Celebrating two decades in the Kenyan entertainment industry, renowned DJ, actress, and event host Pierra Makena has opened up about her challenging journey to the top.
From humble beginnings to becoming Kenya’s first female DJ in a male-dominated field, the 43-year-old has faced numerous obstacles but says her persistence and resilience paved the way for other women in the industry.
Starting as a radio DJ when the profession was still new in Kenya, DJ Pierra was already known as a TV and radio presenter with KBC.
However, her transition to DJing wasn’t easy. She recalls the relentless harassment and negative labels that followed her career choice, especially as she performed in clubs.
“I went through hell. I was called a whore, a stripper, because I was always playing in clubs,” she says, describing the intense pressure she faced from family, the church, and her peers.
“There was too much drama from all sides, which reached my parents. It was so much that my parents asked me to stop being a DJ.”
She also recalls that male DJs felt threatened by her presence and some tried to dissuade her, claiming that the industry wasn’t suited for women.
“Some would come and verbally tell me, you know, as a woman, I don’t think this is your thing,” she shares.
Others spread rumors that her success was due to compromising her values, a narrative that she says was far from the truth.
“The more gigs I got, the more money I made, and that made the male DJs start a narrative that I was sleeping around,” she explains, revealing that she even kept messages from those who tried to undermine her.
Despite the hostility, DJ Pierra was undeterred. With each club gig, she gained confidence, eventually moving into concerts and, by 2013, decided to make DJing her full-time career.
DJ Pierra was determined to prove that women could thrive without giving in to inappropriate demands,
“There is not one person out there who can come out and say I slept with them to get a DJ job. I have never compromised myself.”
Before going full-time as a DJ, she worked at the marketing services agency Scanad Group, a position she left to focus on her dream.
Today, DJ Pierra not only stands as a pioneer for female DJs in Kenya but as an inspiring figure who has overcome stereotypes, harassment, and prejudice to create a legacy in the entertainment industry.
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