hey, i’m dozie 

let me introduce myself - hey! i’m dozie (aka mimi). i'm originally from the uk, but i’ve lived in melbourne for almost two years now. i came over for what was meant to be a little holiday to wrap up my travelling era, fell in love with the city, and the people in it and well, i never left. oops.

since arriving here, it quickly became clear that this is where i’m meant to be - a place where i feel like i can truly thrive in the part of my life that fulfils me the most: my passion for music. cliche i know but its the truth!! so naturally, as a (failing) overachiever and someone who's very addicted to productivity, i started a blog called dancingdownunder to track these experiences within the music scene - from the venues i visited to the DJs i became obsessed with, and the tracks i couldn’t stop playing.

it went pretty well! i connected with some of my favourite artists, built a lil community on tiktok… but then i did the classic:

burned. myself. out.

i was juggling multiple jobs and hobbies, settling into a new country, meeting new people, trying to work on myself, trying to return to “normal” after living such an abnormal life, still maintain responsibilities back home i had somewhat abandoned and on top of that gave myself the task of running a blog that basically required me to be out nonstop - safe to say, i probably bit off more than i could chew. and like, i get it - the grind is important, “if you’re not feeling the hustle, you’re not hustling,” and all that (but can we stop glamourising burnout? anyway, that’s a whole other convo).

but yeah, i crashed out hard. i really lost sight of the importance of looking after yourself when aiming to be productive, and the quality of output once you start nurturing projects in a healthy, balanced way.

the rest

so eventually, the blog took a back seat for a bit - with no real plan to bring it back, mostly because i was embarrassed that i’d let it go in the first place.

but here i am, basically a year later, putting my pride aside with (hopefully) better time management, a clearer head, and plenty more thoughts to share.

why the long-winded context? because sometimes those severe crash-outs (in my case, two viral infections, plenty of bad decisions and one less job later) can be that final kick up the ass to remind you to slow down and start again.

for me, it awakened a more reflective mindset - one that made me ask what i really want from life, how i want to move through it, what to prioritise (and what not to), and why i keep starting things i never finish. also… why the hell am i so tired all the time?

the dream

turns out, aside from a lack of vitamins and iron, what was truly burning me out was pressure.

pressure to have everything figured out. pressure to make sure everything was the perfect version of what it could be - whether that’s a project, a job or who i am as a person. but realistically, nothing can be perfect. chasing that illusion only spun me out more, leaving my brain overworked and overtired. yawn.

so, after some serious conversations with myself, i decided to take a step back. to slow down. sleep more. prioritise the things that really matter - and unlock my potential without pressuring myself to make it perfect.

(this is still a work in progress, guys.)

and that’s when dozie was born.

the awakening

in a way, dozie has become the most honest version of myself - a blend of two sides: the DJ who drops heaters at 3am despite the sleepiness, and a reflective person who needs a quiet space to slowly unpack all her thoughts and feelings about the things that matter most - enter catching z's.

this whole thing is not just about speed garage, and basslines (even though it’s a big part), but about unlocked potential and unspoken thoughts.

and while this project will definitely include my music takes and general brain dumps, i want it to grow into something everyone can be part of - there are plenty of ideas in the pipeline so don’t sleep on it. 

i’m so excited to (re)start this journey - slower, calmer, and dozier.

so… are you down to catch some z’s with me?

catch you soon,

dozie x