Lischen on life, success and being a top deejay

She is by far Namibia’s most popular female deejay. But when Lischen Khachas or Dj Luscious, as she is fondly known as, is not behind the decks she is a doting mother to her six-year-old daughter. The bubbly deejay with an infectious laugh was born in 1988 in Otjiwarongo and was raised between Otjiwarongo and Windhoek. “I had the best of both worlds. I was the eldest grandchild, so I lived with my mother in Otjiwarongo and then with her sisters in Windhoek,” she says. On Tuesday she was named as the Windhoek Lager Arts Ambassador at a gala event in Windhoek. “I am so surprised that people voted for me. I was honoured just being nominated, but there were so many other amazing people in the category. Even now, I can’t believe all the love I feel.” Lischen tells tjil that her interest in music started in high school, where she started performing. In 2006 she was at Concordia College in Windhoek, where she took the first bold step toward attempting to launch a career in music. Together with former radio personality Mufaro and once popular musician Rizzy, she started the group Crazy-e. They even had a music video out called Up In The Club. From 2007 and 2008 she, however, took break from music, as she was struggling to find a solid record label. Faced with the challenge of earning a living, she started doing odd jobs like bartending. “Even now I still enjoy making cocktails. I have no regrets... I had loads of fun,” she says. In 2009, Lischen enrolled at the College of the Arts for a Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering. Tragedy followed, when she also lost her mother. She graduated in 2012. It is while at the College of the Arts that she started trying her hand at being a deejay. Doors finally started opening for her and she joined Radio Energy as a news reader. After three, she was promoted to production technician. Last year she left the radio station to focus on her career and a DJ and on doing private gigs. “I was trained by DJ Paulo and he taught me to have a tough skin. And I am thankful for that, as it isn’t easy for a woman in this industry.” She said women get underestimated simply because their gender. “There were times when I wanted to cry. I would be asked to stop when my set isn’t even over. I had to work hard to be taken seriously.” Lischen said she has since started training other female DJs and is positive about local talent. “The only problem is that many young female DJs are in it for the fame and money, and when they see that that it is not as glamorous and the money isn’t flowing, they quit.” She says deejays often need another source of income. Asked what advice she has for aspiring deejays, she says the number one rule is to know all types of music genres. “Know your music, be open-minded and be patient. Just don’t give up.” Lischen is now working on her first House album that will be released this year and has moved back to Otjiwarongo, where she has been employed at the station manager of Equity FM. “I am just glad that my daughter and I are happy and healthy,” she adds. WINDHOEK GORDON JOSEPH