Stepping into PURE Nightclub last Saturday night, one could observe that hands were in the air and the energy was passionate. On stage, two beautiful, blonde women formed their hands into the shape of a heart, smiling at the crowd. One of the girls, clad in a blue puffy vest and vertical black-and-white striped leggings, brought the headphones to her ear and prepared to mix in the next track. NERVO, a female DJ duo, brought a very different kind of night to Buffalo. Their feminine energy not only gained them respect from the audience but also proved that the DJ scene is not limited to “a man’s world.” 

Miriam and Olivia Nervo, otherwise known as Mim and Liv, are the Australian twin sisters that form the duo. Models at an early age, they soon delved into the world of music. Both producers and performers, these ladies are not only growing in their success in popular music culture, but are also much respected in the upper tier of electronica.

This past June, Mim and Liv toured with female music icons Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj for the 2011 Femme Fatale tour. The girls have worked closely with David Guetta, a well-known French DJ. They helped to co-produce many tracks, including, “When Love Takes Over.” With vocals by Kelly Rowland and an ultra dancey sound, this Grammy award winning track hit #1 on Billboard’s “Hot Dance Club Songs” chart in 2009. In addition to this great success, NERVO has also helped to produce a number of Ke$ha tracks.

In most recent years, Afrojack, Steve Aoki and Armin Van Buuren have also worked closely with the NERVO twins. These men are well-established and highly respected European DJs and producers. “We’re All No One” was released this year, by Steve Aoki and Afrojack. Vocals were provided by the girls themselves. It is refreshing to see two hard-working women making huge moves in such a competitive area of musical genres. 

There is a masculine hold on the dance music scene in our very own city. From Chippewa to Soundlab and even at Town Ballroom, men run the turntables. Rarely in Buffalo do we see female DJs ranked with equally high success. NERVO’s performance was breathtaking. A number of my close friends are from Buffalo’s very own Queen City Cartel. My love for these guys is through the roof, but these ladies stole a bit of my heart that night.

My personal thanks goes to Brian Nelson, the head honcho at Factory Nightlife, for bringing such an amazing booking. He also set me up with the wonderful opportunity of a personal interview with Mim and Liv. Since this semester is at an end and their schedule is busy, keep an eye out for the personal interview when Canisius College is back in session.

As a writer and devotee of electronic music, the NERVO girls were truly inspirational. There was a feminine feel that night, which was welcomed with open hearts and bouncing bodies. For Buffalo, NERVO brought a new regard for the female DJs. The crowd sang along to their track, “We’re All No One, ‘Til Someone Thinks That You’re Someone, ‘Til Then You’re No One.” These girls are most definitely someone.

Check out NERVO on Twitter and Facebook:   

http://twitter.com/#!/Nervomusic 

http://www.facebook.com/NERVOmusic

Also, keep an eye on upcoming Factory Nightlife events at http://www.facebook.com/factorynightlifebuffalo

The Griffin
Alicia Greco