TRANSCRIPT
Cooper Smith is an eighteen year old DJ moving forward in the Australian music industry, he's also a proud person with a disability.
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy from a birth injury, Cooper has lived with speech and mobility impairments his entire life.
From playing on his first decks as a five year old, to fine tuning his skills during lockdown, Cooper's passion for techno and Afro-house has seen him catapult to the main stage of the Australian Open on men's finals day.
Inspired by his love of music, the eighteen year old decided to download a DJing app during the Covid-19 lockdown.
"I’ve always really had a love of music and I just thought how could I share what music I enjoy to an audience."
In 2021, the Dylan Alcott Foundation gifted Cooper his first ever decks... by 2023 he was playing at his first Music Festival - Ability Fest 2023.
The past few years have seen Cooper play at festivals such as Beyond the Valley, alongside major artists like Peggy Gou and Flight Facilities.
His mum, Bronwyn says her son's recent successes aren't very surprising.
"I think with Coops he, since the day he was born, he has had to fight I guess and to be super super strong and is extremely stubborn. So over the last few years, it hasn't surprised me at all that he's achieved what he has because, from the first day anything that someone said that he couldn't, wasn't going to be able to do or couldn't do he's always smash that and been able to do it. "
For Cooper, sharing his music is all about connection.
"I just want to make the whole dance floor feel connected"
Now, that lockdown hobby is seeing Cooper gain recognition from fans across the country.
"Whether or not he's going for like a walk down to the beach, or he's gone to a club or to a festival or something. He always comes home and is telling me about people that have recognised him and I always try and say "pull your head in mate", you know, you've got to I've got to keep him sort of grounded and a bit humbled. But I remember one time we were in Brisbane having dinner and there was a couple sitting across the restaurant from us and we're looking at us and I just thought maybe they're looking you know, Cooper's using a wheelchair, you know, looks a bit different. Anyway, they came up and they said you know, "are you DJ Cooper Smith? we recognize you." And then the same night went into a bakery and the guy the owner of the bakery just said, I've just been watching you on Tik Tok Coops and it was put back in my place for telling him to."
Music Programmer for the Australia Opens Finals Fest, Pia Del Mastro has worked as an agent with Cooper before and says his knowledge of music will take him far in the industry.
"I think he is going to be a superstar, he's so young, and he's got so much ahead of him, and the industry love him, and he knows music, and he knows what crowds love. So as a DJ and a producer, he comes with so many things that are just going to benefit his career in the long run and also inspire everyone else around him. "
She says that events like the Australian Open can often be challenging and inaccessible for people with disabilities.
"Coming along into this space with a disability can be quite challenging, but we particularly Untitled Group and also Tennis Australia and the Australian Open have made this a really welcoming and inclusive space for people like Cooper Smith, and we really back artists and musicians like this and really encourage them to put their best foot forward."
Despite his many successes, Cooper's ambition isn't quite satisfied yet.
At just eighteen, he has big plans for his future career.
"Probably win an ARIA by 23. Maybe a Grammy by 25. And I will."
