The former nightlife crowd of Zoetermeer undoubtedly knows her: DJ Miss Deedy, aka Wendy Pronk (44). For ten years she played from Hazes to house behind the turntable of Grandcafé Vrienden. “I used to play all sorts of things, but now I prefer to play accessible house music.”
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She is a born and raised Scheveninger. Yet she has lived in Zoetermeer from the age of four, and almost all her life. “With a trip to the neighboring municipality of Berkel en Rodenrijs, where I lived together,” says Wendy.
Tapping beers and spinning records
Wendy worked behind the bar at Youth Center The Point in Bergschenhoek. “I tapped beers there until a DJ stopped. I started playing CDs behind the turntable more and more. I liked that so much that I never went back to my place behind the bar.”
Beginning female DJ
Her relationship ended and Wendy moved back to Zoetermeer, to the Seghwaert district. There she met the owner of Grandcafé Vrienden. “I asked him if he could use a budding female DJ. He offered me that opportunity and in the end I played Miss Deedy on Fridays and Saturdays for almost ten years as a DJ.”
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Wendy turned from Hazes to house, but her love was mainly house music. Later she started playing in clubs throughout the Netherlands and organized Deedylicious parties: “I did that once in the quarter for which I invited starting DJs. As a beginner without a well-known name, you are not so easily asked. To help them, I invited them to turn around at my party.”
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Heavy bags with vinyl
Wendy mainly played CDs during her shows. “I thought at the time that I would see myself as a better DJ if I could play with vinyl. That is why I bought two new turntables with my first salary.” A friend took Wendy to record stores, including in The Hague, to buy new records. “We listened to records there and through his explanation in combination with a lot of practice learned how to play with vinyl. A friend would take me to my performances and he would carry my heavy bags with all my records.”
Now Wendy only runs with a USB stick during her shows. “Nowadays almost everything is digital, and with a USB you are just as much a DJ as you used to be. Playing vinyl may be a bit harder work, but I always enjoy doing both.”
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Same vibe
Wendy schedules the first three or four songs for her shows. But then she starts the game between her music and the audience. “I am often the opening act, so I adapt well to get people on the dance floor. I want to read the audience and feel if I’m in the same vibe as them. Am I OK? Am I going too fast? I adjust my songs and tempo again with every performance. At the end of my set it’s nice to see that most people dance and sometimes thank me afterwards. It is so cool to see the whole room go crazy!”
Feet in the sand
In her early years Wendy preferred the hard stamping, nowadays she prefers Soulful, Disco and Latin house. “I like to play at beach bars: feet in the sand, watching the sun go down. I now like accessible house music a bit more.”
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Run the world: girls!
Wendy notices that the world of DJs is largely determined by men. “As a woman, I notice that men are sometimes skeptical of female DJs. Sometimes I come in and see disapproving looks or a wait-and-see attitude from men. Then I think: just wait when I’m done and you see all hands in the air.” Later I saw that female DJs were increasingly DJing in bikinis or short dresses. That didn’t suit me, but because of that I noticed that fewer applications were coming in. I would like to see even more women behind the turntables and there should be more attention for my female colleagues.”
Shoot and occasionally rotate
Wendy currently works full-time as a food photographer and graphic designer. “I do my work as a DJ in addition to my job. I no longer have the ambition to work full-time. I can no longer sustain the combination of day and night life.” But for festivals and parties she will remain available as Miss Deedy: “Zoetermeer residents can see me performing this summer at the festivals Culinair Zoetermeer and Live at the Lake on the Noord Aa beach. I’m already looking forward to it!”
Who is the next Zoetermeer of the week?
Do you also have a special story? Or do you know a Zoetermeer that we really need to interview? Let us know at [email protected]. These Zoetermeers preceded you.