My dizzying (and dazzling) path to DJing over the past decade
Every day I tell myself I want to write more… And there’s no better day than today to start. “But what should I write about?” I ask myself. Let’s just start where I am.
PHOTO BY ANAIAH SIMONS
Today is Monday, December 4, 2023.
This is the last stretch of the year, but it’s far from over.
For the past decade, I’ve been working as a music video director/editor, creative director for music rollout campaigns, and touring portrait photographer. This year, I’ve broken personally fulfilling ground by getting out from behind the camera and behind-the-scenes to start performing as a DJ.
It’s been one hell of a year.
Here’s my timeline as a DJ…
MARCH ‘23 / MY FIRST SHOW (+ SUMMER ‘23)
I played my first show on March 3, 2023 for Mylen Makes’ debut headline show at Lolipop Records. I thought I could DJ in my room, but nothing scares you more into figuring out what you’re actually doing than committing to being in front of an audience. For that show, I went b2b with my friend Ethan and it was both of our first DJ shows ever.
Then I was hooked. All of my attention went to DJing; I had gotten the bug. I just kept DJing in my room preparing for the next show. I spent the summer obsessed with figuring it out.
For the better part of this year (2024), my heart creatively kept going away from making work for other artists and instead thinking about what my artist world would look and feel like. DJing felt the path for me to live out this dream of a fully fulfilling creative life.
Every single day my thoughts would float towards maximizing personal expression, and that’s how I would connect to other artists over the years as well. But I was felt like a fraud because as much I didn’t want to admit it… working for the biggest and best artists in the world wasn’t enough. I wanted to be an artist myself.
On top of DJing, I had seriously begun to focus on electronic music production, and reveling in the absolute joy that is the invention of the mixer to help shape my newfound relationship to music.
I didn’t know where it was going to lead but I just followed my excitement.
AUG+SEPT ‘23 / ENJOY THE RIDE (BROOKLYN AND LA SHOWS)
My friend Almondmilkhunni dropped an independent album called ENJOY THE RIDE, and I worked on the visuals for the album. [Funny story, we actually got tattooed with ENJOY THE RIDE together in 2020.]
When it was time for her to play her headline shows in Brooklyn, NY (Baby’s All Right) and Los Angeles, CA (The Moroccan Lounge), sheasked me if I could open the show as a DJ!
This time, I would be playing these sets solo, and in front of a ticketed audience at proper music venues that I’ve shot artists I’ve worked for before. This was a breakthrough chapter in my DJ path because my dream was to play DJ shows where it’s not in a club or a bar, and instead I wanted to be on a proper stage. I’ve always imagined myself performing in that context.
Additionally, I was able to play shows opening for friends I work with on a visual level. My “North Star” Virgil Abloh* would be proud.
*VIRGIL FOREVER
My “North Star” is Virgil Abloh because he’s a multidisciplinary artist, designer and visionary. Virgil was the creative director for Kanye West throughout an all-time run of music albums and right-hand creative to Ye while he broke into fashion. V was also the founder/creative director of OFF-WHITE™ and men’s artistic director of Louis Vuitton. On top of that, he also was a DJ who played at COACHELLA, Lollapalooza Chicago, and had a residency in Las Vegas at XS, which are all of my goals as a DJ.
If I’m going to consistently write, I have to state straightaway that Virgil will be a part of my rationale as a creative thinker. V’s path and tools/resources he’s made are used as a wayfinder for how I navigate my path as a hybrid creative director, designer and DJ.
REST IN POWER VIRGIL ABLOH !!
Zoom up to August 2023, I flew out across the country to play my first show solo DJ set ever at Baby’s All Right.
I walked out onto that stage like I had done it hundreds of times before. I had imagined it so many times in the past that it truly didn’t hit me that it was my first show until I was going to bed that night.
A week after my show, I was listening to a Dominic Fike interview and he was asked about his first show ever. He replied with “Baby’s All Right,” the same venue I had just played. That was affirming. Dominic also said something in that interview to the effect of ‘that [NYC] show sucked but maybe there were parts of it that were endearing’.
Honestly, same.
My Brooklyn show went well, but it was a learning lesson. In hindsight, I really went out there with no harness. Full send!
In my mind, DJs didn’t plan their sets: they would walk in the room to feel the energy of the crowd then respond accordingly. I was met with the harsh realization that the crowd was going to react off of my energy, but I eventually figured it out! I played an hourlong set which went by in a blink of eye.
It was good that my debut was in New York so I could figure it out in front of mostly strangers… shoutout Matt and Nicole (my SoCal → DC → Brooklyn transplants) who came out to the show!
I ended up extending my trip in NYC instead of flying out the next morning, and I spent the next few days with Julian while he took on meetings and played a surprise renegade pop-up DJ set in Brooklyn. After a week of inspiration from my show, from Julian’s show, and the energy of NYC, as I was on the flight back to LA, everything started clicking for me.
I had about 10 days to prepare for the Los Angeles show at Moroccan Lounge, which I knew a handful of friends would be showing up to so I needed to rework my entire approach and set. I knew the Almondmilkhunni audience better, and I played a set that I was super proud of. My friends were all so proud of me.
That LA show felt like a breakthrough moment because everything I had imagined in my mind had come to reality.
I was actually a DJ who had played on both coasts. This was one of those moments in my life where I could feel the world rotating right underneath me.
My world was clearly changing.
BAY AREA + THE SHRINE
Earlier this year I worked on the ROOM202 EP visual world for Knock2, shooting main campaign visuals in addition to shooting the EP cover photo. Additionally, I worked on the ISOxo’s debut album kidsgonemad!, which I also shot the cover photo for. Two of the most exciting acts in electronic music right now ended up becoming a couple of my best friends.
The morning of my LA show at Moroccan Lounge, ISOxo and Knock2 announced ticket sales for two shows at The Shrine, a massive 5,000 cap venue in LA, which they sold out in minutes. Later that night, both ISO and Knock pulled up to my show. Those two being there to support me especially on that specific day was such a vote of confidence for me. ISO and Knock ended up selling out four shows total at The Shrine, which is a momentous accomplishment and in rare territory for two relatively new acts!
In October, Knock2 had a warehouse show in Oakland and Julian had an album release renegade pop-up in San Francisco. They brought me up there to shoot photos but I ended up opening the Knock2 show by going back2back with Tylor Vi, another photo/video creator for the boys. It was my first time DJing on CDJs in front of an audience, and I think we crushed it. I prepared for the show heavily because deep down I wanted to execute well in order to prove that I could play at one of The Shrine shows.
I felt that playing The Shrine would change my life. To play a 5,000 cap venue in my first year of DJing would be an insane and unheard of trajectory.
Then in a perfect storm, they asked if I wanted to open night 3 at The Shrine on a bill that included me going back2back with Jack Henry, followed by JAWNS, Knock2 and ISOxo. One of the most electric shows I’ve been to in years, and so grateful I got to DJ in front of that audience.
So here we are. In a series of highly fortunate events, I’m now DJing in front of audiences with pure love. I feel like this is the perfect next chapter to a career that has always revolved around music, and performing is what I’ve always been missing in my multidisciplinary practice.
So, what now?
I always describe December as the month where the music industry goes to sleep, but in a way, my most best work of the year is happening in these final weeks.
I’m working on building a brand new audiovisual show on December 20, 2023 at the heds laboratory/office/storefront on Melrose. heds is a curated audiovisual community, and I’ve worked with them on a handful of projects this year. At the show, I’m going back2back with one of my favorite new DJs clubaction, as well as both of us having our own solo sets at the space. clubaction (she/her) is a Filipina-American DJ and she was a surprise opener for Fred Again.. on November 3, 2023 at The Shrine [yes, the same venue I’d play just weeks later]. I went to the Fred Again.. show that night, not being familiar with Nicole but it was a breakout show, and I’m so grateful to have witnessed that life-changing moment in Nicole’s DJ journey. She actually ended up seeing my set at The Shrine on November 21! Through these Shrine shows and our similar paths, we’re now friends and collaborating on building this one-of-a-kind show with heds.
This show will break entirely new ground for us as artists. I’m personally looking forward to combining both my visual background and world-building sensibilities with my newfound love for DJing. My intention is to document and show the process on this blog to share the codes.
I have meeting with heds later today, and I’ll reveal more as things get confirmed.
Be back shortly.