Biography

Leila Neve always seemed to have something different about her when going out clubbing in her native Burnley. The influence of the old 'Angels' still having it's impact on the local Dj's, she spent many an hour talking to them about music. But the major change in her, came with a belated birthday present in the form of a trip to 'Cream'. The room was the Annexe, the tune was 'Lady' and the the Dj in question was radio one, and legendary house spinner, 'Yousef'. The room absolutely went off and the crowd sang along in unison to the chorus. With a tear in her eye, she decided from that night on, her ambition was to become a Dj.

An introduction to a former Manchester 'Golden' resident helped to fuel her ambition, as she was given the chance to go behind the decks at Sankeys Soap, experiencing an "up for it" crowd first hand, where she also met Manchester legend Dean Wilson (Cream resident, Golden resident, Sankeys Soap, Ministry Of Sound, etc). It was Dean who followed her progress. Knowing that she wasn't being given any professional tuition, he kept tabs on her and listened to her tapes until he felt she was ready to play at his own night, Select @ Sublime in Manchester. After giving up his own slot on the night, and telling Leila he was off to play in London, he secretly hid in the club listening to her play. So impressed by her debut in a club, he asked her to play again the following week. While Select was a short lived clubbing venture, Leila had the privilege of playing with, and learning from, Dean Wilson, K-Klass, and Dave Haslam.

Following her Manchester debut, came a chance competition win by her boyfriend for dj tuition. He however gave it up to Leila, and she was automatically put onto the advanced course, with the promise of a gig in one of the club nights associated with the Dj academy. She sailed through the advanced course, with the accolade of being the first female Dj to do so. A club gig at 'House Down South' followed and, yet again, she tore the club up. This again, was followed by a re-booking and her name was put forward by the academy for the television programme "The Joy Of Decks". Though she didn’t get through to the final eight, she was in the top twenty, and labelled as "one to watch".

Never one to give up, she followed on from her previous achievements by entering the Circus competition, which is run once a year, as part of Yousefs aim to give something back to the clubbers. She was one of three winners and the only female competition winner so far, she then had the great privilege to play at house club of the moment, Circus, for her mentor, and inspiration, and the man most directly responsible for her wanting to do this job, Yousef. Though pregnancy temporarily put Djing on the back seat, Leila was still invited to attend a competition at Lucid in Manchester, where she came in second in her heat.

The one thing about Leila is, that she plays her own thing. Never compromising her style or choice of music; even on a warm up slot, she famously told Dean Wilson on his own night "I'm here to warm up the crowd.....Not the decks!" She's stuck to the rule of only playing in clubs, and for her it's worked. The gigs have been few, but well worth the wait. If you want funky, jackin' house music mixed with balls (so to speak!) then Leila Neve is the Dj for you! As many people have said in the past, "she's one to watch".