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Wanna be a DJ? - How to get started

Fancy being a dj? Wondering how to get started? Looking for advice? Then read on�.Get Smaart talks to Debbie Mac, the rising star of Capital FM.

Where did you go to school?

Stansted Mountfitchet High School. Essex and then Harlow College for my A Levels.

What was your favourite subject?

My favourite GCSE subjects were Music and English and my favourite A Level was Media Studies (also took English Lit and Psychology)

How did you decide on djing as a career choice?

I decided when I was 15 that I wanted to work in radio but at the time I wanted to be working behind the scenes. I started work at Ten 17, a radio station in Harlow when I was 18, and when the boss asked me if I wanted to have a go at doing a radio show, I decided to take the plunge!

How did you get your big break with Capital FM?

Since 18 I have worked at many different radio stations, Ten 17 (Harlow), Essex FM (Southend), Vibe FM (East Anglia), Stormlive (Sky Digital Station) and Hallam FM (Sheffield). When I decided I wanted to move on from Sheffield, I sent out some demo�s and a couple of weeks later Capital gave me a call and offered me a job. That was a great day!

Biggest music influences?

My musical influences have changed with age big time!! I started liking pop, then hardcore, then commercial dance, trance, funky house, rock and now I�m back to pop mainly. I used to do a lot of club nights in Sheffield and I�ve been to Ibiza 8 times so I suppose I�m more of a dance chick than anything else.

Favourite artist, album and track?

I love Kosheens album. Also really into R�n�B at the moment. As for individual artists, I�m a big fan of Avril Lavigne, Misteeq and of course Mr Timberlake.

What�s a typical working day for you?

I just moved from working weekends only, to the full time late show so my lifestyle has changed quite recently. Now I will probably get up at 10am and go into town to do some voice over work (I do quite a lot of adverts and I�m also the voice of The Box music channel). Then I�d go and have a drink with a friend before going into work at approx 8pm to prep my show, on air at 10 till 1am and back home in bed by 2am.

Any advice that you ignored / took that you wished you hadn�t?

I remember once asking a media studies teacher some questions about radio and he told me to forget it because girls don�t get on air. Think I caught him on a bad day but I�m quite glad I didn�t listen to him.

Any advice for Get Smaart readers?

This sounds like something Geri Halliwell would say, so I�ll try and phrase it as best I can. I honestly believe that if you want something badly enough, it will happen. Eight years ago I set my sights on Capital and now I�m here! As pop songstress Gabrielle once said �Dreams can come true�.

Thanks Debbie for taking the time out to talk to us.