Today we’d like to introduce you to DJ J9.
DJ J9, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Born in the Philippines and came to America as an immigrant at eight years old with my mom & younger brother. I’ve always had a passion for music and I’ve always gravitated to things that challenge or spark my creativity. I never thought that I would have a career in DJing but I have so much passion for it that I won’t stop until I become successful. I started off with putting mixes up on SoundCloud.
My supervisor at the time heard my mixes and asked if I was serious she can link me up with her close friend who is the Program Manager at 95.7 The Beat a radio station based in Santa Maria, CA. She said that the radio station is looking for their first female DJ. So I met up with the program director and he gave me advice on how to properly mix on the radio/parties/clubs and for about to years, I was an on-air mix show DJ for the radio station. Throughout the time, I started getting booked at local bars, special events for corporate & brands, and eventually nightclubs across the US.
Great, 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?
The road to success is never smooth and is always under construction. Some challenges I faced along the way is learning to stop trying to be such a perfectionist. I find that trying to make my set/gigs perfect makes me more nervous before my shows. Thought out time, I learned that being yourself and having fun with it gets rid of the nervousness and learning to enjoy everything at the moment. Another obstacle I’ve had along the way with DJing is proving myself as a female DJ.
This industry is dominated by talented men and most female DJs are only known to get booked because of their good looks and appearance but I wanted to prove that I was more than that, so I studied a lot of talented DJs, listened to a lot of mixes. It help grow my knowledge and music library more to be able to play for any crowd & genres. I believe for anyone to reach success, they have to understand that the road will never be smooth, nothing in life is perfect. Its how you deal with the ups and the downs. It’s always good to celebrate your wins, but most importantly you have to be able to learn from your losses.
What helped me get through the struggle is being able to find mentors. My main mentors in life are Kobe Bryant (RIP Kobe) Eric Thomas, Kanye West, Gary Vaynerchuck, Tony Robbins and much more. Even though ive never met them in person they showed the importance of work ethic, ambition, perseverance and determination. Whatever it is you do in life whether its DJing, basketball, motivational speaker, musical artist, they all showed me the heart that it takes to go after what you really want even if the odds are against you. You have to love the grind and don’t ever settle. Have that mamba mentality. In life, its not about the destination its about the journey.
Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
I am based in San Diego, CA. I specialize in being an Open-Format club DJ. An Open-Format DJ (or Multi-Genre DJ) is a DJ who will perform a mix or set based upon any given format of music. I have played at clubs throughout the United States from San Diego to Texas to Salt Lake City to Miami and all the way to Tijuana & Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. What sets me apart from others is my work ethic and determination. I’m the type of person that will not rest until I become the best version of myself. What I’m most proud of is being able to represent for the Female DJ community across the world.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career so far, well actually I don’t have a “proudest” moment. Even though I have traveled across the nation to DJ at some of the best nightclubs (which has always been a dream of mine) the only time I can say I’m proud of myself is when the lights turn back on at the end of the night and the club is ready to close and nobody wants to go home and they want me to keep playing music because they’re having a good time.
When people clap at the end of my shows, to me that’s when I’m proud of myself and can say I did my job and I did it well. There has been a lot of times that has happened and man nothing beats that feeling. It almost like you’re on a high, but you’re on a high on life. Its such an unexplainable feeling and that is why I enjoy DJing so much and that is my goal every time I have a show.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://j9clothingco.bigcartel.com
- Email: bookdjj9@gmail.com
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
