CICELY GRACE ON PHOTOGRAPHY, NRG CRU AND REPRESENTING THE NORTH

WRITTEN BY OSCAR H. PHOTOS

When it comes to balancing and excelling in both creative practices of photography and DJing, Cicely Grace always comes to mind. Raised in Newcastle, she has made her creative career both in the North and in London, working as a freelance photographer specialising in working with musicians and brand campaigns, and running DJ collective NRG CRU, hosting high energy event nights to bring people together.

When it comes to both creative practices, Cicely has established a name for herself in these scenes. I decided to chat to Cicely to find out more about her journey in both photography and music, how she aims to represent her Newcastle origins within her work and the creative processes behind her photoshoots.

HAZY: Tell me a bit about yourself. Where are you from/based? Which creative practice(s) do you specialise in?

CICELY: I’m a Newcastle raised, London based creative, working in music. I’m a freelance photographer specialising in portraiture and brand campaigns. I also DJ, run a collective, record label and events. 

HAZY: What led you to pursue a career in photography?

CICELY: I was just shooting for fun - going to raves and taking photos of my mates who did music, planning my own fashion shoots just for fun, then people started offering to pay me so I thought fuck it, maybe I can make a job out of it. 

HAZY: How does the urban environment influence a shoot with a client, if at all? What do you seek to capture through your images?

CICELY: If I’m shooting portraits and press shots of artists, I often like to photograph them in their own area. The block they grew up on, or the estate they used to play out on. Places they’re familiar with that make them feel empowered and comfortable.

It makes sense to be authentic, so you can bring out the best in the person you’re shooting.

HAZY: Your collective NRG CRU is smashing it at the moment, having hosted several live events in the UK. What is NRG CRU's aim, and what kind of space do you seek to provide people at your events?

CICELY: The main aim is just to do cool music stuff with my friends. It’s that simple, there’s no better feeling than sharing a stage with the people you love.

Going deeper, I want NRG CRU to be a spotlight into the underrepresented scenes I grew up in. There’s so much good music and incredible talent up north that quite often doesn’t get the attention it deserves, so creating a space where we can platform that talent in an inclusive and safe way is super important to me.

HAZY: What is important to you about being a creative from Newcastle? Have you/do you aim to represent/document the city in any way through your work?

CICELY: I believe you’re often a product of your environment. Newcastle is often grey and cold, so I think this aesthetic carries through in my work, I like to capture the raw grittiness of the north.

There’s also such a sense of community and pride in the north, and that is something I’m working on capturing at the moment.

I’ve been compiling a collection of work under the name ‘the dirty north’ which I plan to release towards the end of the year. 

HAZY: How do you balance the two creative practices of DJing and Photography? Do both bring you joy in similar or different ways?

CICELY: I think whenever you make your hobby your job, there’s a risk of losing the joy from it.

I’ve had to prioritise taking on more commercial photography jobs so I can pay my bills and afford to live in London, which is why making time for passion projects is important.

DJing is a totally different vibe for me. Im used to hiding behind the camera, whereas DJing puts me front and centre on stage, all eyes on. Music has always been such an important part of my life, so being able to command a dance floor and give people that same joy is an amazing feeling. 

HAZY: Do you have any upcoming projects/events for 2026 you would like to share to Hazy’s audience?

CICELY: Photography wise, I have my ‘dirty north’ project coming out towards the end of the year. I also plan to continue shooting different faces within the music scene.

I have a lot of DJ sets booked in already this year, some international gigs and festivals which is super exciting, and I’ll be dropping some of my own music. 

Big ups!

“There’s also such a sense of community and pride in the north, and that is something I’m working on capturing at the moment.”

You can keep up to date with Cicely’s photography and DJing through her social media: