Words by Hannah Gordon
Featuring Nwanneka aka Plantainnchipps
Photography Bethany Grace
Styling Tamara Turnbull
Makeup MVB

A guest as delicious as today’s needs little introduction. She has swept Glasgow’s most recent festivals with her vivacious tracks and undoubtedly endearing nature, it’s no wonder DJ Plantainchipps is gaining swift traction in the city’s music scene. The multidimensional artist is also releasing her own recordings under her real name, Nwanneka, including her most recent magnetising single, Soil.

This ascending musician is also a recently, mid-pandemic, graduated English language and literature student. With the global brakes on performing and a shortage of graduate jobs, Nwanneka reflects on her perceptive navigation through her return to musical performance as well as why everyone should care about themselves more.

Firstly, I have to ask, how did your DJ name, ‘Plantainchipps’ come to be? Is there a story behind it?

‘Basically it’s one of my favourite snacks. Plantain chips are a really great snack. I think it’s mainly in places like Africa, Jamaica, and the West Indies where people eat it. But it’s just one of my favourites.’

Tell us about your artistic process as a DJ, and what inspires you?

‘For the most part it’s always been me going to gigs, going to see other people play and how they play, how they use the decks as well. Sometimes it’s watching sets online or on YouTube, from that I tend to just watch and think how can I make that my own. How can I try and do my own thing with that?’ 

Do you remember a specific point where you thought ‘this is it, DJing is what I want to do’?

‘To be honest I think it was just in my first year of uni. I had been to a couple of DJ nights and I was like “it must be pretty cool to be the one in control of all the music.” I just thought okay, if there’s an opportunity for me to learn the stuff, then I’ll go ahead and learn.’

Intrigued at her clear enthusiasm, I enquire about the least pleasant parts of being a DJ.

‘It’s actually just getting all the tracks, you know. To be honest, the easy part is playing. The hard part is like having to sit and get all the tracks, it takes so long. You’re gradually accumulating music, but it’s just irritating because of the amount of time and money it costs to get all this music. Being a DJ, you have to have thousands of songs, at least enough to last you maybe 6 months worth of work. So yeah, that is quite intense’

How was it not being able to perform over lockdown?

‘During the past year and a half, it has been quite different – and difficult. I think initially when I graduated from uni I thought “oh, I can DJ then, rather than doing the work. Then that just didn’t happen so it was kinda like, oh fuck, now what?” Then trying to find [DJ] jobs has been really hard, obviously during a pandemic you’re not exactly going to get a job quickly. But even then when you do get back into it, the anxiety you now have of performing in front of loads of people, even though you were so used to it before, it just creeps back and you’re like “oh no”’

Your music is really energetic, how does that vary when you aren’t feeling so great, do you have to push yourself into a more artistic head?

‘In the beginning of playing I’ll still feel a bit meh, but as it goes on, the feeling of remembering why I enjoy DJing always comes back and helps me. It reminds me “you’re in a good space right now, its fine.”’

What has been your favourite gig to do overall?

‘I think it was the GSA degree show party, that was just so much fun. I have a lot of friends from GSA and I knew the promoter as well. I think it’s because a lot of my friends were able to attend it, they were all egging me on. I just remember them cheering “YEAH” at me.’

Obviously, I have to ask you about your fashion as well, is there a link between your music and fashion?

‘It’s funny, because when I DJ I don’t tend to put in the effort into how I dress. But recently I’ve been thinking, should I actually try to put in some effort? I’ve seen other DJs and they do actually dress up, or they’ll put makeup on, spruce themselves up a little bit and I’m like- People are just here to see me play, not necessarily what I’m wearing. But I do enjoy dressing up as well, it does feel nice and I think generally I just decide what to wear depending on the day, depending on how I feel, but I have been thinking recently I should put more effort in’

When you’re creating music, is there anything you want to put across?

‘When it comes to producing the music that I sing and create it really does depend on the vibe of the track itself. If it sounds slow, the idea that I have or what’s linking it, like what the theme of the song is – I guess it depends on what I think about when I start writing. That’s when I can figure out what kind of energy I’m trying to put out. And then with DJing in itself it’s always to make people feel happy, or joyous, or just want to dance, you know? I want people to just completely forget about themselves when they’re at my set. I don’t want people to feel like “oh people are watching me, I can’t dance.” Just relax, just have fun and forget. I think sometimes there’s too much attention and focus on how you look, what you’re up to, just forget about that!’

What’s your dream performance, where would you like to play?

‘Oh wow, I’ve actually never thought about that. I don’t really know. I feel like anywhere that’s just going to be an array of people who are open minded to any kind of music. It doesn’t even have to be big, just a nice environment to be in.’

Finally, I ask her about one thing she thinks everyone should care about right now.

‘It’s interesting, there’s a few things I think people should care about. First of all, people should care about themselves. Not in a selfish way, but in a way of realising how you need to be self aware. Just generally looking after yourself, taking time for yourself and being aware of your thoughts, where you’re at and what you’re doing, stuff like that – it’s so important. It can stop you from projecting. Once you’ve taken care of yourself you feel a lot better and then communicating with others is easier, you’re not agitated.’

‘Also, I think you should care about the people around you, your friends and your family. This past year has been very tough for some people, and somewhat enlightening for others, but at the base of it we all need to just care about each other. I think one thing we have learned from our governments is that they do not care about us, so we’re gonna have to try and care for each other. We’ve all been taught individualism and to look out for yourself – not caring about anyone else – I get it, but it’s also not that productive when it comes to times like this.’

‘Just caring about issues that don’t necessarily involve you, putting yourself in other’s shoes. There are a lot of things that do need other people’s input and support. I guess it’s also insightful for everyone else to just have some kind of input that’s going to be positive – and beneficial to the people involved. You have no idea how much that could help them out. Just putting yourself in a position where you’re like “do you know what, I don’t know a lot about this but I’m willing to try and know, or at least engage with it.”’