Hi, I’m MissRay and I’m a self-confessed house music connoisseur and lover of music. I would say I am eclectic, I was bought up in a very musical household; my dad has been in bands all my life and I was bought up on a mix of Motown, Soul, Tamla, R&B, Reggae, Rock, Jazz, some older (70s-80s) Pop and bands. Beatles, Squeeze and UB40 were all firm favourites’ in our household. Even now when I go back to my parents, they have music playing through the house. My dad has a ginormous amp in the lounge and speakers wired in the ceilings! We like our music to sound good! I started singing around 5 years old and I carried this on through school and formed a band with friends where we would regularly perform our favourite tracks each with our own harmonies.
At college, I teamed up with a good friend and we would write and sing together. My dad used to record us on his 8-track studio at home. We wrote and recorded a garage track called Test the Theory for music producers we knew in a recording studio. I still have a copy of it at home.
For many years I sang with my dad’s band ‘Between the Lines”; mainly pub gigs and a few charity ones. It was always good fun jamming with my dad!
I learnt to play the flute from the age of 8 and played throughout my childhood and teenage years. I managed to get to grade 8, although I gave it up for years I took this up again a while back. So, although I can read music even though I am a little rusty. I would love to do some flute house tracks or join a jazz band one day!
I found house music in the year 2000 when I was 17 years old and started regularly hanging out at the London club nights such as Independence at Hanover Grand and Garage City at Bar Rumba, I spent most weekends over several years in The Cross, Kings Cross (Norman Jay on Friday was a favourite) The Cross was and still is the best club in my eyes. Other hangouts included Defected at Ministry of Sound, where I would often be found in the baby box room as I was an avid Hed Kandi follower. I also frequented Fabric, Turnmills, Bagleys, The Key, The End, The fridge and The Lighthouse in Farringdon.
I am proud to say I went to the opening party at The Egg which was a real eye-opener for me on the clubbing scene!
I would often be found in Ibiza during the summer months, I loved dancing on Bora Bora beach, everyone would cheer as the planes flew over. Dancing on stages and in the sand was a happy place.
I loved Space, Ibiza when it was a 24-hour party, dancing during the day on the outside platform to Barbara Tucker- Beautiful People. It’s my first memory of that song. I looked around and saw how beautiful everyone felt. I really felt like I belonged.
I now attend and have had the privilege to play at the Groove Odyssey events. I love the summer festivals my favourite being 51st State. You can’t beat the feeling of day dancing in the sunshine.
I fell in love with House music because of the euphoric feeling I got when the tune would drop, and the crowd went wild. The goosebumps I got off the vocals and the beautiful souls the music attracted. By the time you left, you would have more new friends then you could count on your fingers.
I love it when DJ’s have the confidence to play something that you wouldn’t expect. A moment I will never forget was during one of the Egg parties in the early days – I was listening to a deep/ minimal house set with very limited vocal tracks – from out of nowhere the DJ played ‘Prince- When Doves Cry.’ The crowd went wild, and I felt amazed at how anyone could create that atmosphere. Even though it was over 10 years ago I will never forget it. From that moment in I knew I wanted to be able to create that feeling to other like-minded people.
I started DJ-ing around the age of 19 when my friend bought vinyl turntables. We would play at house parties and practice at home but after about 5 years she sold them and although I carried on following house music And knew I always wanted to pursue DJ-ing.
In 2015: after quite a turbulent time in my life I started living my dream. A good DJ friend of mine knew I wanted to take up playing and he wanted me to be his prodigy. He gave me his pioneer 400s and my dad’s mate gave me an old pioneer mixer. I loaded myself up with tunes and off I went.
I practiced for hours daily and often played at house parties, but my first break playing out out came playing for Louda in Colchester. I have also played for many other event including House-a-Holic, Groove yard nights at ADE festival in Amsterdam, and at Ministry of Sound in London several times
My main House music styles I play;
Soulful
Vocal
Funk
Afro
Latin
Disco
Jazz
Deep
Deep soulful
My slot is on a Thursday 12 noon - 2pm
