A PADGATE DJ rang in the New Year in style when she played her biggest gig on the other side of the world.

Holly Clarke, who performs under the name Holly Jay, jetted off on an all expenses paid trip to Hong Kong when she hit the decks for the renowned music brand, Hed Kandi.

The 24-year-old was treated to a meal in the Armani Aqua restaurant on New Year’s Eve.

She then counted down to 2017 with American Pie’s Tara Reid before her DJ set between 2am and 4am at Ciao Chow, a club on the Lan Kwai Fong strip.

“I was made up,” said Holly, who got the gig through her agency Six15.

“I didn’t believe it until I got back.

“It was like a whirlwind because I flew there on the Friday, DJed on the Saturday night and flew back on the Sunday night so it was really quick.”

“It was very busy and all the buildings were really high on the skyline. It was an overwhelming experience.

“I didn’t know what to expect but the night was really vibrant and colourful.

“I got to chat to Tara Reid and I was in the VIP area for the countdown before my set at 2am.

“Hopefully it will open doors for my career as a DJ.

“I didn’t get much sleep. It took me about a week to get over it.

It was a whirlwind trip so Holly did not have a lot of time for sightseeing but she said she will not forget the view from Tsim Sha Tsui Pier anytime soon.

“Looking at the centre of Hong Kong from the other side of the water when it was all lit up was one of the highlights,” she added.

Holly’s next big gig is at Venus in Manchester on February 11.

The former Woolston High School pupil got invited to play at John Fitz’s night Casa De La Musica after impressing him at the regular Live Sessions at The Wine Bar in Stockton Heath.

John is best known for Herd and Fitz’s I Just Can’t Get Enough featuring Abigail Bailey.

Holly has been into electronic music since she was 13.

She said: “I used to go to ‘Kiddy Smiths’ when Lush Events went to Mr Smiths.

“They used to play clubland there. I always loved it and all my friends did too.

“I used to be obsessed with Swedish House Mafia and that is what got me into DJing really.

“But I’ve always loved music. I was weirdly into Phil Collins at the age of 10. I went to see him in concert with my dad.”

Holly was not sure if she could turn her passion into a living at first so she studied dance and aerial performance at Edgehill University and gained the Certificate in Education at Chester University.

She became a dance teacher and only thought about chasing her dreams again when her auntie encouraged her to take up a special offer on a taster DJ course at Manchester Midi School

Holly enjoyed it so much that she signed up for the full 12 weeks.

“So every Monday my friend and I would go to the chippie and then go to this DJ course for four hours,” added the former Priestley College student.

“I started mixing songs in my bedroom and then put them on SoundCloud.

“I would go into places like Quarter Bar and ask to have a go. The guy there was made up. He couldn’t believe I could mix.

“It was word of mouth from there and rolled into what I’m doing now.

“I used to say to people: ‘How do you know what to play?’

“I learnt that you feed off the crowd – however they react, you play to them.

“I have good support from friends who are into the same music as me so they come to pretty much every gig I do and are always at the front bouncing.”

As well as Hong Kong, Holly DJed in the party capital of Ibiza at Play 2 in San Antonio about three years ago.

But one of her ambitions is a lot closer to home – to play at Creamfields in Daresbury.

“I go to Creamfields every year with my friends but I’ve never DJed there. One day hopefully. That would be like a dream to DJ there,” she said.

n Holly performs at Venus in Manchester on February 11

DAVID MORGAN