Elizabeth, known in the entertainment world as DJ Coco, did not arrive in Nairobi as a celebrity; she came as a student pursuing both education and opportunity.
“I’m a DJ,” she says simply, though her journey to the decks began long before she ever touched a turntable.
Growing up in Tudor, Mombasa, she was introduced to music at a young age. “My family owned a recording studio, and that’s where I developed my love for music,” she says.
Dance was another early passion, which she pursued part-time amid the rhythms of her coastal upbringing. Yet life before DJing was far from glamorous.
“I used to work as a waitress at a club near USIU. It was exhausting, and most of my days were spent resting,” she says. Still, her love for music eventually pushed her into the entertainment industry professionally.
Her first encounter with Nairobi came when she joined Zetech University to study Mass Communication. “I lived in hostels around Ngara and walked to school every morning,” she recalls.
Excitement mingled with nerves, but the city had its lessons ready. “A week after arriving, I had a terrible experience with gangs along Ngara. They snatched my phone and handbag, and I lost money and other valuables,” she says.
Despite the initial shock, her spirit endured.
Life in the capital became a crash course in independence. Between long walks, hostel living and studying, the celebrated DJ had to learn how to navigate life on her own.
“Everything felt bigger, faster and sometimes intimidating, but it pushed me to grow in ways I never imagined,” she explains. Those early experiences, she says, strengthened not only her resolve, but also her creativity, which now defines her performances behind the decks.
Today, her ambition extends beyond DJing. “I want to open a free DJ academy for anyone willing to learn. At the moment, I train a few people and help them break into the entertainment industry,” she shares.