Sweden’s oldest DJ is successful abroad: “It’s not wise”

She has previously taken the Swedish DJ scene by storm. Now 79-year-old Madelein “DJ Gloria” Månsson is being recognized worldwide.

– Yesterday I was on the radio in Colombia, she says in Efter fem.

It’s never too late to go to a nightclub. At least not if you ask Madelein Månsson, 79, who toured Sweden as DJ Gloria for 14 years.

She is aimed at the 50-plus crowd – younger talents can dance elsewhere – and in Sweden, her glittering appearance and choice of music have been a success. But now more people have opened their eyes to DJ Gloria.

From Germany to Colombia

It started with the German public service publishing a feature about her, and now the feature has made waves in Brazil, Portugal and the United States, among others, and millions have opened their eyes to her via social media. When Efter fem gets a chat with Madelein Månsson, she has just been on Mexican morning television.

– It was different, I can say, and fun. She wanted me to dance and wanted to know what I did when I was 20, says Madelein Månsson, and adds:

– Yesterday I was on the radio in Colombia. They are funny in Latin countries.

She herself says that she was “awful” when she started playing records, 65 years young. But today she masters the profession.

– Today I can actually say that I am good, she says.

The concept of success

The secret behind the success, she believes, is spelled responsiveness and variety, and that she has “a lot of fun” when she DJs.

– I dance by myself, have no ready playlists and try to have a relationship with the dance floor. Every dance floor has its own dynamic, and I think the secret is that I change the music all the time. It must not be boring and only techno, hard rock, Latin or Swedish songs.