From Pharmacy To Gigs. Interview With Noor, the DJ

by Alexandra Mansilla

From Pharmacy To Gigs. Interview With Noor, the DJ

31 May 2024

Noor has only been DJing for two years, but it feels like much longer. He is almost everywhere: playing at The Giving Movement stage at SoleDXB, HypeBeast’s BRED Festival in Abu Dhabi, Wireless Festival, and The Meydan World Cup Concert. And that is just the beginning.

Did you know Noor was a pharmacist? He studied Pharmacy and worked in a pharmacy before deciding to leave it all behind to pursue music. He shared with us his journey, his dream of opening his own pharmacy, and the toughest period in his life when he lost his younger brother.

— Hey, Noor! You are Sudanese, born and raised in Dubai. Tell us a bit more about your life before you became a DJ.

— Yes, I have been living here for 25 years. I went to school and then university here. My parents live here too.

Both my parents are from Sudan. My dad was a pharmacist, continuing his father's job back in Sudan. He moved around a bit and studied pharmacy in the Czech Republic, where he worked for Pfizer. Then he moved to Sudan and, after that, to Dubai. That is when he settled down in the house I am staying in now with my parents.

My mom worked as a teacher and taught special Arabic classes. She taught kids who were foreigners and wanted to learn Arabic. She did that for almost three years before she stopped working. She chose this way to be next to my brother, who passed away two years ago.

As for me, I studied Pharmacy for five years at the University of Sharjah. Then, I worked as a pharmaceutical sales rep for about two years, mostly driving around the Northern Emirates. At the same time, I took up DJing as a hobby. I remember going to a club called Industrial Avenue back in the day. There was a DJ 1takennandos, who inspired me. I saw him and realised that I wanted to do what he was doing.

I bought a small mixer and started mixing for fun at home. It was a stress relief for me. At first, I was terrible, but I kept at it. I remember texting 1takennandos on Instagram, and he never replied. But one day, he did, and I was so excited. He gave me advice and encouraged me to post my first mix, even if it wasn't perfect, so I could track my improvement over time.

I posted my first mix and kept posting. I remember travelling to Zanzibar and getting a few gigs, which was my first international experience. It was fun, even though I didn't get paid. When I came back to Dubai, I saw a post from Urban Market, a thrift store, looking for a DJ. I hit them up, and even though they weren’t paying, it was an opportunity. I played music while people shopped, and it was really fun.

There, I met Kirsty, the founder of That Dubai Girl. She became a close friend and helped me get more gigs. She helped me to get my first big opportunity to DJ — Meydan World Cup. A week before the concert, my younger brother passed away, so that was very tough. But I knew he would have wanted me to do it, so I did. After my set, I just lay on the floor backstage for 30 minutes.

That experience made me decide to quit my day job. I got a few residencies and gigs lined up in the city. It was a big step into the unknown, but I knew I had to chase what I loved. So, I quit my day job and decided to figure it out step by step.

Faada Ranger, 1takennandos and Noor. Instagram: @noorthedj

— That is quite tricky.

— Yeah, DJing is definitely not a stable job. It has its ups and downs, but then again, nothing is stable. That is what I keep telling myself: nothing in life is stable. You don't know what will happen tomorrow or even an hour from now. So I thought, you know, let me just take that leap. Whatever happens, happens. I just know that I love what I do, and people love what I do. So I was like, you know what? Let me just do it.

— Have you ever regretted that you leave it that you left it?

— Honestly, never. I am very happy with my decision. I have never thought back to it, but some days I hope I will get back to it. The joy of helping people was indescribable. I love DJing, but I love pharmacy too. Hopefully, one day I will have enough money to build my own pharmacy. That is the dream.

— Let’s picture it right now! What will it be like?

— I want to build a small clinic with a pharmacy on the side, mainly for disabled children and elderly people. They would get free medications and checkups. I know how expensive medications could be, so I want to help.

This clinic would prioritise providing essential care and medications for these groups. The details are still in progress, but that is the core idea.

Photo: Noor's personal archive

— Can I ask you about your brother?

— He was handicapped. He had complete brain damage.

— How old was he?

— He was 16 when he passed away. Before, he was hospitalised. The thing with children or people with brain damage is they get a lot of diseases, mainly respiratory diseases. Whenever they get phlegm or sputum, they can't spit it out naturally like we do. They need machines and suctions. So, my brother had a severe respiratory infection. He had these a couple of times every year. A year before, he got treated and got better as usual. But the last time was different.

He was hospitalised in Ras Al Khaimah, the only hospital that accepted him. It was during COVID days, and the hospital in Dubai with free treatment for disabled children was closed due to being filled with COVID patients. So he stayed in Ras Al Khaimah for two to three weeks until we got the call from the hospital. It was midnight, around twelve o'clock. I remember that very well.

They just called my parents and told them to come. My parents called me and my brother and told us the hospital needed us there.

So we were on our way, and I think my mom was the first to realise something was wrong. Then they called her again and asked her to bring passport and Emirates ID of my brother. That was when it started clicking. I wasn't on the phone, but I could tell something wasn't right.

We were mostly worried about getting into the hospital because, during COVID, they required COVID tests to enter. Ras Al Khaimah hospitals were very strict about that, so we waited for the results before getting into the hospital. But sadly, once we reached, that was the least of our concerns. The security guard looked at us and said, "Are you Zain family?" We said yes, and he looked at us and said, "I'm so sorry."

The drive to the hospital was the most hectic drive I have ever had in my life. We reached there, and it took a long time to recover from that. It still feels like you will never forget it, the scenes and the feelings. It is not easy, but life moves on. We all know we are going to die one day. Once you accept that fact, it doesn't get easier, but you just move on.

The toughest part was for my mom. She was with him 24/7 for 16 years. She had to do everything for him, from showering to daily care.

— How is she now?

— She is good, actually. You know, she is improving. She is better, definitely better than a year ago.

— I am really sorry to hear that.

— That is life. We can't do anything about it.

— Again, I am really sorry. Now, let's go back to DJing. So, one day, I had a conversation with Basil Alhadi, and he said that being a DJ is the toughest job ever. Do you agree with that?

— It is actually true! First, there is a lot of competition. There is a lot that happens in this industry that other people don't see. There is a lot behind the scenes when it comes to DJing. There are a lot of alliances, a lot of backstabbing, and, let's not forget, chasing your money. That is the biggest challenge: having to call every two minutes asking for your money.

I think everyone should start printing contracts and making venues sign them before doing a job. That way, you always have the upper hand when it comes to payment. These people are not going to change unless we change and start giving out contracts before we start DJing or working. It happens in every creative field. Start giving them contracts before starting your job, and don't be scared to file a lawsuit. That is my only advice: don't be scared. That is honestly the only thing you can do.

— You started DJing quite recently. Have you managed to read the crowd? During your gigs, have you ever noticed any not-so-good reactions?

— Honestly, when I first started, it was nerve-wracking. I remember I would start DJing, and my hands would start sweating. You forget everything you have learned, and you are just watching the crowd, making sure they move. But with time, you start understanding the crowd. The most important thing about DJing is reading the room. So you can switch between different types of music until you figure out what people actually want to hear.

When you have a large group, let's say you walk into a venue or club with a hundred or more people, you can play whatever, and you will see a group moving. But with a smaller group, you can switch up the music more easily and learn how to read what they really want to listen to. So, if I am DJing and I see a group not moving, I try to switch up the music, different genres, and different styes, until I get their attention. When I see some movement, I know I am doing a great job.

— Okay, so why magician [Noor’s caption in his Instagram]?

— I just wanted to be different because everyone is a DJ nowadays. In my head, I thought, "Oh, the way I can get people going from just standing still with a poker face to moving in a few minutes is like magic."

Photo: Noor's personal archive

— Could you please describe your DJ sets in a few words for those who have never been to your gigs? What should they expect?

— When I did my early sets, I loved going to 80s and 90s R&B. It is all about nostalgia. To you to a place where you remember music you thought you forgot, very old music that brings back memories.

During my main sets, I love dancehall music. One of my mentors, though he might deny it, is Raymond Ranger. He is Jamaican, and I got my love for dancehall from him. I remember watching him play and not knowing what genre it was. I listened to it a lot but never knew the name. Now, dancehall and reggae are my favourite genres to play. I started with afrobeats in the beginning and then slowly shifted to dancehall and reggae.

During my sets, it is like you are travelling to different countries. You get everything: reggaeton, dancehall, afrobeats, R&B. It is definitely a musical journey.

— What music brings back nostalgia for you?

— What people don't know is that I love old pop music. Like old Miley Cyrus, the Hannah Montana period. My desire isn't new, and I think it is fair enough for people to know. I love old-school Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Mike Posner, and Cee Lo Green. Most of my playlists consist of that.

Here is something about DJs: whatever they are playing in clubs isn't what they listen to in the car. After playing an afrobeats or dancehall set, I will get back in the car and probably listen to some Taylor Swift or Miley Cyrus during my drive home. It is very different. I love pop music, especially old pop music. That is what gives me joy.

— What are you working on now?

— Honestly, I would rather keep it to myself for now. I don't want to jinx it. I do have a couple of plans for the future when it comes to music, but at the same time, I am just gonna take it step by step and see where it goes.

by Alexandra Mansilla