Sixteen -year-old Venece “DJ Venny” Beckford is the winner of the 2020 staging of the SunCity High School Disc Jock competition. She is the first female winner of the contest which began in 2016.

“I am overjoyed at winning. I decided to enter this year because I have a passion for music,” said DJ Venny, a fifth-form student at Waterford High.

She added, “I heard about the competition from last year when one of our past students had entered and he didn’t get enough votes to make to the finals. Now that I have won for my school, I am so overwhelmed.”

The finals took place on July 18 inside the studios of SunCity 104.9 FM in Portmore Pines, St Catherine.

DJ Venny, who aspires to become a soldier, says she wants to be a part-time disc jock.

“I walked away from the competition learning how to be on time, and to be fully equipped and prepared. People always had the confidence in me, so I didn’t want to let them down,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Some 16 schools participated in this year’s staging of the SunCity High School Disc Jock competition, which began in January. The execution was put on hold due to the outbreak of COVID-19. It, however, resumed on July 11.

Tarique “DJ Tatis”Farquharson of Clarendon College finished in second place.

“I have always loved music and because of the encouragement that I received from my family and friends, I decided to enter the competition,” DJ Tatis explained.

The 19-year-old, upper sixth form student has plans to attend college in Canada, where he will study marketing.

“I appreciate the exposure and the experience that I got. It also helped to build my self-confidence,” he added.

St Catherine High School student Jovaine “DJ G.O.A.T.” Williams finished in third place. He, too, was encouraged by friends to enter the competition.

“The experience was a good one. No other radio station is doing something like this and it has allowed me to meet other aspiring DJs with similar interests. I learnt a lot just by participating and it’s an experience that I will never forget,” he shared.

He continued, “I am able to mix better and do cleaner transitions and I also got to know more about different genres of music.”

He intends to move on to The University of the West Indies, Mona campu, in September to study finance and accounting.

The finals of the SunCity High School Disc Jock competition saw performances from Ghetto Michael Jackson and vlogger-turned-recording deejay Twani Price.

Roxanne Brown, brand manager for Bobbie Chocolates/Charles Chocolates (lead sponsor); Geefus of Stone Love; DJs Cutty and Lank of Coppershot Disco were guest judges.

Other sponsors include Sunshine Snacks, Butterkist, Jergens, Digicel, through its d’Music brand, Distinction College, National Integrity Action, and Top Chef Records.