Between an eight-year DJ career, residencies at two of Taipei’s premier nightclubs, becoming the official spokeswoman for Pioneer Taiwan, and the launch of her debut album earlier this month, it’s no wonder fans have dubbed Cookie, real name Lai Hsiao-ting (賴筱婷), the “first lady of electronica.”
She emerged on the scene in 2001 when she began doing stage lighting design for 2nd Floor, a precursor to Luxy that operated from 2001 to 2004.
While there, she embarked on her own DJ career and when the club closed she started a residency at the newly opened Luxy.
photo courtesy of Lorenzo Emanuele Pierucci
She has played alongside some of the world’s best, including Tiesto, Deadmau5 and Paul van Dyk, and has been hosting her own annual night, called House Biaaatch, for the past four years.
In 2007, Cookie collaborated with Cindy Liu (劉欣怡), who is responsible for branding and design at Luxy, to come up with the idea for their House Biaaatch parties.
“I started House Biaaatch because at that moment in Taiwan, music marketing was focused more on hip-hop,” she said. “New people in the club didn’t understand electronic music and I thought if that kept up, how could electronic music survive? So I created House Biaaatch to educate people about all the different kinds of house music.
“I am a house music DJ and every time I play, I never let people know how they are going to catch me, where I will take them, and how I will play. This is bitch style.”
She says her first album combines her skills as a DJ with the current best tracks. With tunes from the likes of David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia and Deadmau5, the album fuses house, electro and progressive subgenres.
Luxy DJ Series Presents DJ Cookie is available online at www.books.com.tw and at local record shops for between NT$300 and NT$400.
Last year Cookie was named the official spokeswoman for Pioneer DJ equipment in Taiwan, deejayed catwalk shows for Christian Dior, Jimmy Choo and Georg Jensen, and was featured in numerous magazines, including FHM and Figaro.
In February, Cookie scored a second steady gig as resident DJ of the W Hotel’s Woobar, where Tuesdays through Sundays she plays more down-tempo tunes than her signature club style.
Situated beside Woobar is the alfresco Wetbar, so named because it’s by the pool.
The pool is usually open only to hotel guests, but on Saturdays from 4pm to 7pm it’s thrown open to the public for a sunset BBQ and swim. Admission is NT$980, which gets you entrance to the pool, a BBQ buffet and a drink, and tunes from Spin.
‧ Cookie plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at Woobar, 10F, 10, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 5, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路五段10號10樓), tel: (02) 7703-8888. The bar is open Sunday through Thursday from 10am to 2am and Fridays and Sundays from 10am to 3am. On the Net: www.wtaipei.com/en/woobar
UK pop star and rapper Example, real name Elliot John Gleave, is playing an exclusive show at Room 18 tonight. He will perform alongside Wire, real name Samuel Wire. Example’s third album, Playing in the Shadows, was released on Sept. 4th on the Ministry of Sound label and soared to the number one spot on the UK Albums Chart in its first week. Expect an energetic house, electro and dubstep set from the duo.
‧ Example and Wire at Room 18, B1, 88 Songren Road, Taipei City (台北市松仁路88號B1), tel: (02) 2345-2778. From 10:30pm. Admission at the door is NT$800, which includes two drinks
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