Eliza Rose

Eliza Rose is proof that there's magic within UK underground club culture. The vocalist, producer and DJ is responsible for worldwide smash 'B.O.T.A (Baddest Of Them All)' — the track that soared to Number One and saw her crowned as the first female DJ to top the official charts in 20 years. But it didn't happen out of thin air: Eliza has long been circling London's clubs, festivals and record shops, cultivating invaluable taste as a selector. Now having collected MOBO and Brit nominations, plaques, magazine covers and a world tour, she's straddling both the underground and global superstardom.

An East London girl through and through, Hackney-born Eliza started working at Shoreditch's Flashback Records aged 15, something she credits for her varied ear today — along with childhood stints at music school CYM which offered cheap spots to those who, like her, were on free school meals. She found herself at Flashback on a work experience placement, initially blindsided by the old, white and male atmosphere but found treasures in the Billie Holiday, Esther Phillips and Nina Simone records that her muso coworkers recommended after hearing

her profess her love of Amy Winehouse. She ended up working there for 10 years, moving from working CDs to vinyl while amassing a knowledge of jazz, blues, soul, motown and lovers' rock.

Then there were the "sketchy" garage raves in the depths of Tottenham frequented by Danny Dyer that she'd hit up and clubs like Opera House, Rudolphs and The Alibi, sticking zeroes on her passport so the bouncers would overlook the fact she was underage. Later on, she caught a Willow set — it was the first time she'd seen a woman DJing and thought, 'I can do that.' Eliza was already getting addicted to buying vinyl, and to supplement that expanding collection she began taking DJ gigs at pubs and little bars, playing funk and soul to punters.

In April 2022 Eliza launched her Rosebud Recordings label in a bid to "be reflective of underground London" and challenge the male-dominated scene. Her own 'Move To The' single inaugurated it, a groove-laden chugger laced with her intoxicating vocals. Then came 'B.O.T.A,' which happened after she DMed Manchester producer Interplanetary Criminal to work together, and he sent back a flip of cult 1991 house hit 'Let the Beat Hit Em.' Eliza wrote the hook after being inspired by the line on a poster for Blaxploitation film Coffy, an ode to defiant women that would become the hit of summer 2022.