SAM PHONIC, MINISTRY OF SOUND BOXED IN CHAMPION, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW.

Sam Phonic, winner of the first ever Boxed In DJ competition by Ministry of Sound and the Faded Back to Back DJ Battle, joins the Naughty Parrot Podcast for an honest, funny conversation about DJ battles, imposter syndrome and finding where you belong in dance music. From staying behind after school on "the worst decks I've ever seen" to winning a battle on four decks at Egg, Sam shares what it's really like to compete in a room where everyone is watching, why three months of seven-nights-a-week in Greece made him the DJ he is, and why some of his best nights out have been the ones he went to alone. In this episode we cover: Learning to DJ at 12 and turning the school music room into a rave Entering (and getting rejected from) the Back to Back DJ Battle before going on to win it What a DJ battle is actually like: 5-minute rounds, 4 decks and zero room for mistakes Imposter syndrome, even straight after winning A 3-month residency in Faliraki, 7 nights a week Teaching primary school kids to play in a band by day KEY TAKEAWAYS: Why getting rejected once isn't the end: Sam didn't get in first time, then won the whole thing Using the decks as an instrument rather than just pressing play The "jump scare" approach: mixing tracks nobody expects to work together Why competitions and platforms matter for DJs trying to grow How going to a gig on your own can lead to the best night of your life Partying with balance: knowing your limits, sleep, and (a lot of) ginger shots Why you have to do this for the love of it, not the glamour TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro 01:21 – Meet Sam Phonic, Back to Back DJ Battle winner 02:20 – Starting out at 12 and the worst decks in school 04:20 – London Sound Academy and first gigs at Egg 05:10 – Finding your people in the dance scene 07:12 – Entering the Back to Back DJ Battle 08:22 – How a DJ battle works: 5 rounds, 5 minutes, everyone watching 10:35 – Amplify Academy and learning to position yourself as an artist 12:47 – Going first in the heats: "Please like me" 13:45 – Final night at Egg 16:31 – The Eminem x Prodigy "jump scare" on 4 decks 17:33 – Winning and "feed the ego" 18:45 – Why DJ battles and platforms matter 20:28 – Defining the Sam Phonic sound 21:40 – Going to gigs on your own 23:50 – Imposter syndrome, even after winning 25:35 – Partying with balance (and ginger shots) 27:25 – The School of Rock day job 29:20 – 3 months, 7 nights a week in Faliraki 31:58 – The mix and guilty pleasures 33:45 – Murder on the Dancefloor, Saltburn and "Perfect" 36:05 – The most ridiculous booth moment 36:48 – Quick-fire round: Carl Cox, frozen pizza and ghost chillies 37:55 – Echo Note tradition 39:32 – What's next: new remix and Bob Sinclar 40:32 – Sign-off 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations with DJs, creatives and cultural tastemakers. 🦜 Naughty Parrot Podcast. Be Bold. Dance Free. Follow Sam Phonic Instagram: instagram.com/samphonicofficial Follow Naughty Parrot: Instagram: instagram.com/naughtyparrothq TikTok: tiktok.com/@naughty.parrot.hq Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/rij_music RIJ.: instagram.com/rijmusic_