And she’s not wrong. The soundtrack of any event is arguably the most crucial and delicate element to perfect. It is the difference between a room of reluctant two-steps and one pulsing with momentum, tension and the shimmer of sweat. When she first started going clubbing in Shoreditch, Benson had a palpable connection to this energy and “really wanted to be a part of it.” Working in events at the time, and constantly seeking talent to take on this precious, sacred role of vibe-setter, Benson decided who better to trust than herself. If you want something done well, do it yourself, no? She credits having “a lot of OGs in the game to pass on their knowledge and push me forward” while teaching herself to mix, and this ethos has stuck with her as her career continues to reach new heights of success.

Describing herself as “Your Girl’s Favourite DJ”, Benson addresses what is an undeniably male-dominated space to say that not only is she here to stay, but the night doesn’t stop here. “I don’t believe that you can prepare yourself for a set. It’s all about the people. The first thing I’m asking myself is, what music or what vibe is going to make these people dance? So no matter how much I prepare myself, whatever’s going to meet me in that room is what I’m going to have to adapt to.”

Between sets at Glastonbury and Cannes Film Festival, Benson runs SOCIAL FIXT, where she is becoming the change she wants to see in her industry. Only 11% of creative roles are occupied by talent from BAME backgrounds, and having carved her own path in a creative career, Benson wants to bring as many collaborators with her as she can. “While I’m working in the industry, I want to bridge the gap and be the plug for young talent in the industry who’s coming from backgrounds where nobody at home’s talking about it. I wanted SOCIAL FIXT to be the big brother, big sister that people need in the creative industry.” By platforming job opportunities, resources and events, SOCIAL FIXT works to uplift new voices and close the employment gap for Black talent in the creative industry.

“I’m not just about myself, I’m about how I can make other people feel good as well.” At the crux of her work, Benson is driven by a simple question: “What would make my younger self happy?” With a pivotal year ahead, in both her career and personal life, she’s getting business in order. Building on the new heights of her success, Benson is looking to take her sets global and maximise the impact of SOCIAL FIXT. At 14STROKE16, we can’t imagine her younger self is anything other than proud of everything she’s built, and as excited as we are to see everything that she’s going on to elevate. It’s Mercedes Benson’s world, and we’re just happy to be living in it.