The Kat's Meow: Interview with DJ LA LA L&ND
The Kat's Meow is the official interview segment of the The HairyKat Chronicles. This week we caught up with the beautiful DJ LA LA L&ND to pick her brain about the life of a female DJ. Check out her insight in the interview below.
HK: “How did you get interested in DJ-ing?”
DJ LaLa L&ND: “Music has always been a part of my life.
I was introduced to Scratch DJ Academy when my Uncle started in 2005. When my Uncle
passed away in 2006 I kept in touch with the instructors. I did a free class in
2010 and joined in January 2011. A few classes later I got hooked to it and now
it’s something that I love. “
HK: “Take us down memory lane and tell us about the first DJ
set you ever played”.
DJ LaLa L&ND: “It was for my school, it was the 2nd
class I had taken (M202). We had to do a 6 song set, the goal was to be picked
to play for graduation. Only two people were going to be picked out of the
entire class. I was so nervous, but I
worked so hard on it, I would work on it after working at a hospital. It was an
all 90’s music set. I ended up getting picked and got to play at graduation.”
HK: “DJ-ing is seemingly a male dominated industry. What
sorts of barriers do you feel exist, if any, for female DJs?”
DJ LaLa L&ND: “I don’t feel like there’s barriers. I
feel more like we’re underestimated because there are some women that do it for
the look and not for the skill. But once
you break it down and show that you have the skills, I feel like you get
treated just as equal as male DJ’s. I feel like I get treated just as equal as
male DJ’s.”
HK: “What influences your DJ mixes when you’re preparing for
a set?”
DJ LaLa L&ND: “It depends on the feel of the crowd. I
love to mix New Jack Swing with the new “Ratchet” music, I guess it’s called.
It also depends on what’s playing at the time, which depicts what songs can go
together.”
HK: “So you don’t pre-record your sets?”
DJ LaLa L&ND: “No, everything is on the spot. The only
thing I prepare is the songs I may want to use for a set.”
HK: “What’s your go to song that you know will get listeners
hyped up?”
DJ LaLa L&ND: “With new music, it really depends on
what’s hot at the moment. My go to music
is 90s to early 2000s usually Busta Rhymes- Put your Hands Where My Eyes Can
See, Mary J. Blige- Real Love, Michael Jackson-Remember the Time.
HK: “How do you think the role of the DJ has shifted in
music culture over the past decade?”
DJ LaLa L&ND: “I don’t feel like people think DJ’s are
as important anymore. I feel like people think the venue or the food is more
important. Or there’s so many people that call themselves DJ’s that people
think anyone can do it. I don’t think it’s
taken as seriously anymore. But, we prepare for hours like any other job. We actually
put time into our craft. We research music. I don’t feel like DJ’s get as much
recognition as they used to.”
HK: “What advice would you give to any up and coming DJ’s?”
DJ LaLa L&ND: “I would say, if you’re going to DJ do it
because you love it not based on the possibilities that can come from DJ-ing.
It’s hard and it takes passion. Put the time in to make your skill stronger and
network, know your music, and keep the love for it alive.”
HK: “This is a funny question, but I have to ask it because
I see people do it all the time, Do DJ’s get annoyed when people requests
songs?”
DJ LaLa L&ND: “So the whole thing with request is,
personally it’s not annoying until someone is being demanding about playing a song
they want to hear. When we’re DJ-ing, we’re in the zone. It gets frustrating
when they demand a song and they expect to hear it right then and there and it
may not be with the vibe of what’s going on.
Some DJ’s won’t play the song unless you pay them. Yea, I don’t mind it
just depends on the delivery of the request. “
Listen and download DJ LA LA L&ND’s Mixes on Soundcloud
at: www.soundcloud.com/DJLalaL
Via email: djlalaland@gmail.com
; Find her on Instagram and Twitter @dj_lalaland and Like her fanpage on Facebook
: https://www.facebook.com/pages/DJ-LaLa-LND/109286565851325
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