Who are you?
Hi, I'm Nina. I've been DJing for about three years now. I really enjoy it and I absolutely love electronic music, obviously. A fun fact about me is that I'm also a yoga teacher, which might seem like a contradiction, but actually, both activities go together quite harmoniously. I find a different kind of flow and peace when I'm DJing compared to what I experience daily on my yoga mat. I think it's a nice combination of lifestyles, being able to go with the flow. The highs and lows are beautiful, and I've built a nice rhythm into my life. It used to be different, but now I can say that I have found it.

The rhythm isn't perfect yet, and that's okay. DJing and being a yogi all fits together nicely. I'm curious to see what else comes my way.                         

What do you do on a day-to-day basis?
I am currently unemployed. I've been job hunting for about a month now. I would love to work in the cultural sector, but jobs there are very scarce. Maybe someday if something nice comes along. Otherwise something in the social sector, since I’m a social worker and love working with people. I've been voluntarily unemployed for a year now, and it has been quite chill . My day is very relaxed, waking up, doing yoga, going for coffee, working on my computer or spending time on music. I always keep myself busy.

Where does the name Nyabee come from? 
I thought it sounded nice because it’s symmetrical.. I used to be teased with my last name, Beyens, Nina the bee. Looking back on it now, I find it quite funny. Turn your weaknesses into your strengths, because that teasing period did have an impact; I'm very open when speaking about it. Maybe later I'll organize an event centered around bees, raising money for their cause. Or focused on mental health and towards bullying. I would love to do that as these are two important subjects for me.

Is there a certain moment concerning your DJing that sticks out? 
I've been DJing for about three years now, and the most overwhelming experience was Braindance at the AB (Ancienne Belgique), I couldn't believe I got to play there. It was really nice . But since I was placed a bit far from the crowd, I realized that I prefer smaller settings where there’s a more intimate connection with the audience. There was a party, a fundraiser at Stormkop. I played there for free as it was a charity event. I really enjoy doing these kinds of things because the money goes to a good cause. There was a really fun vibe in general, people were playful, laughing and having a good time. As if they didn’t have a worry in the world. It was lovely to experience. 

Do you have a favorite track or track that comes back a lot in your sets? 
I'm constantly searching for new music. There's one album I've been listening to a lot lately from the Chunkers label by Sally C,an artist that just signed on her label namedBella.. It's a cool album. Choosing one track is really difficult though. Making choices isn't my strong point.

At which venue would you like to play in the future? 
I used to help out at Paradise City for quite some time, and it would be cool to play a set there. I’ve seen the festival grow over the years and it became pretty big, becoming a aprt of the line-up would be a full circle moment. I definitely want to play in Ghent as well since I love the scene there as well and wouldn’t mind a little visit to Kiosk Radio..

Is there some advice that you would like to have gotten when you started DJing?
Don't let it get to your head, in the sense of making sure you still enjoy what you do. I had a brief moment of feeling like I had to make connections and network, and so forth. That took the fun out of it until the point that I thought; “Why am I even doing this?” It was becoming more of a stressful job than a fun activity.

Just be yourself around people and don't feel like you  have to network or have to get somewhere. Stay authentic, keep doing what you like and the rest will just come naturally. 

Interview by Tim Borlez