Seven years ago, DJane Mag told the story of a seven-year-old girl from the UAE who had just been named Numark’s youngest Ambassador. Asked about her dream, she answered without hesitation: to become a world famous DJ and win the DMC championship. That first feature was published by DJaneMag Brasil for DJane Mag Global.
Michelle is now 14. On 6 September 2026, at The Fridge in Alserkal Avenue, she was crowned champion of the DMC Middle East DJ Championships in the Scratch category, defending the title she won the year before. She was the youngest competitor in the lineup and the only woman. DJaneMag UAE was in the room, covering the night as a guest of DMC Middle East.
A few days later, with the approval of her father and mentor DJ Shock, we sent her the questions below: fourteen, one for each year of her life so far. They look back at that seven-year-old’s dream, and they are also addressed to the young Djanes who are watching her now: the ones still learning, still doubting themselves, still wondering if there is room for them in this industry.
Her answers came by email, and we publish them as she wrote them. Michelle grew up in the UAE, and this is where her DJ journey began. This is the first conversation of Djane Unplugged.
Interview conducted by email in September 2026, with the approval of DJ Shock.
The interview
01Seven years ago, when we first spoke, you were seven years old and had just been named Numark’s youngest Ambassador. What do you remember most from that time?
I remember being extremely excited. I was only seven, so I probably didn’t fully understand how special some of those opportunities were. I just knew that I loved DJing, loved being on stage and loved learning and practicing. Looking back now, it was a journey that has taken me much further than I could have imagined.
02Back then, you told us your dream was “to become a world famous DJ and win the DMC championship.” Now, at 14, you’ve won DMC Middle East two years in a row. What does it feel like to look back at that answer today?
It honestly feels crazy! I was seven years old when I said that, and at the time it was just a big dream. It reminds me that dreams can really become reality when you do what you love and believe in yourself. Winning the Middle East twice is of course a huge achievement, and it’s only the beginning for me.
03You were also the only woman competing in this year’s DMC Middle East lineup. What was that experience like for you?
Once I step behind the turntables, I’m not thinking about being the only girl. I am thinking about doing my absolute best.
Of course, I would love to see more female DJs competing in DMC and in scratch competitions. I think every girl who steps up and competes makes it a little easier for the next girl to do the same.
04You wrote a book at just nine years old about your journey. What made you want to tell your story so young, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
I wanted to share my story because I knew that there were other kids and even adults who had dreams but maybe didn’t believe they could actually make them happen.
I wanted to show that being a kid doesn’t mean you have to wait until you are older to start doing something you love. And if you feel that you are too old, it’s never too late to start following your dreams either. If you have a passion, you can start learning and developing it now.
I receive so many messages from people of all ages telling me that my story inspires them to believe in themselves and start doing what they love. This is amazing.
05Your Instagram community has grown from around 35,000 followers in that first interview to over 380,000 today. How has your relationship with your audience changed as you’ve grown up in front of them?
I value my relationship with each and every one of my followers. I can’t even call them followers. We are one big family that is united by music and art. Some people have literally watched me grow up, from being a five-year-old kid playing with turntables to competing internationally and becoming a DMC champion. I’m very grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout all these years.
06Your father, DJ Shock, has been by your side since the very beginning. How has your relationship as artist and mentor changed now that you’re 14 instead of 7?
I’m really grateful that my dad influenced my taste in music. He is still my biggest mentor, but our relationship has definitely evolved. Now I have my own ideas, my own musical taste and my own artistic identity. We still train together, and we even have some friendly scratch battles between us :). He is my Dad first, but he is also my biggest supporter.
07Between school, competitions and building your career, what does a typical week look like for you these days?
I’m studying at ICademy Middle East, an online school that lets me manage my time easily. I have enough time for scratch practice, content creation, events, trips and performances, but I also make sure I have time for my family, friends and things I enjoy outside of DJing like playing electric, bass and acoustic guitar, reading, skateboarding, surfing and more.
08DJaneMag UAE is building a community of female DJs across the Emirates, many of them just starting out. What would you want a younger Djane, maybe someone just discovering the decks like you once did, to know?
I would tell her: don’t wait for someone to give you permission to be a DJ. If you love music, start learning. Practice, experiment, make mistakes and keep going. You don’t have to be perfect when you start. And don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. Everyone develops at their own speed. Most importantly, don’t let the fact that you are a girl make you think that you don’t belong behind the decks. You absolutely do.
Don’t wait for someone to give you permission to be a DJ.
09You’ve competed and won in spaces where you were often the only girl. What do you think needs to change so that becomes less rare?
I think we need to create more opportunities and visibility for female DJs, especially young girls who are just starting. Sometimes girls need to see another girl doing it to believe that they can do it too. More female DJs competing, performing, teaching and being represented in the industry will naturally encourage more girls to join.
But I also think the focus should ultimately be on talent and passion, not gender. I want a future where seeing a girl in a scratch competition is completely normal.
10Is there a track, a set or a performance from these past seven years that you’re proudest of, and why?
My DMC performances are definitely among the moments I’m proudest of, especially my second championship because I had to defend my title. Winning once was a dream come true. Coming back the following year knowing everyone was watching and expecting me to defend the title was a completely different kind of experience.
And I’m also very proud of my Tomorrowland Belgium performance. It was my big dream to perform at this festival, but I knew there was an age restriction. Little did I knew that I would be invited to perform there at just 11 years old. Back then I was the youngest DJ who performed at Tomorrowland. It was unforgettable.
11Your early influences were Michael Jackson, DJ Qbert and DJ Snake. Who inspires you now, musically or otherwise?
DJ Qbert is still one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to scratching and turntablism. I’m also constantly discovering new artists and DJs, so my influences keep changing and growing.
My dad remains a huge influence because I see how much knowledge and experience he has after so many years in the industry.
Outside of music, I’m inspired by people who are extremely disciplined and passionate about what they do — people who keep improving even after they become successful and continue doing what they love no matter what.
12Back in 2019, you mentioned loving production, piano, dancing and painting alongside DJing. Which of those is still part of your world today, and has anything new been added?
Music is still a huge part of my world. Now I also play electric, acoustic and bass guitar. I still enjoy drawing and reading, and I’ve picked up some new interests over the years, like skateboarding, marine biology, Formula 1, football… I have different interests outside of music and they give me new ideas and inspiration that boost my creativity.
13As DJaneMag UAE prepares to launch its community platform for female DJs and the wider industry here, what would it mean to you to be part of that story?
It would mean a lot to me. I’ve grown up in the UAE and this is where my DJ journey started, so being part of a platform that helps build a stronger community for female DJs here feels very meaningful.
I would love to see girls supporting girls, sharing knowledge and collaborating.
It would be nice if younger girls could look at this community and think, “I can do this too.”
14If you could send one message to the seven-year-old Michelle who had just become Numark’s Ambassador, knowing everything you know now, what would you say?
I would tell her: keep going and don’t be afraid to dream big. Keep practicing. Keep learning. Stay true to yourself and to your love for music.
And one more thing — all your dreams, and even more, will come true one day. Just believe in yourself and keep doing what you love!