Lina Bradford facts for kids

Lina Bradford, also known as DJ Lina, is a talented American disc jockey, dancer, and actress. She was part of New York City's exciting club scene in the 1990s. Lina started performing as a DJ in 1997. She also appeared in movies like Wigstock: The Movie and Woo, which made her more famous. Today, she hosts a fun online show called In the Dollhouse with Lina.

Early Life and Background

Lina Bradford grew up in Manhattan, New York. Her home was right across from Carnegie Hall. Her grandmother was an opera singer who performed there. Lina started taking dance lessons when she was 11 years old. She performed with several dance groups. Her family was very supportive of her identity from a young age.

In an interview, Lina shared that she doesn't like to use labels for herself. She believes labels can limit a person. She prefers to be known for who she is, not by a specific term.

Lina's Career Journey

Starting in New York Clubs

Lina Bradford was an active part of New York City's club scene in the early 1990s. She was known as a "club kid" and performed as a dancer. At that time, she was called Girlina. She became more widely known after appearing in the movie Wigstock: The Movie in 1994. She was in the film with Candis Cayne, who she had known since they were young.

Lina first performed as a DJ in April 1997. Other famous DJs like TPRO and Frankie Knuckles encouraged her to start. She played her first music set at a club called Club Life. Many of her early DJ performances were in the East Village area of Manhattan. She also acted in the movies Always Something Better and Woo.

Later DJ Work and Advocacy

In 2005, Lina Bradford began a long-term DJ residency at Fire Island Pines, New York. She played regular music sets there for ten years as DJ Lina. For the first two years, her session was called Lina's Lounge. After that, she hosted a popular set called Twirlina for eight years.

Today, Lina DJs at various clubs in New York. She has also played music in European cities like Paris, Sardinia, and Saint-Tropez. When she performs, she never plans a playlist in advance. She likes to connect with the audience and take them on a musical journey.

In 2019, a short documentary film about her, called Linish, was released. It was directed by Manu Rodriguez. Lina Bradford also works to support the LGBTQ community. She is a global ambassador for the Hetrick-Martin Institute. This organization helps young people in the LGBTQ community.

Awards and Recognition

• The Glammys, Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2019 – Logo TV, Logo30