DJ Decibella – Channel 4, Debutantes – 2007

Our very own DJ Decibella took part in channel 4 programme – Debutantes back in November 2007 

This was a collaboration with Transport For London and Channel 4 to produce a show that promoted road safety for teenagers. The TFL message was ‘don’t die before you’ve lived’, so our challenge was to capture this in an aspirational inspiring way. The final sequence features a bustling street scene and a stylistic ‘passing of time’ as we see the teenagers fulfilling their potential in the future ahead.

An aspiring DJ from Borehamwood has taken part in a mentoring programme in the hope of achieving her dream to become a professional radio presenter.
Sophie Shepherd, who performs under the name DJ Decibella, took part with five others in a documentary series for T4, the youth strand of programming for Channel 4, called Debutantes.
Miss Shepherd, 21, was mentored by BBC Radio 1′s DJ Nihal, who taught her about his job and gave tips on enhancing her prospects of reaching the top of the radio world.
The programme is a collaboration between Channel 4 and Transport for London (TfL) and follows on from the partnership’s Don’t die before you’ve lived’ road safety advertisements.
Miss Shepherd works as a box office attendant and has a Friday night slot on internet radio station Vertex FM.  She said:
 “Music has been my passion from as far back as I can remember. Doing my internet station is totally different from doing a proper radio show. I haven’t got a clue what’s involved”
“To be able to make a living from DJ-ing would be amazing. There couldn’t be anything better. My challenge on the show was to write, record and produce my own radio show. I learnt so much. I never knew how much planning it would take to do live radio, and the time it takes to put together a good interview”
“Nihal was great to learn from.”
In this new series of short documentaries, seven lucky people will have the opportunity to realise their dreams and show off their talents in front of an audience of millions on Channel 4.
And as they pursue careers in the creative industries, they will be privileged to have the guidance of an expert mentor.

Nihal – Radio

Radio Presenter, DJ, journalist and TV star, Nihal has been living for music since he started promoting rap shows in his native Essex, juggling this rather more starry role with his A Levels.

 

Since then he has been a music journalist for Asiana, Eastern Eye, The Face, Mixmag, Hip Hop Connection and The Observer. As a DJ, he has created his own club night, the popular Bombay Bronx, which has seen some of the biggest artists on the rap scene perform live.
 
With his knowledge of music and the industry second-to-none, Nihal enjoys helping new artists evolve and remains busy promoting music around the world.
 

DJ Decibella/Sophie

 
Radio 21 year old Sophie aka DJ Decibella has loved music for as long as she can remember. At present she has a job as a box office attendant to support her obsession – discovering new tunes and playing them to an audience, but she harbours dreams of turning it into a full time job.
Music, she believes, is what inspired her to do her own thing. After getting her own set of decks a couple of years ago Sophie wanted to do more than play to a crowd at her local club, so she got herself a Friday night slot on an internet radio station Vertex FM  which gave her a taste for working in broadcast and production.
Sophie is on the cusp of bringing her love of underground music into the mainstream, how will BBC Radio One’s DJ Nihal help her to realise this dream?