Are you a day or a night person? The answer may determine whether you’ve heard of Marwan Parham Al Awadhi by his real name or by his pseudonym, DJ Bliss. What’s certain is that if you listen to the radio, watch TV or go gigging or clubbing in the UAE at all, then the chances are you’ll have heard of the Dubai-born 33-year-old, one way or another.
As DJ Bliss, Al Awadhi has spent the past decade establishing himself as one of the hardest-working men in UAE show business, an effort that has earned the DJ, TV presenter, radio host, actor, emcee and music producer a reputation beyond the UAE and an international list of friends, clients and collaborators that include the Jamaican dancehall star Shaggy and the former Fugees frontman Wyclef Jean.
The multi-talented Emirati met the multi-talented Haitian-American hip-hop icon in 2011 when they both performed at Abu Dhabi's Beats on the Beach. They met again during the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix in 2012 and then collaborated on April Showers, Wyclef's 2013 free internet mixtape, with Bliss featuring on several of the album's tracks, including the lead song, Writer's Block.
In January, Marwan Al Awadhi became the co-host of Channel 4 Radio's new wake-up show, Mornings with Marwan and Eve and, as he explains, it's a new direction that not only involves a punishing early-morning schedule, but a very different persona as well.
“Throughout my career I was DJ Bliss but before I started on the radio show I decided to create two separate profiles” he says. “I’d say that Marwan is the daytime me and that DJ Bliss is more night-time. They’re really two different people.”
Do you have any hobbies?
I started playing golf last year and now I’m in the process of setting up a little restaurant or cafe.
How do you describe yourself?
Maybe a Ryan Seacrest when it comes to being Marwan and somebody like a David Guetta when it comes to being DJ Bliss.
Do you have a favourite record?
It depends on what day of the week it is, how I’m feeling and how I want to feel.
What’s your favourite destination?
Right now, it’s definitely Los Angeles. It’s a great place to be if you’re in the entertainment business and it’s like Dubai.
How do you keep up-to-date?
I’m on the internet a lot and I do a lot of Googling.
What is your definition of luxury?
The thing I’m looking at at the moment is a private jet.
Do you have a favourite business or service?
My barber. I used to go to the same barber for four years ... but then he told me his business was closing down and that he was going to go back to his country. So I bought a shop that was closing down, hired him and started my own barber shop. It’s called Beats and Cuts.
Do you have a favourite piece of advice?
I read a quote the other day that said: “Be kind to negative people because they need love the most.”
What do you do to relax?
I like to sit at home on my sofa watching TV shows that I’ve already seen. I sometimes do a little bit of meditation as well.
So what’s your favourite TV show?
Entourage.
Who’s your favourite DJ?
I’d say DJ Jazzy Jeff. He puts on such a great show. It’s a performance, it’s about skill and he still plays on vinyl. It’s not just about playing all the new stuff.
nleech@thenational.ae