Reflections drawn from my personal journey, along with invaluable lessons shared by fellow artists, colleagues, and peers. Take what resonates with you and save the rest for your future self.
I recall my first club gig back in 2012. I had been invited to play a set by one of my favorite DJs in the city, Shekar Menon, for a Valentine’s Day event. My set was at noon, and the dance floor was empty as I played a track called ‘This Is How I Roll’ (I can’t remember the artist, but it was definitely an EDM tune). Shekar came over and asked, ‘Is this how you roll?’ with a hint of sarcasm. It took me nearly two years to fully understand the question.
Later that day, when the club was finally packed, another favorite DJ of mine, Nash (Kochi), invited me to perform. Fueled by beginner’s enthusiasm (or maybe ignorance), I jumped on and played for 20 minutes. My friends were there, chanting ‘Stalvart! Stalvart! Stalvart!’ I dropped one banger after another, and for those 20 minutes, I felt like I was in heaven. It was in that moment I knew—I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. For the next month, I didn’t just walk; I floated.”
Then came my second event. I approached it with the same enthusiasm and energy as before, expecting a similar experience on the dance floor. But something had changed. I wasn’t the new guy anymore, my friends weren’t there chanting my name, and all the other DJs were watching me with skeptical eyes.
In just five minutes, everything that could go wrong went wrong. It felt like the world had slapped me back to reality. Absolute trainwreck, I handed the decks to the other DJs and hid behind the console. By the end of the night, I was so disheartened that I decided, ‘No, I’m done.’ I quit then and there.
Fast forward three months, and Nash reached out with an offer: he asked me if I wanna tag along with him at the club to learn th art. Despite my previous setback and my own uncertainties, I wasn’t about to pass up this opportunity.
That’s when “The Work” began. I started learning the basics and the art of DJing. The first three years were spent playing to empty dance floors, with Nash and Abhiram (Another Cool DJ from Kochi) stepping in when there were just a handful of people present. Even though I didn’t fully understand why I was pushing through those initial years, I came across an insightful RA article that shifted my perspective. “ The esoteric art of the opening DJ”. I didn’t need any more explanations; I got the message loud and clear. I threw myself into learning everything I could about DJing, and I began to truly enjoy THE WORK. I delved into how to build a dance floor, exploring the philosophy and psychology behind it. I studied the economics of the club and the roles each person plays in the ecosystem. I realized how crucial it was for everyone to focus on their specific roles to maintain the balance and flow of the night.
Sometimes we keep forgetting the part what THE WORK is..
According to DJ Jazzy Jeff
It’s not about you, it’s about them. As long as you can do your job and make them happy, then you can fill in all of the gaps that will make you happy. Understand what the mission is: It’s about making the people in front of you have a good time.
Here are some of the expert’s opinion on THE WORK.
Bill Brewster – DJ, Produced, DJ Historian, Author.
PIC : Dan Medhurst
The work, the real graft, is away from the prying eyes of the public and takes place in record stores, searching on Discogs, bidding in eBay and hunting in thrift stores. It’s the digging, the research, the learning, the forensic examination of sleeve notes, the obscure radio station you tune into around midnight most nights.
The actual DJing? That’s the fun part. That’s where you get to disseminate all the information you’ve built up over many years of searching, digging, listening and learning.
To become a really skilled DJ, you need to go through the pain of playing terribly, clearing dancefloors and generally making a mess of otherwise good nights with your inexperience. At that early stage of your career, it may seem like this is work. But it’s a process you need to embrace to push through that level and become more competent at reading crowds. A really good DJ can turn an average night into a brilliant night – and a terrible night into a really good party.
Hamza Rahimtula – DJ, Producer, Label Owner.
PIC: Polina Schapova
The art is to read the energy of the people and understand what energy level is required at the particular moment and accordingly to the size of the room and the time of night or day. At no point should the dance floor get boring and to combat this the DJ has to be able to be in the moment and change his/her plan of action. The Dj has to be in an aware and spontaneous mind set, where he/she reaches a point where the trust has been built between the audience and themselves. When this happens, it’s a total bond and unification of energy that goes into a flow state of mind and it almost feels like the audience and the Dj have merged into a collective union, and this is what people never ever forget as it’s almost a spiritual experience!
Moodena – DJ, Producer, Label Owner.
Pic : Joven Roy
Anyone can DJ, what sets good DJ’s apart from others is their music selection and flow, being able to read a crowd and drop records that will create moments on the dancefloor but most of all keep everyone on the dancefloor moving and grooving. You need to create your own style and flow that is unique to you to stand out from everyone else.
So next time you catch yourself thinking or saying, ‘Fuck this headliner’ (Hope you understand the greed and emotion behind this thought process) ,ask yourself: “What if everyone did that”, As Immanuel Kant says in his “Groundwork Of The Metaphysics of Morals”(1785),
Next time you’re feeling down because the night didn’t go as planned—your friends or audience didn’t cheer, your friends didn’t show up, or you didn’t deliver a ‘KILLER SET’—remind yourself, ‘This is THE WORK. This is what I signed up for. The key is to push through, learn from the experience, and keep moving forward. The process itself is what truly matters’.
And especially, when you do play that KILLER SET, remind yourself, ‘This is a privilege and a result of everyone doing their job to the best of their ability. I’m not bigger than the music; it moves forward with or without me. I’m here simply to do THE WORK.’
“There’s no one to perform for. There is just work to be done and lessons to be learned, in all that is around us.”
― Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent
