How it started

It all started back in high school. That’s where I first got into drum and bass. I started dating a guy who was quite a bit older than me; he was a D&B DJ, and through him, I discovered one of the first tracks that really stuck with me: a mix he’d posted on SoundCloud. One of the first tunes I could actually name was the classic “LK” by DJ Marky & XRS ft. Stamina.

I got so inspired by the music that I even decided to write a school paper about drum and bass. Deep-diving into the history made me respect the music and the culture around it even more. My first parties were Subtopia in Amersfoort and Mass Productions in Zeist. Back then, I only heard stories about Blackout and Deep Cutz because I was still under 16.

After the breakup with my high school boyfriend, I drifted away from the scene. Life happened: my parents went through a messy split, I ended up in a toxic relationship, and there were health issues in the family. All of that took up years of my life.

Until 2022, when I got sick. An inflammation in my spinal cord turned my life upside down in an instant. I was hospitalized after suddenly losing the ability to walk overnight. My legs and arms just stopped doing what they were supposed to do. I had to learn how to walk again and regain the use of my right arm and hand. Because of all this, I lost my job.

The hardest part wasn't even the physical side, but the mental toll: I lost all trust in myself and my own body. There was nothing I could have done to prevent it, and weeks went by where I felt like a prisoner in my own skin. I needed help with almost everything—from making food to showering and even getting to the toilet. I couldn't even move to another chair on my own.

I worked incredibly hard to get my daily life back. Every week, my mom would drive me to the physiotherapist. Even if I’d been physically able to drive, my license had been revoked because of my condition. The doctor diagnosed me with Transverse Myelitis—basically a fancy word for inflammation in one spot of the spinal cord. After that, I spent two months in a wheelchair and another month walking with a cane.

About a year later, I went to my first Cheeky Monday: their 18th anniversary, a special edition with Icicle headlining. It honestly felt like coming home immediately. That night, I made a decision: I wanted to start a streak. My goal became attending Cheeky 28 times before my 28th birthday. No sooner said than done.

Week by week, I noticed my body getting stronger. At that first party, I stood with my feet planted firmly on the floor, barely able to move my hips. But slowly, that changed. I started trying to jump again and cautiously took my first skanking steps. It was a glimpse of the old me—the girl who could dance and jump for minutes on end.

In the end, I kept it up for a full year: every single Monday at Cheeky. After a while, I asked Loz if I could get the Cheeky Monday logo tattooed once I hit those 28 weeks. To my joy, he said yes. And now it’s there: right on the spot where my IV was for three days in the hospital—with a beautiful sparkle glinting from the 'ear' on my arm.

Because of this journey, my love for jungle and drum and bass has only grown. For me, it’s now deeply connected to my recovery. It also made me realize I wanted to give something back to the community—and bring that energy to my hometown. I started helping out with the Intense organization and decided to build my own community for jungle and drum and bass. And right around that time, I crossed paths with my high school sweetheart again.

At first, I mainly wanted to organize something around my birthday. But with all the administrative red tape, I quickly realized I needed my own company to do it right. Looking back, it was the perfect excuse to chase a long-held dream: starting my own business. I didn't have to think twice. I came up with a name, booked an appointment at the Chamber of Commerce, and made it official. And that’s how Jungle Kitten Events was born.