So, Claudia, for those who may not have heard of you or seen you play before; tell us about your background. Where are you from, how did you get into Dance music and what prompted you to take the plunge into becoming a DJ?
I am originally from Romania, but been in London 8 years now. Since I’ve arrived here, I fell in love with the music and the atmosphere in the clubs and been parting every w/e and all of the sudden, work started to get in my way. U know, every Monday tired, suicidal Tuesday…u don’t get well until Friday, and then you start all over again. So, I decided to make this my work. Making and playing the music that I love is the best job in the world, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
You originally used the name ‘Sweet Kelly’ before reverting back to using your real name instead. Where did this nickname originally come from and what prompted you to stop using it?
Kelly was my favourite girl in Beverly Hills and she was blonde like me, so people started to call me Kelly, as for Sweet, honestly, I really don’t know how it started, but I think it worked out for the best. This was my world, the Sweet Kelly’s world and I loved it, but it was time to grow up, and get serious to become more involved in the music industry.
Funny enough, I was a hard house addict. I used to listen to it 24 hours a day…at work, in my lunch break, on the way home, even going to bed. All my friends can tell u how crazy I was about this style and I wouldn’t have listened to anything else. As I grew up, I started to calm down a bit, take it a bit slowly, so I moved into trance. I love tech trance, I like electro, breaks…in other words…I listen to anything that sounds good. As a relative newcomer to the scene you’ve already achieved an incredible amount, including playing main room at the Gallery, playing abroad in China, Vancouver and also playing at such established promotions as The Gallery with forthcoming bookings at Inside Out etc. What would you say the biggest factor has been to your success so far? The short skirts that I’m wearing ;-). I think that if you really love what you’re doing, if you believe in yourself and you believe that you can turn your dreams into reality, then you can achieve anything you want. Anything, anything is possible, you just have to want it really bad. I am the kind of person that will climb mountains to reach my goals and I have my hiking boots on. Did you find the transition from bedroom DJ to club DJ an easy one? What advice could you give to those who are desperate for their chance to burst through Nothing is easy, otherwise we would all be doing it. To be in your bedroom and play facing a wall is not difficult, but to play in front of the crowd, I would say, first time is nerve racking. Everybody has to pass through this, everything has a beginning. I remember the time I had my first DJ set, I couldn’t even sleep the night before. I was so scared and my hands were shaking so much, I could even focus on the buttons on the CDJ. But it’s natural. If your not scared, then you’re not human. Just get out there, trust yourself and u can do it. You’ve had some forays into the world of music production including the release of your debut single ‘My Dream’ on the Addiction Digital imprint late last year. I hear you’ve been busy in the studio since – what do you have waiting to come out? I have 4 tracks that will be released as part of a 4EP on Riot Recordings at the end of April, so watch out for this. I love being in the studio and making music. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with music in my ears and I run to the computer to try to catch it as long as I still can hear it. In an ideal world, who would you absolutely love to work with and why? Armin Van Buuren…I absolutely love his sound. Everything he touches turns into great music. I also love Tiesto’s sound…it’s got a touch of class. The Dutch sound is just awesome. Besides DJing, what other interests do you have? Do you have a standard 9-5 job 9-5? U joking? I don’t get out of bed till 1 o’clock in the afternoon.:) I know, it might sound lazy, but I don’t have a job, I don’t have a day life, I live a night life and I live it to the maximum. You’re to appear in the Riot! room at Turnmills on the 21st April. As a former Riot! regular, what is your most fond memory of the classic Riot! days and how does it feel to be approached to play for such an esteemed brand? Mmmm…Riot…I remember those days at The End. It was my favourite party. Me and my friends wouldn’t have missed it for anything in the world. And now, to get the chance to play at this party…it’s a dream come true and a great pleasure. It’s all about new technology these days. I think they support it all the way. This is the future. Records are disappearing slowly. It’s all about downloads these days. And it’s so much easier to obtain tracks that you may otherwise miss. I want to spend as much time as possible in the studio. I’ve got so many ideas for new tracks so I’m busy turning them into reality. I want to travel a lot, I’ve got gigs coming in Detroit, Serbia, China, Romania & Ibiza…so it’ looks really busy on my horizon. I am really excited to be going to Ibiza and having my first summer where I can see the crowd from behind the decks. 
The party is celebrating the third birthday of Trackitdown. What is your particular take on legal download services and how far do you think they support the dance music scene?
Finally, what are your plans for the rest of the year? Which gigs & events are you particularly looking forward to?
It’s gonna be a year full of fun and surprises and I intend to make the most of it
Visit her page at
http://www.myspace.com/claudiacazacu
