With over 18 years’ experience as a disc jockey and sound system selector, DJ Talia Powers has paid her dues on the Jamaican music circuit. She shows her skills Friday at the Iration Vinyl Series Female Selectors Edition, at 22 Oceanview Avenue in East Kingston.

DJ Talia has worked at Irie FM for the past 12 years. She hosts Early Irie which airs 2:00 am — 6:00 am on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday.

She points to the differences playing at a dance or function, from her radio gig.

“On radio when yuh playing you can feel the energy but you can’t see the immediate response of the audience. When you are out there playing, at a session or a stage show or whatever, you are seeing the response and you are feeding off the energy of the crowd and likewise, so it is a great dynamic and an amazing feeling,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Born and raised in St Ann, DJ Talia is from a musical family, which led to her career as a selector.

“Music was always my passion,” she said. “I was born on music avenue, music was all around me. My father was a musician and an engineer so I suppose it was automatic for me to pursue music. It was something natural,” she said.

One of her first big assignments was being the resident selector at Magaritaville, Ocho Rios, the first woman to hold that position. Although she has not faced many gender challenges as a selector, DJ Talia implores aspiring female sound system spinners to be passionate about the music, because the journey is not easy.

“You really have to love it because it is quite challenging at first, you have to be confident and dedicated. You have to keep getting better. If you are a female trying to compete with the men, it will be hard because it is still a male-dominated industry,” she expressed.

Other selectors on Iration Vinyl Series Female Selectors Edition are Yumi of Yumi Hi Power, Deejay Naz, Deejay Iset, DJ NHM and DJ Marshello.