Jodie Harsh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | |
| Instruments | Piano/keyboard |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels | Warner |
| Website | www |
Jodie Harsh was born in Canterbury in Kent and is a London-based DJ music producer,promoter, anddrag queen.[1][2]
Jodie Harsh adopted her moniker at the age of 18 when she moved to London for her studies at theLondon College of Fashion.[3] Her name is inspired by television personality and glamour modelJodie Marsh, and is intended to be "a piss-take of that naff celebrity culture, where people are famous for doing nothing".[4] She started exploring the drag scene and working in nightlife. She hosted her own parties at different venues across London, with her debut event taking place at Soho Revue Bar (now The Box).[5]
She founded the gay club brand Room Service in 2010, which was initially based in London but later expanded internationally. As a promoter for Room Service, Harsh booked renowned DJs likeHoney Dijon to perform.[6] During these parties, she also began to DJ herself due to budget constraints for hiring opening act DJs. Harsh's reputation as a DJ grew, and she received bookings from various clubs in Europe and beyond, as well as fashion brand events. In 2016, she achieved further notoriety when she launched the party Dollar Baby in East London, where she was accompanied by her friendLady Gaga on opening night.[7][8]
In July 2021, Harsh launched club night Feel It in association with live music venue Omeara,[9] alongside Clayton Wright.[10] The club night has hosted sets and performances from acclaimed artists likeJessie Ware,Annie Mac,Eats Everything,Patrick Topping andCharli XCX.
Harsh started writing and producing music a few years after becoming a DJ. She created remixes for various artists, such asBeyonce's "BLOW",Fergie's "LA Love", andJustin Timberlake's "Suit and Tie". Additionally, she producedThe Night, an EP forMelanie C. Harsh then began developing her own artist project and collaborated withSOPHIE to co-produce the track "Secret (Shh)" forCharli XCX'sVroom Vroom EP.[11] Later, they co-wrote start's debut single "Tuesday".[12] Harsh released subsequent singles and an EP under her own Harsh Beats label, including "Don't Try Me", "Filthy Rich",[13] and "Beats and Pieces".
As the pandemic forced clubs to shut down abruptly in 2020, Harsh's DJ career came to an unexpected halt. This prompted her to venture into music production and release her own tracks, as well as to start livestreaming and podcasting.[14][15] In November 2020, she unveiled her first single signed to a record label, "My House"[16] initially under Another Rhythm records, but later signed a deal withWarner Music UK. "My House" gained popularity and was played on Radio 1 Playlist for several months, becoming the top trending sound onTikTok, and featured cameos from 61 British drag queens in the music video,[17] including nearly every queen who'd been featured in both seasons ofRuPaul's Drag Race UK.[15] The dance track instantly became a post-lockdown anthem as clubs reopened across the country.[18] Harsh's subsequent singles included "No Sleep",[19] "Good Time", "Shock",[20] and "Hectic".[21]
Harsh has created remixes for several artists, includingSonny Fodera,[22]Kylie Minogue,[14] Years and Years,[22]Charli XCX,[14]Rina Sawayama,[22]Fatboy Slim, andSigala. In 2021, she signed a major global publishing deal withUniversal Music.[23] In 2022, Harsh was featured on theBBC Radio 1 playlist for her "My House" and her SG Lewis co-production "No Sleep".[14] In 2024, Harsh supportedTroye Sivan on the UK/EUSomething to Give Each Other Tour.[24] She opened for Sivan at theWembley Arena in London on June 27.[25]
In May 2024, it was announced thatFaber & Faber has acquired Harsh's memoirYou Had to Be There for UK andCommonwealth rights (excluding Canada) and audio rights. Scheduled for release in autumn 2025, the book details Harsh’s intense decade in 2000's London nightlife, capturing a liberated, pre-social media era.[26]
In addition to her music career and DJing, Harsh is the host of "Life of the Party," a podcast that has completed two seasons so far. The show features interviews with a variety of guests from the music industry, including the likes of Fatboy Slim,Amy Lamé,Nile Rogers,Roisin Murphy,Joel Corry,The Blessed Madonna and Annie Mac.[20][22][27][28]
In April 2016, Harsh appeared inAbsolutely Fabulous: The Movie, a 2016 film adaptation of the cult British television series.[29] She played herself in the movie, which also starsJennifer Saunders,Joanna Lumley, and supermodelKate Moss.[29]
In 2021, Harsh made a guest appearance on the third episode of thesecond series ofRuPaul's Drag Race UK onBBC Three.[30] She also co-hosted an episode ofBBC Radio 1'sDance Anthems, alongsideCharlie Hedges.[31][32] Harsh has also made notable appearances on radio shows such as theEssential Mix forPete Tong's show[33] and on Radio 1'sMini Mix.[34]
Out described Harsh as "Britain's Best-Known Drag Queen"[35] andThe Guardian characterized her "Britain's most famous drag queen DJ/friend to the stars" in 2008.PinkNews described her as "Britain’s busiest working drag queen" beforeDrag Race UK,[36] andBBC referred to her as a "staple of the UK's club scene for more than a decade" in a 2021 article.[15]
Harsh was born inCanterbury, Kent. She attended the London College of Fashion.[37] While at university, she first adopted the persona of Jodie Harsh to make money through nightclub jobs andDJing.[37]
| Title | EP details | Track listing | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beats N' Pieces |
|
| [38] |
| Title | Year | Label | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Tuesday"(ft. SOPHIE) | 2019 | Harsh Beats | [39] |
| "Don't Try Me"(ft. Vula) | 2020 | [40] | |
| "Filthy Rich" | [41] | ||
| "Never Knew (L.O.V.E)" | [42] | ||
| "My House" | 2021 | Warner Records | [43][44] |
| "No Sleep" | [43][45] | ||
| "Good Time" | 2022 | [46][47] | |
| "Shock" | [48][49] | ||
| "Hectic" | 2023 | [50][51] | |
| "Celebrate" | Harsh Beats | ||
| "Like It Like That" | |||
| "Hit Me Up"(ft.Bryn Christopher) | 2024 | ||
| "Joy" |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
