Whether it’s the darker side with Sleaze Ball or the greener side with Earthdance, this DJ knows exactly what gets a party going, writes Devi Noronha.

The first Sleaze event that DJ Sveta attended opened her eyes. 

“I saw some live fetish and sex shows behind the wall fringes in the old Dome and was really intrigued by the darker side of the queer world,” she tells SX.

So it should come as no surprise that when asked to play at Sydney’s biggest costume party this year, it will be ‘darker side’ of music she’ll be subscribing to.

“I play less mainstream music at Sleaze Ball and certainly try to create a ‘sleazy’ atmosphere,” she says. Thus expect sounds that’s “bass heavy and on the dirty side – whether it’s tribal, burlesque, electro, booty bass, house or rock”. 

A professional to the core, Sveta eschews pre-planning gigs with a prescribed list of tracks, and instead allows her sets to evolve organically.

“My style changes with the nature of every single gig that I do so that I can be responsive to the mood of the crowd in real time,” she says. “That strategy carries risks but the payoff, when it works, is amazing!”

And Sveta should know, having played at events like the Big Day Out, Mardi Gras, the MTV Awards after-party and New York’s famed, Mr Black.

Music has been in Sveta’s blood for as long as she can remember, starting with collecting records at the age of ten. To support her vinyl habit, she worked at four jobs throughout high school.

Now, more than a decade later, she is considered as one of Australia’s top female DJs.

Yet, despite her success, Sveta is under no illusion about the place women hold in the industry. “I definitely think that us ladies have a career glass-ceiling in the DJ world,” she says.

“But I’ve come to the conclusion that as long as I keep ignoring it, make myself and other people happy artistically and encourage others, I build something greater than success – I build a supportive community.  It would be great for women to be seen as ‘great DJs’ and not just ‘female DJs’ – and to keep nudging that ceiling up ever so slightly!”

And raising the bar is exactly what Sveta has planned at this weekend’s Earthdance, an event that as close to her heart as Sleaze Ball. “They often emanate a beautiful communal feeling, especially if you have environmentally-minded people celebrating it,” she says.

“I think as a society we are beginning to become increasingly aware of just how immediate and huge the challenges are to the state of our environment and our future. Events like Earthdance allow us the opportunity to raise public awareness and enjoy our environment together.

If you want to catch Sveta at Sleaze Ball, here's the full DJ line-up:

Sleaze Ball has a villainous line-up of DJs this year, both in the Hordern and the Forecourt. But you need to know who’s on where and when, so here you go:

Hordern

Forecourt

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