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Lagos-based DJ and Earthsurfing doesn’t just play music—she crafts sonic landscapes that pull you in and keep you moving. In this exclusive interview, Spektrum Entertainment’s Eniola Olayemi dives into her journey, influences, and the energy she’s bringing to her Element House debut.
Q: Your sets are more than just music— they feel like journeys. How do you approach crafting an experience for the dance floor?
A: When I play, I’m not just mixing tracks, I want people to feel something. Whether it’s deep, high energy, or just straight-up hypnotic, I want people to feel possessed. I’m very experimental so I build my sets in a way that keeps the vibe evolving, blending Gqom, Afrohouse, Afrotech, and 3 Step in a way that flows naturally but still surprises you. Throwing in elements of jungle, dnb, techno and other electronic sounds to keep things interesting.
I pay close attention to how I’m feeling in that moment, the crowd, reading their energy and finding the right moment to switch things up. At the end of the day, it’s about making people lose themselves in the music, forget everything else, and just move. I want people to feel like they’re riding a dangerous wave.
Q: Your sound blends Afrohouse, Gqom, Three Step, and Afro Tech. What draws you to these genres, and how do they shape your identity as a DJ?
A: My sound blends many genres, but Jungle has always been my favorite. At the same time, I’m deeply drawn to Afrohouse, Gqom, Three Step, and Afro Tech because of their raw energy and rhythm. Each brings something unique vibe, Gqom is dark and heavy, very hypnotic. Afrohouse is more fluid and soulful, carrying warmth. Three Step has an offbeat bounce that keeps things fresh, while Afro Tech feels futuristic and immersive. What I love most is how they all connect back to African rhythms while constantly evolving into something new.
As a DJ, I don’t like to play it safe. I enjoy experimenting, blending sounds, and seeing where the music takes me. Sometimes, I don’t even know where I’m going, I’m searching for something, and I take the crowd along for the ride. We find it together, whatever “it” is, because why not? Every set is different, sometimes smooth and deep, other times raw and intense but always driven by energy and feeling. I live for those unexpected moments when everything clicks, and people just can’t stay still anymore.
Q: What’s your earliest memory of music moving you in a way that felt different?
A: I was really young when I first realized how much music could move me. Every Saturday, my older brother Charles would deep clean the living room while blasting ’90s hip-hop and R&B artists like Ja Rule, The Notorious B.I.G., Aaliyah, and Boyz II Men. I knew that as soon as I woke up, music would be playing, and that always got me excited. It was different from my usual school routine, especially since we didn’t watch much TV.
Then there was my other brother, Victor. He had a CD player, and whenever he wasn’t home, I’d sneak in and listen to whatever he was into. It was always rock bands like Linkin Park, Nickelback, and The Fray. I didn’t fully understand the emotions behind the music at the time, but I could feel it.
The biggest shift happened when we had a tenant, Uncle Diron, who had just moved back from the UK. He introduced me to various kinds of electronic music, house and jungle were his personal favorite with artists like Goldie (my all time favorite) Shy FX, Dennis Ferrer etc. It was a whole new world of sound, and it hit differently. The energy, it felt alive in a way I hadn’t experienced before.
Music was always around me growing up. My family threw a lot of parties, and those moments shaped my love for sound. I actually told this story on my Instagram live show, Catch A Wave, which happens every Wednesday at 6 PM. It’s my way of reconnecting with the music that shaped me and sharing that journey with others.
Q: DJing is about energy-reading a room, shifting moods. What’s been the most unforgettable crowd reaction you’ve ever had?
A: Ouuuuu, that’s a tough one. I’ve been DJing for only 6months now and I realize that every crowd has been different because I bring a different energy every time. Same sound, same music, but the vibe always shifts, and that affects the crowd, who then feed it right back to me. It’s a back-and-forth thing, lool.
Hmmm if I had to choose, I’d say DJing for my friends has been the most special. My friends and family have been a huge support system. When I wanted to start this journey, they encouraged my belief that I could do it. Like on March 12th this year at my friend Danny’s birthday. I played for four hours straight, and it was just pure vibes. Everyone was locked in, the energy was unreal, and for a moment, it felt like nothing else existed. It was so beautiful I could’ve cried. But then there was Raveoween and the very first Group Collective Rave. The crowd went absolutely crazy, and so did I. Everyone was jumping, I was jumping, people were shouting and completely losing themselves, just like I was. It got people talking for weeks. These moments are unforgettable too.
Q: Your name, Earthsurfing, suggests movement, exploration, and connection. What does it mean to you?
A: Before I was a DJ, I was a photographer and creative director, I still am and even then I called myself Earthsurfing. For me, it’s about going with the flow, riding the waves of life instead of fighting them. That’s how I’ve approached everything, whether it’s photography, creative direction, or now DJing.
Virgil Abloh once said, “The world produces waves. Surf or drown. You decide,” and that really stuck with me. Earthsurfing is about staying fluid, not forcing things, but also not losing yourself in the process. Just like surfing, you let the waves guide you, but you still have to find your own balance. That’s exactly how I move through life and creativity.
When I play music, I want people to experience what Earthsurfing is really about, catching the wave, riding it, and rising above it. If they can do that with the music, feeling every beat as heavy as it hits, moving with it instead of against it and finding the balance in the rhythm then they can do the same with life. No matter how heavy it gets, there’s always a balance to find in the rhythm, a way to stay afloat. I want people to lose themselves in the moment, feel the highs, but also realize they have the power to ride life’s wave just like they do on the dance floor.
Q: Every artist has that one track they always keep in their set. What’s yours, and why?
A: Haha, I don’t actually have one. There isn’t a specific track I always keep in my set, but there is an artist I always go back to, T.NO, who’s also a DJ. His ability to blend elements from various genres so seamlessly in a single song is something I am yet to find anywhere else. No matter the vibe I’m going for, his music always fits in somehow.
Q: You’re making your debut at Element House— opening up for two Afro House legends, Culoe De Song and Jamiie. What kind of energy are you bringing to this event?
A: I’m bringing nothing but pure energy and vibes. Since this is my debut at Element House, I want to set a really good tone, deep, rhythmic, and intense. Afrohouse, Gqom, Afrotech, 3 Step, and Kuduro all have this incredible way of drawing people in, creating a connection that goes beyond just the music. And opening for major artists like Culoe De Song and Jamiie? That’s a huge moment, both exciting and challenging. My set is all about movement and energy. I’m hoping to create a seamless flow that draws people in and keeps them engaged from the start.
Q: Technology and DJing go hand in hand. Are there any tools or techniques you love experimenting with in your performances?
A: Absolutely! Technology has completely transformed the way DJs perform, and for me, one of the most exciting things has always been mashup mixing. I love blending two tracks together in a way that creates something new
and unexpected. One technique I use a lot which some DJs might frown upon is keeping both low EQs up while layering tracks, It works for me, and that’s what matters. I’ve spent time experimenting and figuring out what feels natural in my sets, and I know this is how I love to play.
For me, song selection is the most crucial part of the process. No amount of fancy effects or technical tricks can make up for a bad selection. The way songs interact with each other, the energy, the emotion, the groove, that’s what I focus on the most. I like finding connections between tracks that might not be obvious at first but somehow fit together perfectly when played in the right moment. Yet, I still have so much to learn in this regard.
At the end of the day, DJing is about expression. Technology gives us so many tools to experiment with, but it all comes down to using them in a way that makes sense for your style. For me, that means trusting my ears, embracing what works for me, and constantly pushing my creativity with song choices and mashups.
Q: What does the future of electronic music in Africa look like to you?
A: The future of electronic music in Africa looks really exciting to me. I think we’re going to see even more genres, everything from experimental electronica to hard techno, trance, donk, and drum & bass etc, infusing African rhythms in fresh and unexpected ways. It’s already happening, and it feels like we’re just scratching the surface. Haha Afro Trance because why not?
It’s not just about taking Western electronic music and adding an “Afro” touch, it’s about reshaping the entire soundscape from an African perspective. African percussion and rhythm have always been powerful, and now, with more producers and DJs experimenting, we’re seeing these rhythms being pushed into all corners of electronic music. There’s a whole wave of artists blending traditional and regional sounds with harder, faster, and more experimental electronic music.
With the internet making everything more accessible, and more African DJs and producers gaining global recognition, I think we’re going to see even greater innovation. The sounds coming out of the continent are already influencing dance music worldwide, and I believe we’re heading toward a future where African electronic music isn’t just a niche, it’s a driving force in the global scene and I hope to be a major contributor to this.
Q: If someone listens to one of your sets for the first time, what do you hope they walk away feeling?
A: If someone listens to one of my sets for the first time, I hope they walk away feeling completely possessed by the music. I want them to feel weightless, as if the music has stripped away everything heavy they were carrying.
More than anything, I hope they leave feeling like they can do anything, like no matter how harsh life gets, they can surf the wave and ride it out. A rave is pure energy, pure release, and I want my sets to tap into that raw, unfiltered freedom. If someone walks away feeling unstoppable, even just for a moment, then I’ve done what I came to do.
Behind the Vision is our weekly series where we dive deep into the minds of artists, DJs, and creatives shaping the electronic music community. Stay tuned for more stories that uncover the passion and vision driving the scene.
Next up—Element House on April 12th featuring Culoe De Song, Jamiie, Earthsurfing (making her debut and opening the night), and Proton (also making his debut and closing the night). Don’t miss it!