Meet DJ Kess, Ghana’s Baddest Female DJ

The world of entertainment over the years has given birth to male and females exhibiting their level of intelligence and talents in the various field of endeavour, thus, movies, music, radio and television.

In a situation where males and females were in a grim contention for the anchoring of programs on radio was seen as a normal trend until this age when women also decided to sit behind the console and dish out beautiful tunes as DJs; a part of radio job reserved for men only. Such DJ who has excelled so well in this field is a lady DJ, DJ Kess of Yfm.

Cleff Justice met at her at her Accra Mall based station Yfm for an up-close and personal interview and she was kind enough to reveal some secrets of her life to her fans.

Tells us how it all started for you as a female DJ.

It all started back in school when I used to be part of the school’s entertainment board. Then it was the kind of the tape thing so we later realised we need to bring up something innovative and by the help of other colleagues we were able to bring something out. After that we needed someone to always play the music and there was really no one interested and I loved music then so I decided to give it a shot and that was the beginning of a female DJ Kess.

Who do we say is Kess, could you be kind enough to tell us about yourself?

Kess is just a shy person but very ambitious and again someone who really knows what she wants. I live with my mum; my dad has not really been around because he is always travelling. Got cousins and half siblings but I hardly see them because they are not in town.

Tell us about your educational background.

I had my high school at archbishop porter girls' senior high school and later enrolled at Central University but I realised it wasn’t where I really want to be so it will be better I stop and take up what I want to do. Now I want to learn sound engineering and that’s what I am working on now.

And why the name Kess?

Kess is actually the short of my real name which is Nana Kessewah. I wanted a very simple name my fans could relate to so I decided to shorten the Kessewah and make it Kess

How long did it take you to learn how to use the console and the music player?

The funniest thing is I didn’t particularly learnt this from anywhere or anybody. It was something that came naturally and considering my love for music I guess it wasn’t difficult learning at all. I simply learnt everything on my own. Beginning it wasn’t easy people believing what I can do but I guess with time I was able to prove them wrong.

How did you end up on Yfm?

At the beginning when I got there to tell them I wanted to be part of the team, they really thought maybe I wanted to be a presenter and not a DJ so when I met the programs manager and I told him I want to work as a DJ he was like, ‘we are not joking here’. Seriously he never believed I could do it as a female DJ until they gave me a shot. Then it was during the test transmission period so they had to tell the DJ playing at the time to stop and give me the chance and honestly I had no idea about the kind of software they were using. I was later given the software to go and practice and by the next day I had mastered everything.

What do you do on Yfm?

On Yfm I play for Jeremie on the Y-lounge from Mondays to Thursdays 7 -10pm, the Saturday morning live and also on Sunday morning with Jay Foley.

Have you in any way been intimidated by a male colleague in this field of profession?

Yeah, I have that encounter on two occasions. I remember I was going to play somewhere and when I was introduced to this male DJ playing at that moment to give me chance to play. The look he gave me alone was enough to say he was not happy about that idea. But I was able to prove them wrong and they got to love what I was doing (smiling)

Would you say radio has really paid off?

Not really but all the same I don’t feel like I am working for money because of the passion behind what I do.

On a lighter note, I know the men will definitely come but how do you handle them and your fans?

I am a very free and shy person. I love hanging with some of them especially on facebook. I mean you get to know and meet a lot of people and you share ideas with them. Some of them are also very interesting to hangout with.

What has been the craziest thing you have ever done?

Something crazy....something crazy, you see I have a very boring life; it is always music, I don’t go out and not a club person. If you see me in the club it means am there to play or it’s an event I have to be present. Apart from that I will just be at home playing games.

Will you do anything to seduce a male friend who you think you admire most?

Well I live a very simple life....I hardly think about stuffs like that because everything about me is music, if am not in the studio I probably would be listening to music or something at home.

Have you also had any encounter where a male friend tried seducing you?

Well it happens I mean we are humans...that’s life

Do you want to share some of them?

Oh no, it does happen but not something I really want to talk about, but they do happen you know.

Do you have any embarrassing moment you want to share?

I don’t really remember any serious embarrassing moment but there is this that happens to me and I find it somehow embarrassing; that’s when I am chatting with someone and the person go like, ‘oh I thought you are a guy?’. For me it’s kind of embarrassing but not really something very embarrassing.

Do you have any irritating friends around you?

Irritating friends? Oh then they will never be my friends. Most of my friends are just like me. I don’t really have a lot of friends though.

Looking at how far you have come as a DJ, do you have any regrets?

Hell NO! It’s the nicest thing that ever happened to my life. I don’t really call it a job; I call it a hobby. I don’t really feel like I come to work because it something I love doing. Sounds funny though but it’s like I am being paid for doing my hobby.

If you are not doing some mixes in the studio, what do you do to relax?

If I am not working am playing games, soccer, and basketball or listening to music. I am not really an out-going person.

If God wants you to marry today, what is the name that will keep re-sounding in your ear?

Wow! Honestly the person I am going to mention his name is not even here in Ghana, I will just say I am single. That’s all.

I know a lot of people have been part of this incredible success as the only female DJ in Ghana, any of them you want say thank you?

Yes to my Uncle who is also part of the management of the station; the broadcasting part of Yfm for believing that I could actually do this and also to the Yfm team for bringing me out as the first female DJ in Ghana and all my fans...love you all.

Interview by Cleff Justice