BISOLA: A TALE OF A RATCHET SAFE PARTY
Usually, skipping class is frowned upon, especially if your A-Levels are right around the corner. In Bisola Otun’s case, however, the decision to skip her Maths lessons led her into the world of presenting and DJing, where she could combine her love for “music and speaking”. At school, Bisola “got in trouble all the time for speaking. [She] reckons it had to pay [her] at some point.” Fast forward to today, Bisola's iconic ginger locks have been a dynamic presence behind the decks for renowned brands like Red Bull, Chivas Regal, and JD, all while hosting her popular weekly show on Reprezent Radio. Catching up with WNDRLST to discuss her creative journey, Bisola is whimsical yet self-assured, unable to keep the smile out of her voice while expressing an innate passion for her craft.
Consistency and dedication were essential to Bisola’s journey into the industry. From the jump, she knew that maintaining relevance was of the utmost importance and “use the tiny bit of clout” she had at the time to her advantage. Following a 10 week course at Reprezent Radio, Brixton’s youth-led radio station, Bisola was offered a position as a broadcast assistant for Henrie Kwushe, the multi-talented KISS FM presenter. Citing Henrie as a key player in pushing her career forward, Bisola says, “when you first start out, I guess you want to impress everyone, you want to look a certain way, but she was just really good at her job, and I still admire that about her and how her talent just speaks for her.”
Many children of African parents are encouraged, and sometimes forced, to pursue a university degree. Believing that her experience had provided a solid foundation to chase her dreams, the idea of spending the next few years in higher education seemed redundant to Bisola. “I applied for deferred entry to study Maths and Music at the University of Liverpool, but, truth is, I knew I was never going”. Going against the grain, she opted for a gap year, straight off the bat immersing herself in Reprezent’s partnerships with prominent brands such as Nike and Adidas. Concurrently, she spun the festival circuit, programming for Lovebox, Parklife and Afropunk Festival. Treading an unorthodox path served Bisola well when she applied for a show at Reprezent Radio and secured a weekly lunchtime slot. “I had been at the station so often, and I had been working so hard, they could see that I really wanted it, so they gave me the show… And I think that’s kind of when things started getting really great. That was the moment.”
By 2020, defying conventional wisdom had proven to be a wise choice, as Bisola “had a couple great interviews, as one of the few people who got to speak to Pop Smoke before he passed.” But then the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the globe, cutting off revenue streams for creatives like Bisola. “As a young Black woman, particularly as a DJ, you’re never allowed to be bad when you start out. You have to be great straight away.” It was No Signal - the brand Recess’ subsidiary which started out as London’s Black Radio - who extended a lifeline to Bisola amid all the uncertainty. She became a regular host for their flagship show, the NS10V10 clash, a pivotal moment etched in the collective memory of Black London during the lockdown.
As the world started to open up once again, Bisola’s frustration toward the nightlife industry returned. Despite being one of the leading voices in one of lockdown’s success stories, Bisola wasn’t being booked nearly as much as for the sets that she really wanted to do, and the music played at the parties she attended were stale and repetitive. Following a conversation with a friend, Bisola decided to take matters into her own hands. From this, her eponymous parties were born. Sceptical at first, the idea came about mid 2022, but the first ‘Bisola’s’ wasn’t thrown until early 2023. “I remember I released the tickets exactly 14 days before the first party, and the whole time I was, like, it’s not going to sell out, nobody’s going to come. I’ve never had that much anxiety about one thing ever. Now this is my child. I’ve even got my name attached to it! This means a lot to me, and I need it to go well.” However, her first event almost sold out. “I had an extra 60 sales on the day. There were 20 tickets left, and I sold 10 tickets on the door.” Party goers were very receptive to the rap and ratchet sets played. Much to Bisola’s joy, one attendee said to her, “I just feel so free and so safe here.”
Most women would agree that on nights out they often feel worried about their safety. The risks mean that many can’t enjoy themselves to the extent they would like, and resign themselves to toning down their outfit choice. When it comes to the atmosphere, Bisola wants to assure attendees that “‘Bisola’s’ is not gender specific”. Nevertheless, she describes her parties as a “ratchet safe space”, where women in particular are encouraged to dance to their heart's content in a judgement-free zone. When it comes to what to expect music-wise, “the sets that are usually the shortest at a regular club are longer at ‘Bisola’s’.” By that, dedicate more time to the rap girls, artists like Megan Thee Stallion, the City Girls, and Lola Brooke who tend to only have snippets of their most popular songs played in the dance. As well as these ladies, expect to hear throwbacks that “make you want to shake your bum”, like old Juicy J tracks. It’s all about variety for Bisola. “You’re never going to go to ‘Bisola’s’ and hear five hours of straight rap, because I wouldn’t go to ‘Bisola’s’ for that. It doesn’t sound like a fun time!”
Still in its infancy, Bisola’s fourth party is part of the Halloween weekender, because when Halloween falls on a weekday, you get to celebrate all weekend, right? The theme is humorously titled ‘Don’t Scare the Hoes’, with the intention being that partygoers come as someone they’re not. She jokes, “I don’t think ‘Bisola’s’ will naturally attract girls who want to dress up as witches, but if you want to come as a Playboy bunny, this is the place to do that.” At this party, there will be more of a focus on dance and electronic music as well as strip club music, known for its infectious beats and brash and bawdy lyrics which will make you feel like you’re ready to slide down a pole in a strip club in the heart of Atlanta. Constantly thinking about how the event and space it creates for people can evolve, she wants ‘Bisola’s’ to be “truly reflective of what I think this group of people are going to enjoy.”
When it comes to the future, Bisola is thinking BIG. She wants to live her raps, essentially, and use ‘Bisola’s’ as a way to give a chance to women who are starting out in the industry. “The aim is to always employ women, the videographers, the DJs on the night are always women.” A year from now, she hopes to “create some sort of network where all the girls from ‘Bisola’s’ are constantly being booked elsewhere… and then another batch of girls can come through.”
There’s no doubt Bisola’s unwavering confidence and undeniable talent will propel her forward in her career. Her main personal goal for the upcoming year is “making the move over to a national commercial radio station.” She wants 2024 to be “a year of trying different things” and says, “this year I did a lot of things I didn’t think I would, and I want to just keep it going.”
