biza is for many, the home of electronic music. It is also the birthplace of the ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life Foundation’ (LNADJ), the visionary project of Jonny Lee.
Since its launch in 2010, LNADJ has raised vital funds in support of charitable projects around the world. We caught up with Jonny to delve deeper into the history of LNADJ, reveal stories of individuals who have found hope through the Foundation, and discuss Jonny’s hopes for the future.
From ‘iterant party-starter’ to founder of LNADJ Foundation; How did it all begin?
Yes, I have always loved a party! I have been involved in the music industry in one way or another for over 30 years. I have experienced first-hand the power that music can have over a community. For me, music has always been about creativity, community and creating social change.
Back in 2008 I participated in my first charity event to raise money for Cancer Research after my father passed away. The experience completely changed me as a person. I was inspired by all the people in the world who devote their time and money for the good of others. Particularly in Ibiza, the home of the super clubs and high-end partying, it appeared no-one was giving back. I wanted to prove that contrary to the bad press, the party people of Ibiza have empathy and a genuine sense of philanthropy. Since then, DJ’s and music lovers from all over the world have shown their support for the Foundation.
Has LNADJ been well received ? Have there been challenges to getting support?
From the outset we have been supported by some phenomenal names. In the early days we raised money by arranging parties and partnering with nights such as ‘We Love Space’ in Ibiza’s iconic club. In 2013, we made history by holding the first rave in the Houses of Parliament with the support of Fat Boy Slim. Many other successful club nights and parties have raised significant funds thanks to the likes of Sasha and Carl Cox.
In 2018, Nightmares on Wax joined a group of fundraisers on a charity climb up Kilamanjaro where he performed a ground breaking DJ set at the highest altitude on record. Even the pandemic couldn’t stop our fundraising efforts thanks to a monumental online event Set for Love , where over 10,000 DJ’s from 80 countries played sets in return for donations, raising over £170,000. All these events proved my belief that there is great apetite to give back within the industry.
How do you decide which charitable projects to support?
We have naturally veered towards helping children in the UK and developing countries such as Uganda, Sierra Leone and Tanzania, but this is often via community-wide projects which also provide vocational training and education for all ages. One of our biggest initiatives has been ‘Have a drink on us”. To date we have funded the build of 101 water wells throughout Africa and India, providing fresh water to 64000 within local communities.
Music and creativity are at the heart of the Foundation. By providing education, music and art therapy you uplift young people facing social exclusion and inequality. We have repurposed surplus DJ, production and music kit and with the guidance of our team of world-class DJ’s and producers and we have taught young people how to play, mix and create music. It has been so successful, some of the young artists in Sierra Leone will soon be releasing an album – ‘No input, No output’. We have funded similar projects in Tanzania, the Philippines and most recently nUganda.
If you could tell one story of a child, or group of children you have helped, what would it be?
There are so many stories it is difficult to choose just one. A few years ago, we built a home for 3 single women each with children with special needs. Within their community they were treated as outcasts, given no support and were left with nothing to live on out on the street. Providing them with a home and help for their children gave them a safe haven as well as the freedom and confidence to find work, feed their families and hope for a brighter future. One of those women is now teaching at a LNADJ funded project where she met a new partner.
You have shared such inspiring stories about the work done so far. If people want to get involved with the Foundation, how can they help?
Raising funds via any form of charity events is always a huge help. We rely on the diverse skills of unsung heroes – the graphic designers, the printers, the social media managers and marketing gurus – who generously lend their expertise to our cause. Looking ahead to the future we aspire to launch a range of online music and art tutorials, accessible to our schools and beyond. Expertise in this area would be warmly welcomed.
Jonny’s vision has become a reality and LNADJ stands as a testament to the extraordinary power of electronic music.
