Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Jaye Cadapan.
Hi Evan Jaye, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a young kid I always had a creative itch. I was always into building and creating things, whether it was building Legos without instructions, drawing on restaurant menus, or making up stories for whenever I played with my toys. I honestly think going to High Tech Middle and High Tech High Chula Vista and having a project based learning education expanded my creativity and brought me new perspectives on what my future could potentially look like. I did various creative projects growing up– from building bottle rockets to acting in plays and designing in stage productions, all of it nurtured my creative side. One subject that really caught my attention was an after school program in middle school that offered beginner DJ lessons. After that first class, I was so excited to try something new. Throughout middle school and high school I became a bedroom DJ mainly DJing for myself. My senior project was actually how to brand myself as a DJ, which included weekly mixes and documenting my growth in the span of a couple months. I look back at it now and it was a big turning point for me because I felt like it was the first time I found something I was really invested in. I knew I wasn’t the best but, I had the best time and I felt like it was something I could grow with.
Going into college, I opted for pursuing higher education in healthcare and because of that I put a lot of my creative tendencies aside to focus on a “practical career” that I thought would be safe for me in the long run. I later realized that I was forcing myself to pursue something I thought I should be doing rather than actually wanting to do it. It was a dark time to say the least. After a while I was just so unhappy with where I was. I grew to feel lost and unmotivated in everything I did. I was very in my head about where I was headed in my career. Was I just in college to appease my family and friends? The social expectations to be successful in school were so heavy at the time. It was hard for me to balance it all and it took dropping out of college for me to get myself out of that headspace.
For a couple months after moving back home I still felt displaced and stressed from the pressure I brought upon myself. I wasn’t in school anymore and dissociated from reality. It wasn’t until, I got tired of doing nothing and I started thinking “What can I do to better myself and make myself happy in the meantime while I figure out what to do with my life?” and from that I forced myself to get a job and eventually move out of my parents house. I got out more and my Uncle Ed introduced me to the rest of the Hickies and Dry Humps team, a well known brand in San Diego nightlife. At the time it was post-pandemic so they were streaming their DJ sets on Twitch. Being back in a space surrounded by music and skilled DJs made me feel inspired again. Around the same time I got my first real job. I didn’t know it at the time but, working at BLENDS San Diego would open a lot of different doors for me. It gave me a sense of purpose and a space to showcase my leadership skills. It set a new foundation for me to be who I needed to be in a sense that it opened my eyes to other opportunities and avenues I could build upon in my life. I made lifelong friends and connections with both customers and co-workers. I was surrounded by creatives 7 days a week and fully immersed in fashion, culture, music, and all the things I valued.
Being at BLENDS also reawakened my potential as a DJ. Julz was my manager at BLENDS and he also ran Hickies. Working alongside him I was able to learn a lot about myself as an employee, a DJ, and a person. With time, I was given the opportunity to join the Hickies team and play my first DJ gigs in spaces like Bluefoot Bar, El Dorado, and Park&Rec. With the later unfortunate closure of BLENDS, I again found myself grasping for a sense of stability in my career but, at that point I felt confidence in being able to continue to pursue DJing. Fast forward to today as I reflect on how far I’ve come I’ve hit some pretty big milestones like playing Sunday Brunch with one of my favorite DJs, Miles Medina (not once, but twice), moving up in the ranks of Hickies from being a DJ on the roster to managing and booking talent for events, and becoming friends with DJs and people who I used to look up to. Looking back on what DJing and navigating life after dropping out of college looked like, I found a sense of independence, a new wave of creativity, and responsibility.
People ask me if I plan to make DJing a full time career. My answer has always been no–DJing for me is a passion that I never want to fall out of love with. Of course it’s one of my sources of income but, at the end of the day I want it to remain a creative outlet for me not just a job. I appreciate the path that I’ve found my self on the last couple of years, no matter how difficult it was for me to get here, I know the job isn’t finished and I still have a lot to learn. I still find myself lost every now and then but, I am content in the direction I’m heading.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Dropping out of college was the hardest thing to have happened to me. It sent me into a spiral where I had no control. Looking back on it now It was definitely a redirection. I think from that experience I still struggle with the idea that my life is not going to look like I expected it–graduating from college, getting a job in healthcare, and working a 9 to 5. I’m still close with a lot of my college friends and sometimes it does feels a little discouraging seeing them reach career milestones. I’m still learning to accept that I can still be successful in another path doing what I enjoy and what I am good at.
I think even today I struggle with imposter syndrome both in my working life and as a DJ. There are moments as a DJ where I feel like I’m not cut out to be in this industry. I’m still working on ways to pull myself out of this rut when it does come about. I usually try to reflect on where I started and where I am today and always reminding myself “there’s a reason I’m doing this and a reason I haven’t stopped”. I am lucky enough to be where I am in my working life while still being able to do what I love. Of course i’ll always continue to do my best and work hard in everything I do but navigating imposter syndrome something I still find myself facing even today.
It hasn’t been the easiest to get where I am, but the moments of struggle and lessons I learned along the way are worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a professional DJ based out of San Diego, CA. I’m an open format DJ with various residencies throughout San Diego with reach as far along the west coast in cities like Seattle, the Bay Area, and LA. When it comes to my style, I’m able to bring a little bit of everything but, if I were to describe it would be nostalgic with a hint of new age flare.
One thing I’m most proud of is being able to play events and be on line ups alongside household DJs from across the globe. On top of that I’m lucky enough to be able to curate and run my own event called JUST.PARTY and be a resource in San Diego for creatives/up-and-coming DJs looking to grow their skills in the industry. I’m the youngest DJ on both the Hickies team and one of the youngest in San Diego, that alone sets me apart from my peers but, also by style and creativity when it comes to mixing and transitions. Like every DJ, I have a different room presence. When it comes to my values I feel like I am strictly focused on sharpening my skills as a DJ than I am with my own image. I let my DJing speak for itself.
What makes you happy?
Outside of the happiness I get from being able to DJ, my family and friends are the foundation of my life. I can’t thank them enough for their endless support. When I’m not DJing or working, you’ll find me hanging out with my family and friends any chance I get. Nothing beats a great meal and football with my family. Fly Eagles Fly! They’re the much needed break I need from my work life.
On another note, these days I find myself nurturing my inner child and finding happiness in toys, physical media, home decor, and buying all the 90s vintage basketball shoes I don’t need but, always wanted growing up.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/its.just.ev
- soundcloud: soundcloud.com/evancadapan
Image Credits
Photos by @iso_junkies, @badgrldre, @bymaximiliano, @dj_rayted_r
