Ell Murphy is behind the decks for this month’s instalment of For The Love Of It, in association with Pioneer DJ.

Raised in a musical household, it was always natural for Ell to turn to music when she wanted to express herself. A singer and producer primarily, the South East Londoner fell into DJing during her time as part of the duo, NITEWORK, where she was vocalling UKG with producer Medlar. When Medlar was unable to make a show at the Old Farm House in Tottenham, Ell ended up behind the decks. “It was quite a natural progression,” she explains, speaking from Clash Studios as she prepares to record an exclusive mix on Pioneer’s CDJ3000’s and an A9 Mixer. “I think in my heart I always see myself as a singer first and then a DJ. But it’s great to be able to mix them together because it blends everything I love into one.”

Drawing from a broad range of influences - including an R&B project and a stint in a punk band - it’s important to Ell not to over identify with any particular sound. “I always wanted to make sure I wasn’t just doing one genre,” she says. “Why should you let yourself be boxed into one category when you love so many different kinds of music?”

Embracing her own creative freedom, empowered by the creative community around her, Ell urges others not to rush when it comes to finding yourself. “Take your time,” she says. “Don’t feel like you’re going to write the best song of your career the first time you start… Be patient with yourself, but believe in yourself as well.”

For The Love Of It, a joint venture between Clash and Pioneer DJ, expands its reach by probing deeper into international club culture and cross-cultural connections, honing in on the ways these external influences impact personal development and production style.

For The Love Of It: Series 2 captures in-demand electronic acts crafting and performing sets in self-styled dominions. We document how their creativity has been informed by their foundations in different cultural settings, and how these artists reconcile and blend local sounds with around-the-globe influences. Ultimately, Series 2 is about the hybridity of music today, and the communal ties that tether artists to diverse subcultures. This fluidity in expression comes through in an exclusive mix created by each artist for the series.