A Cumbrian DJ will inspire a new generation of young people to make music with performances at 12 gigs across Japan this month.

(Image: Jody Bigfoot) DJ Liil Bits will become the first female Cumbrian DJ to tour in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Hannah Dalton, a 27-year-old ‘media mixologist’ who grew up in Bootle and went to school in Coniston, has taken her talent overseas.

Her journey into mixing began in 2017 when she went to university at Loughborough and picked up DJing at house parties and events.

(Image: Jody Bigfoot) A growing engagement with various underground music events, independent labels and community radio stations in Manchester led to new opportunities.

Hannah is known for her genre-hopping mixes and will be joining her partner, the Geordie rapper Jody Bigfoot, on a tour of Japan.

(Image: Jody Bigfoot) “We met at Solfest in Cumbria last year,” Jody said.

“I was performing and Hannah was doing art and decor. We immediately fell in love and one week later she was DJing for me at Lindisfarne festival on the other side of the country - we have been together ever since.”

The pair received a £5,000 pound grant from The Great British Sasakawa Foundation to tour Jody’s latest album, "Geordie Japanese Dancehall" in Japan.

(Image: Jody Bigfoot) Jody describes his music as a ‘unique’ blend of reggae and hip-hop with Geordie and Japanese rap and singing.

The album has been signed to 1988 Records in France and will be released in October.

Hannah said: “I am ecstatic about this rare opportunity to see Japan whilst meeting and collaborating with the music scene out there. It can be difficult coming from a rural area to find these steps up in a creative career when you've got to go out and actively seek it.

“I'm really grateful for the creative space that this trip is providing, to the Sasakawa foundation for largely funding it, to Jody for securing us the grant and for putting so much into his art which inspires me every day and lastly to us both for finding each other and at just the right time.”