Dundee DJ plays set with Idris Elba in front of Calvin Harris
"Idris Elba told me I am a monster DJ" - Hannah Laing tells us about her surreal experience with the OBE-winning actor
A rising Dundee DJ’s telling us about her ‘crazy’ experience of playing a live set with Idris Elba last weekend in front of Calvin Harris.
Hannah Laing, 28, has been producing music for almost a decade and was booked to play before the Luther actor in Hï Ibiza at his residency club this month.
Though, this weekend before the OBE-winning actor took to the stage, he asked Hannah to play a set alongside him, to go back-to-back.
Hannah tells Clyde News that being on the decks with the star was a crazy moment for her.
She said:
“When I got booked I was like, this can’t be real!
“I was on stage before him but he asked me to play back-to-back, so we actually played a set together.
“He was a proper gentleman and made me feel so at ease, it was absolutely amazing and it couldn’t have gone any better.”
Idris Elba began his DJ career back in 2009 and recently revealed plans to move away from acting to focus on making music.
Hannah tells us:
“Most people know him as an actor but he’s a proper credible DJ as well.
“You can’t even process these moments, I was like how am I playing back-to-back with Idris Elba?
“He was very complimentary, he said I am a monster DJ, so I was buzzing with that!"
Hannah tells us the excitement didn’t stop there though as she realised she was performing in front of another very famous face.
After playing the set, she discovered Calvin Harris was behind her on the stage and had been watching as the pair were on the decks.
She said:
“So, I was DJing with Idris Elba and obviously we were facing the crowd, then when my time was up, I turned around and Calvin Harris was standing there.
“I almost fell over, I thought it couldn’t get any crazier, but it did!"
“I never actually spoke to Calvin Harris, I was a bit starstruck and I’m kicking myself for it now.”
The full-time dental nurse has been flying to and from the Spanish island all summer in between her role at Beam Orthodontics in Dundee.
She tells us it’s been a very busy time for her, but moments like this make it all worth it.
Hannah said:
“I was about to give it up but then covid hit and I lost all my gigs so I had to continue working full-time.
“I've been touring in Ibiza every weekend throughout the summer, then straight back into work on a Monday morning - it is a bit mental but my work has been so supportive.”
Hannah’s been booked for some huge shows this year including Creamfields - the UK’s biggest dance music festival which is taking place in Cheshire this weekend.