Some records mark time more precisely than calendars. The sound of a certain bassline can take you to another place: an Ibiza terrace at sunset, a crowded record shop, or a dancefloor where the night felt endless. For London-based DJ Meera, those moments are at the root of her relationship with music.
A DJ, radio presenter and event host, Meera’s musical life is rich, and most recently, she’s been reconnecting with the records from her early days performing through a series of Instagram Reels that introduced me to her work. We caught up to talk record collecting, the magic of vinyl, and how one track can hold decades of memories.
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m Meera, a London based DJ, radio presenter, broadcaster, and event host. I’m also a mum (my kids are 11 and 14). I’m an ex BBC radio producer, turned teacher, and now I’m back in music and radio again, with a bit of teaching and creative side hustling on the side. I also love creating art – painting, and music production – if I can ever find the time!
What sparked your interest in collecting records?
Music has always been part of my life and my identity to an extent. I spent my pocket money on tapes and CDs, taping songs from the radio, making mix tapes, following my favourite bands around, and bopping about in mosh pits before discovering dancefloors and beats later in my teen years.
I started collecting records when I decided to learn to DJ, as this was the format people played on. This was about 25 years ago, before the shift to CDJs and controllers, so club setups were vinyl.
Coming back to DJing in the last few years, club standard is not vinyl anymore, but it has been great to see renewed interest from younger people and the continued love from those who have always enjoyed it. There is also the collectability of it, and it makes a great gift.
Recently I have started sharing personal stories and memories around my records, mostly from the Y2K electronic era. People really resonate with them, and it has been so warming and beautiful connecting a community globally around the shared love and experiences of that era of dance music.
What is it about vinyl that you love most?
The tactile experience of hunting for a record and playing it for the first time – the physicality and the connection you feel to the music. There is something intimate about holding a record, flipping through sleeves, seeing the artwork on the cover and labels, and actually feeling the music vibrate through the deck. Sometimes discovering a lesser known version or a hidden B side is part of the magic too.
When I DJ now it is mainly digitally. There is obviously a lot of practicality and ease with using a USB compared to carrying a stack of records, but I do miss that pre and mid set rummage through the bag.
“For me, every set is about telling a story and taking people on a journey, and it’s especially fun when it’s one they didn’t expect to go on!”
When did you start DJing, and what got you behind the decks?
When I started going to clubs and really getting into electronic music, I had a go on a friend’s decks. I was really taken by the scene, the impact that a DJ could have on the dancefloor, and the craft really sparked my interest.
At 18, I managed to find a pair of second hand Technics 1210s in great condition. I taught myself to beatmatch and was instantly hooked. It definitely took time and practice. There were no video tutorials or YouTube back then!
When I moved to Manchester for university, it was the perfect time to lean into it. Parties everywhere and even more record shops to explore.
Later on, I worked at the BBC as a radio producer. Sharing and communication have always been important to me, whether through broadcasting or through music. There is a real magic to radio. It’s so immediate and personal.
I stopped DJing for a long time and only really threw myself back into it in 2024, and I have not looked back since. I think the history with vinyl that I bring to it has been really useful for what I do now. Looking back, I guess I have been looking for and wanting to share music since I was a child! It feels like the perfect evolution.
What can we expect from one of your sets?
I love blending house, deep and techy sounds with disco infused and percussive elements, moving through to bass house, UKG and speed garage. Depending on the set, I might also take things into higher energy, heavier territory.
I also love elements of acid, trance, hard house, electro, jungle and techno, which is where my journey with electronic music began, so those influences sometimes creep in too.
I often move between classics and fresh underground cuts. For me, every set is about telling a story and taking people on a journey, and it’s especially fun when it’s one they didn’t expect to go on! Ultimately, whatever the genre, if it moves me, I’ll share it!
What advice would you give someone wanting to try vinyl DJing?
Love for music is the starting point. Start with curiosity and immerse yourself in music if you aren’t already – get on the dance floor and listen to as many DJ sets – also on radio or online – as possible. Spend time crate digging. It is as much about discovering music as it is about playing it.
Learning about phrasing and how music is structured is key. Understanding how tracks are built and where things change is the foundation of mixing for me. Then practise beatmatching by ear.
Most importantly, enjoy the process. DJing makes you interact with records in such a deep way, and theres such a magic in blending two tracks together to shape something new, but also in a way that allows each track to shine at the same time.
What is the most prized record in your collection, and is there a story behind it?
The fact that so many of them have stories behind them is what makes them special. It is hard to narrow it down, but there is one particular track I first heard on the Space Terrace in Ibiza in the early 2000s. I needed to know what it was and managed to track it down in a record shop on the island. It ended up being the best kind of souvenir. About 20 years later, I heard Carl Cox play it again and it sounded just as good, and brought back all the memories and emotions from the first time! Music is so powerful like that.
What is your go-to crate digging spot?
In London, I used to spend a lot of time in places like Phonica and Fopp. When I lived in Manchester during my uni years, it was Vinyl Exchange and Piccadilly Records. I was buying a lot more regularly those days as I was a vinyl only DJ. These days, it’s only now and again, but it still brings me all the joy. I also enjoy diving into less obvious places. Shops that are not electronic specialists sometimes have the odd gem hiding away. Charity shops and car boot sales can surprise you too!
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