Jeftin James: ‘Our Events Are About Happiness’

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by Alexandra Mansilla

Jeftin James, Stick No Bills: ‘Our Events Are About Happiness’

28 Jul 2024

Just a year ago, Stick No Bills made their debut in Dubai, and now they are set to hit the stage at the Wireless Festival. Stick No Bills was founded by Aaron Ferns and Jeftin James when they met accidentally at brunch and decided to create something together. I have already had a great chat with Aaron (you can read it here), so I was excited to catch up with Jeff, too.

Luckily, Jeff and his wife Priti came to Amsterdam! We had a fantastic time chatting about Jeff's journey to becoming a DJ, the Stick No Bills parties, his plans for an absolutely new festival (wow!), and... dogs.

— Hey Jeff! Happy to see you in Amsterdam! Let’s start talking about your story. First off, you were really shy when you were a kid, right?

— Oh God, where did you find this?

— In the “What's the vibe” podcast!

— I was really shy as a kid. You know, on normal notebooks, you have a name pad, and if anyone asked my name, I didn’t talk, I'd just show them. I was that shy.

In the UAE, I went to a school in Sharjah. Our interaction with girls was minimal because we worked in a shift system. In the morning, it was only girls, and in the afternoon, it was just guys. We never had co-education, where boys and girls studied together in the same classroom.

The only time I would see or speak to a girl was on Fridays at church during Sunday school or catechism classes. That is the only time we interacted with them, but even then, we rarely spoke.

I was very shy initially, but now that has changed.

— How did you manage to change it?

— I was in Sharjah until 8th grade, and then from 8th grade until 12th, I was in boarding school in India. In boarding school, you have no choice but to adapt and cope with the environment.

My class there was co-educational, with boys and girls in the same class. I had to get used to it in a few weeks; there was no other way.

— But why did you move from Sharjah to India?

— I am not entirely sure, but I think my parents had a plan. First, it was my older sister. When she was in 8th grade, she moved from the UAE to India to attend boarding school. I think it was to teach us responsibility and how to live independently. In boarding school, you have to do everything on your own, without your parents around. It was probably to help us experience living alone.

Many kids born and raised in the UAE live in a bubble, thinking that is how life is everywhere. But it is not. When you travel, live, study, or work outside, you see the difference between other cities and a place like the UAE. It definitely helped me. I felt more responsible and independent. I am very grateful for that experience.

— Okay, I get it. You are an engineer, right? But you have never worked as one. Why did you study it?

— It is hard to believe, but it is true. There are a lot of stereotypes about brown kids going to college with the primary goal of making their parents proud. This stereotype often holds true.

In our culture, becoming a doctor or an engineer is the top preference, regardless of personal interests. For me, the goal was to become an aeronautical engineer. However, there was only one college in Dubai that offered this course, which was Emirates. Unfortunately, I didn't have the necessary grades or couldn't afford the fees to join.

The next best option was to pursue another type of engineering. I ended up at BITS Pilani, a prestigious institution from India that had a campus in Dubai. I completed four years of electronics and electrical engineering there. Although I did pretty well in my studies, I never actually worked a day in that field.

— But it helps you now I suppose.

— It does. After completing my electronic engineering degree, I pursued audio engineering for two years. It was very easy for me because the toughest subjects in audio engineering, especially the technical aspects, were things I had already learned in my first year of electronic engineering. So it was quite simple for me. However, if you asked me to fix a broken bulb, I wouldn't be able to do it.

— So, one day, you decided to become a DJ. At first, your parents weren't okay with it, but you invited them to your first performance to show them what you did. Could you tell me more about all of this?

— When I started DJing around 15 years ago, it was a cool profession and had been established for a long time. But in a city like Dubai, making it as a new artist was and still is really hard. If you don't know the right people, breaking into the market is tough. You could be a DJ doing smaller gigs, but landing the big gigs, big clubs, and big festivals was close to impossible. It is still the same now.

I started with smaller birthday gigs, company parties, and college events. By my second year in college, I was DJing for senior farewell parties and first-year proms. This built a small following in college. In my final year, I participated in a big DJ competition hosted by a major radio station in Dubai and ended up winning it. I invited my parents to the finals, and there were around 1,000 people in the club. Seeing their son win made them really happy.

Winning the competition opened doors for me. The club that hosted the DJ competition hired me as a resident DJ, which was a great experience because it was a very big club in Dubai. From there, opportunities kept getting bigger and better. It has been hard, but I am glad to be where I am now.

— Do you remember yourself 15 years ago?

— I have always been into music. When I was a kid, my dad enrolled me in keyboard classes, so I could still play the piano and understand music theory. My music theory knowledge is solid, and I can read music as well. During school and college, I was part of a band, which further fuelled my passion for music.

— What band was it? What was the name?

— We weren't that great, but we were still pretty decent. And yes, we had a name. Oh my god, this might sound so bad. I think our first band in school was called Sticks and Bones. You know why? Because we used to play rock music and loved Guns N' Roses. So, instead of Guns N' Roses, we named it Sticks and Bones. I am not even kidding!

For college, it was different. We didn't really have a name. We just took part in band competitions that were held in our college for our college people. The college band wasn't great anyway. But it started with that.

My parents have seen me progress from what I used to be when I started to what it became later. I have always been open to all genres of music. I love everything from rock 'n' roll to disco, including the current top 40 hits. The same goes for South Asian or Bollywood music. I have always loved mixing international music with our South Asian stuff.

But here is the thing, when promoters book you, initially, they are just looking to get the club packed and keep everyone happy. At the end of the night, all they care about is how much they have earned. In a lot of places, unfortunately, they see DJs as just jukeboxes. They tell you what to play, and you are just there to comply. That realisation made me unhappy and made me realise that, as a creative, I needed to take a step back. Especially since I am not new to this; I have been DJing for so long. When I started realising that promoters were booking me just to fill their roster and not for the music I wanted to play, I decided it was time to start something on my own.

And so, the new baby was born — Stick No Bills. Recently we have celebrated a year since we started.

— As I remember you met Aaron at a party, right?

— We randomly met at a brunch. I had never known the guy before. Funny enough, I had always known about their brand. I had always known what Karak Nights was because I had been to a couple of their events. But I had never met the team or the guys behind it.

So, there was this brunch where I was DJing, and he ended up coming with his partner. We were introduced by a photographer and a mutual friend. He stayed back for the brunch, and at the end of my set, he came up to me and said, "Oh my God, we need to talk. I think we can do something together.”

Now, people say Aaron and I are like brothers and act like golden retrievers, haha!

— He told me the same story!

— Yeah, and the rest was history. I am so glad that happened. It is funny, like I said, when COVID started, I decided that I wouldn't play for anyone else again. If I ever had to DJ anywhere for the public in Dubai, it would be something that I started on my own. And interestingly, I didn't do a single club gig in Dubai for three years — zero. The only gig I did was that brunch where I met Aaron. What are the chances, right?

I think it was good because when I decided to do that brunch, it was after a huge break. A lot of people who had been following me and knew of me decided to come for that brunch. So, there were a lot of familiar faces, and I also got to meet a bunch of new people.

— I was wondering, with your way of life, have you ever had moments when you felt down or lost?

— You know, now, we are shooting a documentary about our brand. It has been ongoing since our first gig. We have always had a camera crew following us, and we were recording one of the last episodes. The camera guy asked me, "Jeff, you only talk about the happy things in your life. Tell me about the difficult things." Honestly, I couldn't think of any. I am not even joking. I had to call my wife, who works in radio, while she was live on her show, and ask her, "When was the time I was lowest in my life?"

I remember one period. Those were the days of having to play on CDs. There were no laptops involved in DJing. So, I never put enough homework into playing at bigger clubs. My set would always be the same because, being a new DJ, you don't get to play the main set straight up. You always start as a warm-up DJ, then as a closing DJ, and finally get to play the main set.

I realised my warm-up sets were always the same. I had these three or four CDs, and I would just play the same tracks over and over. Then there was a time when someone in the crowd came and told me, "I come here every week for your nights, and you play the same stuff over and over." In my head, I was like, "You know what, that's right." Even though the club is packed, let's say there are 100 people, you are still playing to 100 people at the start of the night. They come early because they want to listen to you. That is when I realised I needed to put more hard work into my sets when starting earlier.

I got really into it. To this day, I still believe the warm-up DJ, who plays the first set of the night, is the most important DJ of the night. He sets the right mood for the main DJ to play. For my nights, I love playing from 9 pm until 11 or 12. You start slow, and whoever comes earlier gauges the vibe of what the rest of the night will be. In the middle of the night, if I feel like playing for 30 minutes or an hour, I do it. But I love playing the first set.

Additionally, it is kind of sad to see that Dubai, a city of so many cultures, especially third culture kids, doesn't have events that cater specifically to them. Even though there are many existing nights in Dubai, there is nothing where music, fashion, and art are the primary focus, with making money secondary. Our events are about happiness, and everyone who comes to the night is just smiling, happy, and feels a sense of belonging. It is something that has always been missing.

— That is really cool. I have talked with Wallace from House of Yanos, and he told me almost the same thing. They create events for people to enjoy and to feel home.

— I love that you said that. Speaking of this, one of the only other brands in the UAE that I can connect with is House of Yanos. I love that they have stuck to their mission to represent that culture and music scene without changing anything about it. I have been to many of their nights because, even though I don't know the guys well, I love to go just for the community they are building.

Since then, we have met quite often. I did a night for them called Bodega, which happens on Fridays. For International World Music Day, they booked me as an artist. And for our one-year anniversary we have taken Capitano and Toqsic to perform. We are manifesting that, hopefully, this year or next year, House of Yanos and Stick No Bills can do something together. That is our dream.

— Funny question: What music do you listen to when no one sees it?

— I do listen to a lot of pop. If I want to sing loud and let go, it is definitely 90s and early 2000s pop, maybe Backstreet Boys or Boyzone, Christina Aguilera, or Britney Spears.

But if I don't want to sing and just want peace of mind, especially when I am driving, I listen to a lot of jazz and more chill stuff.

— And what music awakens nostalgic feelings in you?

— I don't know if I sound old, but Backstreet Boys always have a special place for me. I'll tell you why. There are a lot of reasons. When I was in music school, like I mentioned before, one of the first songs I performed on stage during our annual day, where all the students' parents came to listen, was "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys. It was one of the first songs I played on the keyboard.

In school, we had a talent day for new students. I brought my keyboard and played "As Long As You Love Me." That was actually how the school got to know who I was. So, Backstreet Boys, definitely yes. But before that, I used to listen to a lot of Michael Jackson, Boney M, ABBA, and stuff like that. I would say early 2000s and late 90s pop.

— Now, your wife, Priti Malik. How long are you together?

— In August, we are celebrating 10 years of marriage!

— Wow, so cool! I am sure you have a beautiful story about how you proposed!

— Priti works for a radio station in Dubai. When it came to the proposal, I had a plan. Initially, I wanted to propose to her at the ice rink in Dubai. Looking back, I am glad I didn't go through with it. Firstly, I can't ice skate. Secondly, I would have been embarrassed with so many eyes on me. I don't like public attention.

So, I spoke to her co-host, Kris, about my plan. He advised me against the ice rink idea and suggested doing it live in the studio. I was sceptical at first, but Kris explained the plan. He said we could create a fake segment and surprise her at 7 am with me coming into the studio to propose.

The day X had come. I woke up early and went to the studio. I proposed to her live on air, which was incredibly nerve-wracking but so worth it. Thankfully, she said yes. The whole experience was stressful but absolutely worth it.

— Did she cry?

— Completely. She knew it was going to happen but wasn't sure when or how.

— So, Stick No Bills on Wireless this year. How did it happen? Did they invite you?

— They reached out to us saying they have this festival happening. For me, Wireless was the first festival where I saw South Asian artists performing alongside global names like Travis Scott. It stuck with me because it showcased such a broad range of talent, including local artists and DJs from the region. That was phenomenal and something I'd never seen in this region.

So, when they contacted us, they mentioned they have been following our work and thought it would be amazing to have our representation at the festival as a local act. I was really happy and shocked they reached out. For our brand, a local one, to be asked to represent on such a huge international stage is something we never dreamed of. We are very grateful and blessed it happened. We now speak to them often to ensure our brand fits well with the festival programming. We are super excited for November. It seems far away but it'll be here before we know it. It is huge for us.

I remember signing the contract and hinting at Aaron but not telling anyone else. My wife knew, but besides that, no one else. I am very cautious about jinxing things. I have had situations before where initial inquiries excited me but never came through in the end. So now, I wait until everything is confirmed and the contract is signed before I share the news. And I still believe in that approach.

— And you mentioned his documentary about Stick No Bills. When is it going to be released?

— We are working on it right now. In the coming months, we'll have more content. It is basically the story of the brand — who we are. A lot of people come to our nights to celebrate culture and music, but no one really knows why the brand stands apart from the others. We have a very beautiful and deep story about how this whole thing came together and the behind-the-scenes efforts that got us here.

Each night, the things that happen before showtime are a lot. We are at the venue from around 2 PM and don't go back home until 3 AM. People who come to the night are there from 9 PM or 10 PM and leave at 3 AM, which is still a long time. But converting a restaurant into what we do takes a lot of planning, time, and effort. We want to showcase a little bit of that — the story behind why we do this and who we are.

The one thing missing from the brand right now is a sense of connectivity between the people who run it and the audience. We have that connectivity during the night. We believe that the crowd and the DJ are one. If I am DJing, the crowd is right in front of me. There is no separation where you can't talk to the DJ. We don't have VIP tables. It is purely about the music.

I feel that is what makes our events special. It is personal to all of us. There is a lot of planning and personal touch that goes into each event, and that is the beauty of what we are doing.

— How are you going to develop Stick No Bills? What are the plans?

— We have our dates pinned down until the end of the year. So far, everything we have been doing in terms of music has focused mostly on local artists. This includes myself and another DJ, GT, who are the backbone of the music scene at Stick No Bills. Besides that, we have reached out to other local DJs in the region. Interestingly, most of them aren't South Asians. One is, but none are specifically Indians or Pakistanis, which is funny because we aim to showcase a mix of South Asian music with international finesse.

For example, we booked 1takennandos from the brand Green Room in Dubai for Diwali last year. In January this year, we booked a Jamaican DJ, Ranger, one of my favourites in the city. We also had a night at Iris with a brand called If You Know, You Know and collaborated with a huge brand from New York called Indo Warehouse at Barasti. But our personally hosted nights have always focused on local talent to help people understand the niche music we are delivering.

I know there are many people who go for typical Bollywood nights and might hate our nights. But that is okay. You can't make everyone happy. The crowd that listens to our music either loves it or doesn’t. To make people understand, we have stuck to local DJs for now. But since we have been around for a year and people know our music style, our aim for the next 12 months is to start getting DJs and artists from around the globe who play similar music.

Besides that, we are manifesting an expansion. We'd like to do a show in India, maybe a mini tour, and then expand to different parts of the world like Africa, London, the US, or Amsterdam. That is the long-term plan. We don't want to rush; we want people to come for Stick No Bills, not just the venue. It will take time to reach an international audience, but we want to do it right.

For example, if a brand like Boiler Room is hosting an event, everyone knows what to expect, and they go for the experience. Similarly, Soulection is an international brand that started locally. People attend to the brand itself. We want Stick No Bills to reach that level, even if it starts small with 500 or 600 people.

The big dream is to have a small boutique festival in Dubai in two years. It doesn’t have to be huge, maybe for 4,000 or 5,000 people, but curated really well. That is the long-term dream we are working towards, and hopefully, it will come true.

— Who do you want to see at this festival?

— Firstly, I would love to connect with some collectives around the world that do similar stuff to what we do. One of them is a brand called No Nazar, based out of LA. I have been following their DJs and the brand for a very long time. In fact, we play a lot of their edits and mixes as well. A major part of our effort should be to bring collectives from around the world that do similar things to what we are trying to achieve.

Another collective is AfroDesi, based in London. They host nights in various parts of the world, including LA and New York.

— What city would you like to return to?

— I am going to give you my top three cities I have visited. And I am not just saying this because you are here, but Amsterdam and Berlin are two of my favourites. And, of course, New York. I love New York.

— Why do you like Amsterdam?

— I have been coming here once a year for the past few years. I think it is the freedom here — no one judges you, and you get to be yourself.

I enjoy the vibe here. In Amsterdam, we have tried two places that I am very happy about. One was the Rijks. The food at Rijksrestaurant was incredible. For my birthday, we went to Momo. We were staying in the same hotel, so dinner was phenomenal as well. We have enjoyed so many smaller things, too, like the bakeries, cheese, waffles, wines, and pancakes. I am absolutely thrilled with everything.

Instagram: @djjeffdxb

Disclaimer: the following part of a dialogue is a conversation of two dog owners. So, just bear with us! — I have a dog. You have a dog. We need to talk!

— So, my dog is now 3 years old; he just turned 3 in June. His name is Duke. Since we live in Springs, we call him Duke of Springs. He is the cutest boy ever, and we miss him so much whenever we are not with him. We can’t wait to go back to the park with him.

We got him as a puppy three years ago. A friend of ours had a litter of puppies but was moving to Sweden permanently, so she needed to find homes for them. We were lucky enough to get one of those puppies.

— And before Duke came to your family, were you thinking about having a dog?

— We were thinking about getting a dog eventually, but not so soon. Our friend was leaving for Sweden in two weeks and needed to find homes for the puppies quickly. She told us we had two weeks to decide, or she’d have to give them to someone else. Even though we weren’t planning on getting a dog so quickly, we went ahead with it, and we are really happy now.

— How did your life change with Duke?

— After getting a dog, everything changed — completely. Even though I am a DJ, I now wake up at 5:30–6 every morning. My life is much more scheduled now, which I am very happy about. It wasn't like this three years ago. But yeah, it is great. I get to spend a lot of time with him. Unconditional love, right?

Actually, my wife was really scared of dogs. She was terrified of any kind of animal. But then she went through hypnotherapy sessions. During these sessions, a therapist helped her understand why she was scared of dogs and animals. After just two sessions, her fear of dogs completely went away.

— Is it true that a dog is a portrait of its owners?

— My dog is exactly like me. To start with, on weekends, if I am working, I sleep until maybe 7 or 8 in the morning. And I am not even kidding, he will sleep until 7 or 8 in the morning too.

Another thing is that he is very lazy like me, especially on weekends. He eats a lot. He loves meeting new people just like me. And he just wants to play and wants love and attention all the time. Just like me.

— And does he have something from your wife?

— I think his obedience and discipline come from my wife. For the rest of it, it is me.

by Alexandra Mansilla

Jeftin James, Stick No Bills: ‘Our Events Are About Happiness’

28 Jul 2024

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