From dancefloor to decks: 56-year-old ‘Mom-A-Vibez’ makes DJ festival debut in Moseley
At an age when most people are slowing down, Mom-A-Vibez is turning the volume up! At 56 years old, local Walsall woman Melanie Harris—known behind the decks as Mom-A-Vibez—is proof that it's never too late to chase your passions. And this July, she’ll be bringing her signature house music energy to one of the city’s most beloved events: The Moseley Mostly Jazz, Funk and Soul Festival.
Her journey began just a year ago, at age 55, when Melanie swapped the dancefloor for the DJ booth. A lifelong clubber since the late ‘80s, she decided it was finally time to be the one spinning the tracks. “Going out is expensive these days,” she laughs. “I thought—why not bring the party to me?”
What began as a hobby quickly snowballed into something more. Since picking up the craft, Mom-A-Vibez has:
Had two house mixes aired on UK radio stations
Played live DJ sets around the West Midlands
Won a Deck Duel on air
And now, has landed her first-ever paid gig—at a major summer festival
She’ll be performing as part of the Selextorhood Takeover on Sunday, 13 July, spinning funk and afro beats in The Woods from 4.15pm to 5.30pm.
Selextorhood is a Birmingham-based community empowering underrepresented genders in DJing, and Mom-A-Vibez is proud to be part of the movement. “It’s about more than music—it’s about representation, confidence, and breaking the mould.”
Her motto? "Who Says I Can't."
Mom-A-Vibez hopes her story inspires others, especially women in midlife and beyond, to reclaim their passions—or discover new ones. “I’m living proof that you don’t need to be young or famous to start something bold. All you need is the beat inside you and the guts to go for it.”
Catch Mom-A-Vibez live at the Moseley Mostly Jazz, Funk and Soul Festival on Sunday, 13 July—and prepare to be moved.
