bremnar and Mele, plus France’s Canblaster. I’m excited about more Kanye/Jay-Z collabs surfacing and am also a sucker for all the new J Cole tracks. Oh, and anything by Friendly Fires! I saw them live last week and my obsession for their tunes doubled.

I first heard you play in Sydney with Hoops – is there anything still happening there, or just focused on the solo endeavours?

We just played the Mix Up Stage at Splendour In The Grass and it was a blast! There is actually a Hoops this weekend in Sydney at Goodgod Small Club. We run them bimonthly and they are both rammed and stupidly fun! Both Anna Lunoe and Bad Ezzy are my best friends so although we don’t play as regularly together, we see each other all the time and support each other in our own individual endeavours.

Spinning a few tunes myself, I know that the DJ world can be a bit male-dominated at the best of times – has it ever affected you? Anything you could say to other female DJs out there?

Not really, but I’m pretty tough. That, and I was welcomed into the DJ world by all my male DJ friends! I think that being a female DJ these days isn’t the grand effort it used to be, however, I do think there is a massive lack of female producers. I guess what I would say to female DJs is that although a club gig is cool, being able to play your own tracks out is even cooler. Get on it girlfriends!

Any other grand plans for 2010 we should know about? Tours? Gigs?

I’m playing heaps over the next few months and going to be working on a few remixes soon, too. Parklife coming to town always keeps me busy, both with my DJ and broadcasting hats on! House Party and Mix Up Exclusives are always on the go, and expect some exiting New Year’s Eve-ish news soon.

What can we look forward to from your set at timeOUT Day In The Park in Cairns next weekend?

A whole bunch of great tunes! From hip-hop to house, even a bit of dubstep, I’m going to jam it all in! Come! And dance!

>> Catch nina at timeout day in the park on august 13 at Fogarty Park alongside The Living End, Drapht, British India, Zennith, Jobstopper & more. For more information, see cairns.com.au/timeout

 

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