How Social Media Changed My DJ Career | Lily CD

In this episode of What’s Cookin?, we sit down with Lily CD, a Manchester-based DJ carving out her place in the city’s underground dance music scene.

Lily opens up about the reality of growing as an artist in the social media era, from learning how to build an audience online to balancing authenticity with the pressure to constantly create content. We get into how Instagram has shaped her career, what actually connects with people online today, and the lessons she’s learned about audience-building, visibility, and staying true to yourself as an artist.

We also dive into the industry side of things including signing with both management and an agency, how those relationships came about, and what having a team around you really changes behind the scenes. Lily shares honest insights into what managers and agents are actually looking for in artists today, and whether branding and social media now matter just as much as the music itself.

Alongside this, we talk about her production journey, finding confidence in the studio, creative process and the challenge of balancing music alongside everyday life and work commitments.

A major part of the conversation focuses on becoming a resident at Joshua Brooks, what the opportunity meant to her, how it’s helped shape her development as a DJ and why having a regular home within the Manchester scene can completely change your confidence behind the decks.