With a love for music ranging from hip-hop to world and everything in between, Gabrielle “Bova” Wilson has taken her passion to audiences and stages across the globe. Her number one goal? Connection. From a tour with Grammy Award-winning artist Estelle to serving as the official DJ for Uncle Nearest, the fastest-growing independent whiskey brand in U.S. History, Bova’s career continues to ascend.
Some of her recurring clients include Nike, Complex, Red Bull, Amazon, Sony Pictures, the NBA, Budweiser, FOX, BET, and Essence Fest. She also teaches a module in Brown University’s Executive Leadership and Performance Training Program, a full-circle moment for someone who never attended college but has always valued education.
Born in Pasadena, Bova’s musical journey seemed inevitable. As the daughter of renowned Motown producer-songwriter Frank Wilson and author-speaker Bunny Wilson, she was immersed in creativity from an early age.
By three, she was taking piano lessons, and by four, she was composing songs. However, it wasn’t until she discovered DJing that she truly found her lane.
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Her transition into DJing was intentional. While working as a server at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills in 2015, she made a firm decision: when her seasonal job at the pool ended, she would not reapply.
“I told myself, this job is going to end, and when it does, you’re going to do something else,” she recalled. That “something else” was DJing. Eager to learn, she enrolled in Scratch Academy, where she dedicated herself to mastering all DJ equipment, troubleshooting, and understanding the nuances of the industry.
“It’s not just the skill set that gets you booked, but your interface with the client and how you show up in the room,” she said.
Her stage name, BOVA, was a strategic choice.
“There was a narrative that female DJs weren’t as good,” she explained. “I didn’t want a name that was gender-specific or race-specific. I wanted something international.” This foresight allowed her to navigate biases and position herself as a standout talent in the industry.
Bova’s DJing philosophy is rooted in people.
“It’s impossible to read a crowd if you don’t like people,” she said. “I love people, and I care about their enjoyment. That, I think, is a prerequisite.”
With extensive musical knowledge spanning all genres—even metal, screamo, and country—she knows how to create a set that resonates. Her secret lies in identifying “energy centers” in a crowd.
“I look at who’s in the room age-wise and who’s directing the energy. If I can engage those key people, I can likely capture 30 others,” she said. She also temperature-checks reactions, scanning for eyebrow raises, head turns, and collective shifts in energy.
While some DJs prioritize personal preference, Bova emphasizes balance, explaining, “What I want to bring to you is never going to supersede whether I can. And whether I can is up to your level of trust in me. But I’ll never sacrifice the party for my desire.”
Her time on tour with Estelle remains a career highlight.
“That was a time in life,” she reminisces. “When everybody on tour is cool, it’s like a family.” By completing the entire U.S. leg, she her love for touring and live performance.
Beyond DJing, Bova has worn many hats. For nearly a decade, she ran Vocal Therapy, a holistic vocal coaching company.
“I was DJing and seeing ten people a day for vocal coaching,” she shares. Though successful, she felt divinely led to close the business in 2023. “At the time, I wasn’t so sure. I just listened. Now, I know it was time.”
Letting go forced her to redefine her identity beyond work. Remembering, she said, “Closing that business made me ask, ‘Who are you?’ rather than ‘What do you do?’”
Now, Bova is fully embracing her artistry.
“Everything I do is something God told me to do,” she stated.
With a clear vision, an unstoppable drive, and a heart for connection, she continues to make her mark, proving that her gift has, indeed, made room for her. She is finally devoting time to her own artistry and groove through working on original music, contributing to the movement to bring dancing back.
Follow Bova on Instagram @callmebova
