It has been quite the ride for Nanaimo DJ Caroline Cecil.
In the span of two years, Cecil, better known as DJ Whipped Cream, has gone from performing at small nightclubs to playing across the United States to thrilling thousands of people at some of North America’s biggest festivals including Shambhala, Life in Color and Hard Fest.
“It’s been quite the journey,” she said. “Every time that I go and play a new show or meet someone through music or write a new song, it forms me into a new human being. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have gone to all these places and try new food and meet new people.”
She’s been on lineups that have included universally recognized artists like Ludacris, Mobb Deep, DJ Snake and Afrojack and is fresh off a performance in Thailand.
Now, Cecil is gearing up for the release of her latest EP, Persistence, on Sept. 19.
“This EP is just showcasing how persistence has driven me to form into who I am now,” she said. “At some points I go through very low lows and then very high highs in this industry. Just the way people are or how things have happened. So, the songs were all written in different stages. It is very real and I am more proud of this work than anything.”
Although Cecil is feeling plenty of positive vibes, she said the ride hasn’t always been easy.
“The [stuff] that I’ve had to go through, no man would have ever had to go through.”
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In July, Cecil shared screenshot of a highly inappropriate Facebook comment that alluded to her having a ghost producer on her SoundCloud page.
“What in your mind thinks it is OK to write something like that?” she asks. “They don’t believe I did it. They think ‘oh she must have ghost writers’ and that is the biggest f-you to me. It’s just so ignorant.”
Cecil decided to share the comment not because she wanted sympathy, but because she wanted to speak out against the sexism and inappropriate language that she and other female artists have to endure on a regular basis.
“I think anyone would go insane with the things that have been said to me or about me,” Cecil said.
The Nanaimoite said she isn’t fazed by the highly inappropriate comments and sexism anymore, and is speaking out in order to be voice for other women in the industry.
“I think a lot of women are afraid to speak up on it. For me, I thought I would get further if I just bit my tongue. I thought if I just keep working on the music, my art will do the talking and it has,” Cecil said. “But it would be a mistake for me to bite my tongue now. It is going to be people like me and other women and men to make the change.”
Cecil refuses to let any of that disrespect slow her down or change who she is. Having performed at shows with such big-name artists, she’s more determined than ever to continue making music and doing what she loves.
“There is nothing else that I do in my life, but this, DJing. I am absolutely obsessed and insane with it,” she said. “I have never been more sure of anything in my life. This is what I need to be doing.”
Everything I've done has led me here
— WHIPPED CREAM🦂 (@iamWHIPPEDCREAM) September 1, 2017
2 anyone who's listened, supported or made me stronger
This is 4 U
Persistence EP - out on @NESTHQ 9/19 pic.twitter.com/TWCjbDluQA