Today we’d like to introduce you to Nidhi Thakkar.
Hi Nidhi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi, I’m Nayla, a Professional Dj. I’ve always loved music, and I’ve always felt intrigued by it. Be it songwriting, production, singing, all of it. At the same time, it also felt unachievable and unrealistic, I never imagined I would be able to pursue it, it was something I’d look from afar and just wish I could be part of it.
My biggest problem growing up, was being obsessed with academic validation. I spent years trying to achieve that while ignoring my hobbies, things that I loved. And the time passed. The time that I could have invested in my hobbies, my interests. I realised all this pretty late. After I graduated, my new obsession was earning, and being independent. I landed a stable job, entered F&B industry. Started working in restaurants. But anyone who has worked in restaurants, has owned one or knows anyone who works in this industry knows how irregular the working hours are.
I never had any reason to deal with this amount of physical and mental stress in my life, so I never knew anything about how much stress my body CAN handle. I’m someone who can possibly over work herself to death and still wouldn’t say no to covering another shift. Eventually, I fell sick to the point I needed bed rest. That’s when I discovered I have a chronic condition, an autoimmune disease (inflammatory polyarthritis), which affects my immune system and my bone health. I couldn’t go back to work. I quit my job and had no motivation left. Until I realised, that the only thing that kept me going through all these phases was Music. I finally had the time and opportunity to pursue my dream. However, I never learned to trust myself. Which made it difficult for me to take this risk. 50/50 chances of this not working out. But there was my mother. With me, the whole time. Supporting me, encouraging me, and telling me “I’m here” if anything goes wrong. And I think that’s how I gathered courage to dive into this.
I spent weeks and many hours learning djing. I remember working in restaurants or working for club nights and seeing people enjoying music and wished if I could be part of it. Fast forward to a year later, I AM part of it. I remember working during New Year’s Eve, meeting the dj, handling the guests and deep down thinking “one day, that’ll be me” and a year from then, it WAS me.
I remember handling reservations watching people get hosted nicely, VIP guests and all yk, and thinking “me when?” And a year later, it WAS me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not a smooth road. Self doubt, gender pay gaps, not getting enough opportunities or if there are any then having to prove yourself to show people you deserve it. Then of course, my health.
Every independent artist has had their own struggles and you can’t compare any of them to eachother, however, being a female dj comes with its own challenges and struggles.
Being seen as the “eye candy” by promoters. Listening to men/male artists cribbing about how you got the opportunity, mostly it’s the same “because you’re a girl” “because you’re pretty” “because the promoter wants something from you” and the scary part is, sometimes it IS true. Which makes you wanna doubt yourself everytime something big happens in your career. And that’s where half of the self doubt comes from, “Is it because I deserve it? Or is it because of the reasons I’m hearing?”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a professional dj. I play House Music. Planning to get into production soon. But as of now, I love to push my producer friends’ tracks through my sets.
What sets me apart, is my theme.
While I do play house music, my main focus is Afro and Tribal House. Bringing the authentic Afro sounds, into music and introducing people to it. Drums, shakers, bells, all of it. My theme mostly focuses on Snakes. Which has 2 reasons : one being how my life transformed after my sickness. How I lost all my hopes and doctors thought they had no cure. But I came back stronger. Which is what snakes represent : rebirth
Second: snakes are known for warding off negativity. They protect you.
My goal is to incorporate live instruments from the African culture to my sets and make people fall in love with music even more. I want to embody my theme.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Yes. I want people to know that my story is just an example of how unpredictable life can be.
When I was sick, I wasn’t just struggling with pain in my bones or some swelling. My body changed, my face changed. The hives, the rashes, the skin peeling, the excessive swelling to the point I couldn’t see myself when I looked in the mirror. I was at the worse point in my life where I contemplated killing myself because I had no hope of getting better.
My mom had covered all the mirrors in our home so I wouldn’t see myself, and hid all the medicine so I wouldn’t overdose to escape this. I kept thinking I was a “burden” to people around me. I’ve seen my own sister hide from me so she doesn’t have to see me and get nightmares.
Everything that I loved : food, studies, getting ready, doing my makeup to go out, everything was just gone. I’m a simple person, who loves these things.
Everything that you hold dear, everything that you’re proud of CAN be gone in a blink of an eye. What matters is who you are without this?
Yk people usually say “your soul is what matters” which we think is another old people quote and just ignore it but it IS true. Your soul, your mind is what matters. Your beauty, the food you eat, the clothes you wear all CAN be taken away from you. And that’s what taught me to be humble, kind and down to earth.
If there’s any advice anyone would want to take from me, let it be this : keep showing up. being resilient can get you through anything. There will be times, where people around you would be doing better than you, they might be getting more fame, more money. You have to remember that someone else being successful doesn’t take away anything from you. Your journey is YOURS. Maybe today is just your turn to stand and clap for your friend.
Being in for the right reasons, loving what you do, will never make you feel small. Hardwork at the end of the day, DOES show.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourstrulynidhi
Image Credits
Personal photo credit : @iimrann_ahmed
Image 1,2,3 : @prashantmishraphotography_
Image 4 : @oaniketo
