Team Brisk Streamer of the Week: Becky Saif

This week we head to Sheffield, UK as we speak to the award winning Queen of UK Drum & Bass, the legendary Becky Saif! Read on and find out more…

Where are you from and where are you living now?

Sheffield, UK and I still live here

What’s your equipment list? (one for the tech heads!)

Pioneer CDJ2000 Nexus 2 (pair)
Pioneer CDJ3000
Pioneer DJM900 Nexus 2 mixer
Shure SM7B Mic
Sennheiser HD25 Headphones

Where did your musical journey begin?

I was always interested in music. At age 7 I would play with cassettes, recording music from one cassette to another and listening back to it. Music and science were my biggest passions at school. Funnily enough, they still are. I can play the clarinet and drums and used to play them both in the school bands. I remember seeing Cubase production software in music class but I didn’t really understand what it was at the time.

What made you decide to take up DJing?

I started working for my local radio station as a technical operator. I wanted to be a Radio Presenter. I hosted my first radio show at age 17 and landed shows on national and international radio stations. It was a natural progression to explore DJing as a skill to do alongside my work in radio. 

What are some of your interests/hobbies/passions outside of streaming/DJing?

Here’s one many people won’t know about… I love orienteering. I have a thumb compass, running shoes with spikes, the jerseys, knee length socks, shoelace tape… the whole lot! I love everything about it – nature, competition, running alone, endurance, navigation, getting lost in the wilderness and racing against the clock. Other hobbies include watching sci-fi films, hiking and traveling. I also volunteer my time to support the homeless and to help people struggling with drug addiction. I’m passionate about using my time and experience to help other people out of the darkness, so that they can live the life they truly deserve. 

When did you start streaming on Twitch? 

I’m a pandemic streamer. March 2020.

Is there anything you really hope to accomplish in your life, whether it be related to music or not?

Music, in particular Drum and Bass, gave me a reason for living. I was a very depressed and suicidal person 10 years ago. I didn’t want to be here. Drum and Bass gave me a hope for something more. It gave me a family. There’s so much that comes with music – love, connection, friendships, emotion, hopes, dreams, purpose, a sense of belonging, community. 

Now it’s my turn to give back. I’m currently scaling my online education business to help as many people as possible to learn the skills they need in order to better themselves and have power over the direction of their lives.

Who are some of your favourite streamers? Why?

Char_dj – she is an inspiration to me. She’s also one of my best friends. Like a partner in crime. She completely gets me and I get her. I adore her professionalism and authenticity on stream. I don’t think I would be half of the woman I am today without Char. She reignited my purpose in life. She also handles those 4 decks very well 😉

dawnperignon – she’s hilarious. I love this girl. She plays great music (no matter the genre) and is another inspirational woman. Her streams are always a good time. She’s full of fun and has a great attitude to life. There’s a fearlessness to Dawn that I admire.

chadryce – I love this guy. He’s hilarious and genuine. He’s not shy of self-deprecating and I love that. I’ve personally found that self-deprecating humor helps neutralise negative information about myself. I’m definitely drawn to this type of character. Chad is a beautiful, authentic soul who seeks genuine connection.

What is your favourite genre to play? Why?

Drum & Bass – obviously. I love the array of sub-genres in DnB. There’s a sub-genre for every mood. It’s also the most difficult genre to mix well. I seem to like challenges in life.

What are some of the most memorable events you’ve participated in or streamed?

The first time Char raided me. I told the stream about the fact that I had been hormonally crying the night before because of a trauma story where my Dad got rid of my favourite Duplo toy when I was a kid. Within 10 minutes they had raised enough money to buy it back. It was now a collectors item, at a much higher cost and had to come from Germany. I was shaking while opening it live on stream. I can no longer access my trauma story. No matter how hard I try, the thought of my dad taking my toy from me no longer affects me.

The day I got Partner was pretty crazy. I sent my application through and the next day it was approved. Sharing the news on stream felt surreal. It was a whirl-wind 48 hour journey from applying to announcing it. Everyone was there and I will never forget the love I felt on this day. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I drank an entire bottle of alcohol free champagne at 10am and didn’t get drunk.

Recently, for Rux. It was such a difficult stream to do but I felt that I had a responsibility to turn up and do something for him, his friends and the people who knew him through streaming. It was really hard but I’m glad that we did that for him and for ourselves. When life happens, we need each other. RIP Rux. It was a pleasure to know you mate.

What does Team Brisk mean to you?

It’s a family of like minded individuals who have a shared common goal. Not only that, we support each other and have shared values. It’s people supporting people. Life isn’t supposed to be a solo mission. Team Brisk feels like home.

What’s your favourite thing about DJing on Twitch?

The human connection. Music for me has always been about connection. My pre-pandemic was more about gigs and connecting to the dance floor. The dance floor would remain strangers however. Streaming on Twitch opened up the opportunity for deeper connection. You get to know the people on Twitch and build long lasting relationships on a global scale.

What is a challenge you’ve faced as a DJ/streamer?

Playing DnB in itself is a challenge. It’s an incredibly fast and technically difficult genre to mix. If you take a look at house music DJs when they play at a gig, they often have time to converse with friends and pour drinks. It’s not like that in DnB. The DnB DJ is often head down and heavily focussed. Combining that with streaming is insanely difficult. You now not only have to maintain the same level of skill and performance but also engage with a fast-paced chat.

Do you have any special projects, streams or events you would like to tell us about?

Yes, I have a huge project that I’m about to announce. I’ve been working on it for the last 5 months. It’s been painful at times, with the amount of technical difficulties and the amount of editing, but it’s finally here! I will soon be releasing the pre-sale of my very own DJ Course. I’m so excited to share it with the Twitch family and to get back onto my YouTube channel. I’ve not posted on YouTube in the time of me building the course. It’s going to get a complete overhaul and will include DJ and self-development content, as well as the existing music production videos. I’m very excited to get back into it all.

Is there anyone you’d like to shout out and/or thank?

Thank you to everyone who has come to spend time in my stream. Thank you to the moderators for their selfless contribution. Thank you to Team Brisk and to my adopted family full of love and support in all corners of the world. We are in this together and I’m stronger because of you.

Give us your links!

Website : https://beckysaif.com
Courses : https://nomi-music-studio.teachable.com
Discord : https://discord.com/invite/38kfrqM
Twitch : https://www.twitch.tv/beckysaif
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/beckysaifmusic
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/beckysaifmusic