May 28, 2020 |
If you’re an avid nightlife goer in clubs across London, there’s a 99.9% chance you’ve been on the dancefloor when Jodie Harsh was behind the decks. The undisputed queen of the UK club scene, Harsh has played every club, festival and fashion week party known to man. Towering in her signature chopped-bang wig, Harsh is known to slaughter the dancefloor with pure house anthems; the sort of tunes that leave your feet aching the next day from boogying too hard. Although we haven’t been able to go out and let loose for quite a while now, Harsh has been bringing a feel for the club to our living rooms on a weekly basis with her Harsh House Parties on Instagram live. And that’s not all. Harsh has also dropped an absolute banger called ‘Filthy Rich’, featuring Hayley May, which is the perfect sort of tune to dance around in your kitchen to.
“It’s an ironic bop about the fantasy we’re all fed about money being the route to happiness. It’s not, and I think people know that, but we sort of go along for it,” explains Harsh. “It can fix a lot of stuff and buy ‘things’ but it can’t get you to a place of genuine happiness! The beat sounds like a game show theme tune, I wanted it to be really jolly and summer sounding but with dark undertones.” In celebration of its release, we asked this dancefloor diva 10 juicy questions. Put on your dancing shoes!
1. What’s one tune that’s guaranteed to fill the dancefloor?
“I’m really into everything Duck Sauce are putting out right now. It’s A-Trak and Armand Van Heldon’s disco-house guise, and they make banger after banger. In the pop world, I just heard Jessie Ware’s new album and that’s going to be on repeat for the next few months. For a while I’ve been closing my DJ sets with The Boss by Diana Ross – everyone knows the words and it’s just so campy and fabulous.”
2. What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened to you whilst you were in the DJ booth?
“I mean, I’ve done it all – sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. In February, I DJ’d at a Brit Awards party and Noel Gallagher came into the booth, curled into a ball and went to sleep.”
3. What’s the most memorable party you’ve ever played at?
“The highlight of my summer is Mert and Marcus’ Ibiza house party, it’s always amazing. We all descend on the white isle for the weekend and they throw this mega rave in their stunning home that overlooks the sea. Last year I DJ’d that with Honey Dijon and the Martinez Brothers, I don’t think I went to bed that night at all. But there are so many memories, so many clubs, festivals. Wilderness festival in the countryside was stunning last year. I played in this huge valley and the DJ booth is suspended in the air above 10,000 dancing people, and the lasers hitting these huge oak trees was just a visual feast.”
4. What’s the best thing about being a drag queen?
“It feeds the ego. Getting to unleash creativity on your physical body through makeup and clothing. A licence to show off and misbehave.”
5. What’s the worst thing about being a drag queen?
“It feeds the ego. Sore feet and battered skin. We’re also on the front line of queerness and visibility which is an incredible privilege but also puts you out there as a target for people who aren’t open-minded. I know a lot of queens who have faced quite a lot of conflict.”
6. What’s your party trick?
“Social distancing and being the best DJ you ever did hear.”
7. If you had to change your signature hair-do to another, what cut and colour would you go for?
“I would rather die!”
8. Who is your biggest style icon?
“Hands down, Grace Jones. Style is as much about attitude and the way you carry yourself as it is about the clothing you’ve put on. She sums up the word ‘major’ for me – she uses clothes as armour which makes sense as her upbringing was so strict and difficult. She’s like a beautiful praying mantis, she’ll give you the best sex of your life then eat your head.”
9. What’s the funnest show to attend at fashion week?
“Moschino – the whole premise of the brand is the lighter side of life, the fun. I’m such a fan of the heritage of the brand and Jeremy Scott has really injected that back into the veins of the label. The craftsmanship of the collections is always incredible and the showmanship is unparalleled. There’s usually an after-party with the most fabulous people and I usually DJ those. I always wished I could have been at those early 1990s Mugler shows in Paris, the ones that lasted an hour and had hundreds of stunning sections and looks. The tribal house soundtracks, the sets, the supermodels, the metal corsets, the go-go dancers on podiums, James Brown singing at the end…everything!”
10. What’s the first thing you’re going to do after lockdown is lifted?
“Dance dance dance. I don’t want to have nights in for the rest of my life, I’ve used all those up in 2020.”
Photographs by David Vassalli. ‘Filthy Rich’ is out on all streaming platforms now.
