Meet the young DJs keeping Northern Soul alive

Greta and Isaac wanted to make Northern Soul accessible for people who may not typically be interested in the genre

Young DJs in Manchester are keeping the Northern Soul movement alive by merging the old with the new, and creating events that feel like a safe space.

Greta Kaur-Taylor, 21, and Isaac Lloyd, 23, are the creatives behind the Northern Soul DJ collective known as Northern Grooves, with a residency at Night and Day Café, and often joining Deptford Northern Soul Club for their residency at YES.

The pair play a mix of old and new tunes, with the belief this is how they can push the movement forward and "adapt for 2024".

Northern Soul music was at its peak in the 1970s, when DJs in places like Wigan and Blackpool rediscovered high energy soul music by black American artists.

'Wanting to be a part of something'

All-nighter events in the north drew in young crowds that became known for their unique dance moves.

Greta told BBC Radio Manchester that she grew up listening to her father playing Northern Soul, but found her love for it after he insisted on her watching Elaine Constantine's 2014 film titled Northern Soul.

The DJ duo met when Isaac was playing at Cafe Blah in Withington, with the pair saying: "The rest is history."

"Nostalgia and wanting to be a part of something," is what keeps young people coming back to the genre, Isaac said.

He added social media had led to a decline in subcultures, but that Northern Soul still offered this experience: "It's not just any event, it's like a whole ritual of getting ready and being with your mates."

The inspiration for starting their own nights came from wanting to make Northern Soul "more accessible" for those who may not typically be into the genre.

"I always felt very excluded in traditional Northern Soul spaces, it's built off black and brown music... [at some events] I'd get loads of hassle and stares, obviously I’m a brown woman," Greta said.

"I wanted to create a space where no-one has to worry about people staring at them, no one is going to laugh at you trying to learn dances, or what you're wearing."

Despite some push back for playing modern music, Greta added: "This is how we adapt for 2024, it's about keeping the culture alive in whatever way we can."

The dancefloor was filled with young people, shuffling and gliding in typical Northern Soul fashion

Lewis Henderson, co-founder of the Deptford Northern Soul Club that play shows in Manchester, London and a range of UK festivals, described the crowds in Manchester as "phenomenal".

"Manchester is definitely a big part of the reason we keep doing what we’re doing," explained Lewis.

On why their events were so appealing to younger audiences, he said: "Northern Soul really isn't that different to modern dance music, and really, it's the start of that lineage of dancing."

"The main elements of Northern Soul aren't really defined by a generation," said Rhys Partington, 24, who was at Deptford Northern Soul Club in YES.

"It's defined by an attitude, a passion for what Northern Soul resembles," he added.

This sentiment was echoed by other fans at the event.

Chloe Lee Pembleton, 22, said: "Northern Soul stands for being independent, protest rights.

"I feel like a lot of my generation want to fight against the big man, or societal norms."

She said the community at Northern Soul events gave people that feeling.

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