London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Mar 28, 2026

Harrison McDonald: The 16-year-old DJ juggling gigs and GCSEs

Harrison McDonald: The 16-year-old DJ juggling gigs and GCSEs

"I just couldn't wait for the invigilator to end the exam so I could be on my way to the airport," says Harrison McDonald.

Like many other 16-year-olds, he was sitting his GCSE exams this summer - unlike the others he was flying off afterwards to DJ in front of 100,000 people at a gig in Paris.

Once his chemistry test finished, he picked up his luggage from the back of the exam hall and headed straight to the airport.

"It was like chalk and cheese," he says. "Starting the day of in a dead silent, tense hall where you could hear a pin drop to barely hearing myself think over the bass during the festival".

He has been DJing since the age of 11 after a clip of him went viral and plays gigs regularly in his home city of Liverpool and abroad.

He's played alongside established names such as Liverpudlian singer-songwriter Jamie Webster - who went to Harrison's secondary school years before - and rock band The Lightning Seeds.

Nerves don't affect him before gigs: "I thrive off the people there. I guess the only thing that may concern me is picking the right song but it's great when it fills the dance floor".

His musical journey began as he was starting secondary school when his father bought him some equipment


Despite an intense schedule with bookings each week, he doesn't feel the pressure.

"Due to gigs being on the weekend, balancing is never really an issue".

He makes an effort to prioritise education alongside his DJ career: "I think it's important to make the time to revise especially when I have various gigs within exam season".

Being able to get that balance right is something he puts down to support from his school and his family.

"I have to be thankful to my school who set up a club called 'revise till 5' which meant that I had the opportunity to get quality revision in right after school, which then gives me the time to prepare for gigs."

Harrison says he tries to ensure he has time to be "a normal teenager" and meets up with friends, especially in the exam season. "It gives your mind something else to think about instead of covalent bonds," he says, referring to his chemistry studies.

As a Liverpool football fan, Harrison says his dream goal would be the chance to play for the players


His musical journey began as he was starting secondary school when his father bought him some equipment: "I am very grateful that my dad has provided me a platform to do what I love.

"I owe it all to my dad really, he got me lessons and pushed me to become the best I can. I'm very appreciative of what he has done for me."

His advice to young people would be "just do it, as many people contemplate pursuing something and never do. Becoming a DJ has given me so many fantastic opportunities."

He's spending the rest of the summer in Ibiza on various residencies, and in September will launch a radio show from Dubai, which he is particularly excited about. "I have never had to speak in any of my gigs so I can't wait to be able to interact with my audience," he says.

As a Liverpool football fan, he says his dream goal would be the chance to play for the players: "I think within the dressing room there are some good characters who would be dancing to my funky house beats".

Like his peers he has to wait until August for GCSE results. So how does he feel about what lies ahead?

"After an exam, I have to try and never think about it again. I'll never see the paper again and what's done is done. I shouldn't worry because the outcome will still be the same."


The school where pupils learn to DJ


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
UK Ministers Warn Expanded North Sea Drilling Would Deepen Exposure to Global Energy Volatility
Delayed UK Defence Investment Plan Leaves Suppliers Under Severe Financial Strain
Can Iran Strike the UK? Assessing the Real Military Threat as Conflict Escalates
Sanctioned Iranian Banker Linked to Luxury Marbella Villa Through UK Corporate Structure
Casey Bloys Navigates HBO Max UK Launch, Paramount Integration and Industry Buzz Over Netflix Meeting
Iran Conflict Sparks Sharp Turbulence in UK Mortgage Market, Reaching Pandemic-Era Disruption Levels
Major Donor Urges University of Kentucky to Reconsider Mitch Barnhart’s Post-Retirement Role
United Kingdom Moves to Lead International Effort to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
Senior UK Advocate Criticises Barnhart Retirement Appointment, Calls for Reconsideration
×