Molly Pardoe is the oldest artist in Rhythm and Vines history, set to perform her first live DJ set at the three-day Gisborne festival later this month. She talks to Alex Casey about changing perceptions around older women.  

Prior to this year, Molly Pardoe’s only interaction with Rhythm and Vines had been warmly welcoming her bedraggled grandchildren into her Gisborne home whenever the four-day festival was hit by wild weather. “They would come over with all their friends, have a shower, drop off all their muddy clothes, have something to eat and a nice nap,” she explains. “Then off they go back again. That’s only ever been my experience with R&V.” 

That is, until now. Along with the likes of Kid Cudi, Mozey, A-Trak and Fcukers, Pardoe will soon be taking the R&V stage in front of 25,000 young people to perform her first live DJ set at the age of 81. Her stage name? DJ SuperGran. 

Molly Pardoe aka DJ SuperGran (Photo: Supplied)

Born in 1944 in Tolaga Bay, Pardoe says music has always been a big part of her life. She recalls singing around the piano with her family during the festive season – “that’s how ancient I am” – and listening to Elvis Presley in the heyday of rock and roll. Tina Turner was another important artist for her. “A fabulous example of a woman who had a tough life but rose above it all,” says Pardoe. “I remember dancing to her through the night when I was younger.”

Outside of her love of music, Pardoe has had many passions in her 81 years. She worked for most of her adult life in farming and shearing contracting, while also raising her children. She started Gisborne’s YMP netball club in 1969, came third in Mrs East Coast in 1977, and has volunteered in Vanuatu and Indonesia, as well as at home in Tairāwhiti. Twenty years ago, that volunteer work led her to the charity SuperGrans, and eventually her burgeoning DJ career. 

SuperGrans shares life skills between generations, including financial advice, gardening groups, parenting support and cooking classes. “We’re always thrilled to see people come and ask for help, because that’s not easy,” says Pardoe. “There’s probably two or three generations of families now who actually don’t know how to cook because life has changed so much with the fast food places… some people have never even peeled an onion.” 

Molly Pardoe on the decks in the SuperGrans kitchen (Photo: Supplied)

After sharing her skills with the community for two decades, the flow of intergenerational knowledge has now turned in the other direction. With SuperGrans chosen to be the official charity partner for Rhythm and Vines, Pardoe will be stepping up to the DJ decks to deliver a 10-minute set in front of a 25,000-strong crowd. “What is there to be afraid of?” she says. “I’ve always taken up challenges all my life. And this is just like, ‘oh well, here’s another one’.” 

Collaborating with local DJ Jamil Sabda, the son of Mara and Beto from BrazilBeat, Pardoe has recently spent a bit of time in his Gisborne studio learning the ropes and assembling her set – and insists she isn’t doing it by halves. “I’ve been learning how to put it all together, because it absolutely is the whole real thing.” she says. “The main thing is, if I’m going to put my finger on the wrong button, I’m not going to show anyone. I’ll just keep dancing and smiling.” 

Pardoe cannot be drawn on what hits punters might be in for, although she does reveal she’s a fan of Celine Dion and Shania. “That’s all a surprise,” she says. “You never know what I’m going to do when I get up there. All those thousands of young people might rev me up.” What she can reveal is the vision for her wardrobe. “Friends have had all sorts of suggestions because I definitely don’t want to go look like an 81-year-old… I’m going glittery and outrageous.” 

And while a glittery and outrageous outfit might be par for the course for many at R&V, for Pardoe it represents a kind of rebellion. “We really wanted to break down the stigma. Grandmothers don’t just sit and knit and crochet, they do heaps of things and are really great and interesting people,” she says. “We want to tell a bigger story about how we love to learn, we love to share, we love to have fun and dance and sing, so don’t write us off just yet.” 

Pardoe hopes her performance doesn’t just change perceptions around older women, but reminds people to connect across generations. “The better we can enjoy each other’s company, whatever your age is – young, old and everything in between – the better we’ll all be,” she says. “I’m going to have thousands of young people looking up and saying, ‘what’s this old lady up to? And I’m going to show them.” And will DJ SuperGran keep partying until midnight? 

“Oh, I can’t be going off to bed early,” she laughs. “I’ve got a reputation now.”