Turning Up the Volume: DJ Kimberley K on her career journey so far
Kimberley Anne, also known as DJ Kimmi K, started her DJ journey 18 months ago but music has always been a big part of her life. She is classically trained and played piano since the age of 7. She always knew she would end up working in music one day.
Before DJing, Kimberley spent 10 years working in the NHS and decided to change career and open her own bridal shop. During COVID, she went through some huge life changes, closing her shop, having her first child and going through a divorce, which led her to finally take the leap and follow her passion.
After her divorce, she started working part time for an entertainment company and asked her boss to teach her how to DJ. “He gave me some decks to take home, and I just played and experimented on them all the time. It went from there,” she says. The company mostly focused on weddings, but Kimberley knew that was not the scene for her. She loves house music and wanted to play that genre of music. Her first gig was a Christmas drinks reception at a 5-star hotel, which she did in exchange for a free stay, and from there things really started to snowball.
Even though the DJ world is super competitive and still very male dominated, Kimberley says being a woman in the industry has actually worked to her advantage and helped her stand out. Now she headlines at Sexy Fish in Manchester every Saturday night and also has residencies at 20 Stories and The Ivy Asia, both in Manchester. She has worked for world renowned brands such as Jimmy Choo, Balmain, Bentley, Rolls Royce to name a few.
Manchester has always had a strong connection to music and that legacy definitely lives on today. The city has a real love for dance music and nightlife, with venues of all sizes bringing in fresh energy every weekend. It is an exciting place for DJs, with everything from intimate underground nights to big club events happening across the city. Kimberley is right in the middle of it, regularly performing at Manchester’s top spots. These venues draw in a lively, mixed crowd and give her the perfect platform to showcase her love for house music in a high energy, glamorous setting.
Finding a good work life balance is not always easy for Kimberley. She shares custody of her 6 year old son and travels around the UK and internationally for gigs so life can get pretty full on. “You’re just on the go all the time but I like that,” she says. Because a lot of her DJ work happens at night and on weekends, she also books corporate or sporting events during the day, just to keep things a bit more balanced.
Outside of DJing, Kimberley also models. After her divorce she knew she needed to bring in some extra income to support herself and her son. She had done some modelling when she was younger and had plenty of experience from doing bridal shoots for her own business, so joining an agency felt like a good way to earn a little extra.
Kimberley highlights how she is always on the lookout for new music and wants to play what she loves. “I never really play the same set twice,” she says. “I’m always thinking how can I improve my sets?” Kimberley expresses how important it is to keep her mixes updated and offer a different experience for people who hear her sets regularly.
One of her goals for this year was to DJ abroad and she has successfully secured a few sets in Ibiza. “I couldn’t believe it, to be honest,” she says. A big thing for Kimberley is to expand her experience with performing boat parties, beach clubs and festivals to get her music out there and networking is key to securing more exclusive gigs. This summer her time will be split between the UK, Ibiza and Marbella.
To aspiring DJs, particularly women looking to enter the industry, Kimberley advises to always be yourself, prepare well for your gigs and play the music that you love. “Everyone’s got to start somewhere but it is really important that you don’t fall out of love with it and keep going.”
Find out more about DJ Kimmi K here.
