We were lucky to catch up with DJ Holla recently and have shared our conversation below.
DJ, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Growing up in Baltimore, MD with a hard working Mother showed me the path of putting in the time & effort to achieve your goals through persistence, resilience, goals, and staying true to your passion.
Being in that city surrounded by others just as strong allowed me to push my boundaries either through academics, sports, neighborhood competitions, and family expectations was the icing on the cake to succeed. Those things combined helped form the Artist/DJ I am today.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Being a DJ from Baltimore, MD, growing up music was in the culture starting with Hip-Hop and transitioning to Bmore Club Music with a splash of Chicago House. I’ve always been apart of the music/entertainment scene from doing talent shows in school, helping fellow djs carry records into parties, or being apart of staff for a popular club (I frequented) just to immerse myself into what I enjoyed, the music culture.
This process allowed me to meet some amazing people while gathering experience for understanding the business of entertainment, ability to interact with diverse groups, and forge my love to do this the rest of my life.
Being a DJ, has allowed me to travel the states & parts of the world bringing me here to Charlotte, NC where you can find me doing private events, running sound/lighting business, mentoring other artists/DJs, making rounds in a few local nightlife venues, and best of all providing the pre/post game sounds for the Carolina Panthers & Charlotte FC at Clutch Kitchen & Pour House for thousands of people,
When someone comes to hear DJ Holla play their getting a unique experience through my history & musical journey along the way.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Mmm….
1. Developing a sound foundation of people to guide you when first starting helped show me some of the process to navigate some of the pitfalls they learned such as gathering music, working with clients, and crowd management through music. There is a business side of it.
2. Practice, practice, practice…. You have to put the work in, the time, and energy.. It’s those moments you find yourself through your art which brings out the best.
3. Networking & finding your lane… get out to speak with others, watch DJs your like to learn from, reach out those whom you connect with, and overall be apart of what you’d like to be apart of. DJ life comes is many forms but one key factor is exploration helping you find which lane works best for you.
Advice?
I’ve always had a code of dealing with people & being a person of my word which has boded well for me through the years. Also, have fun at your parties/events but remember it’s a business and make sure you’ve keep that first.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’ve always been open to grow with other like-minded people looking to make sure the quality of my Brand and passion for what we do stays consistent.
From other DJs, lighting/sound professionals, venues, owners, managers, and private corporate partners it’s a pleasure to speak on how I can assist in providing the customer the overall best experience through teamwork.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mrinternational.durable.co/?fbclid=PAAabqpyVMZqp6Uryys0PiLIiNTpGMzBvn1yHyn3Gqj385tjR3l5nn1UQRwjU_aem_AYJnT-oItqTmbacAu5ushODuRPLxAchJGK4897ORjzU9-vAx8Ho8zZCCtne3M8gJqRs
- Instagram: Internationalholla
- Facebook: Jay Holla
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/FBPfExikANcqYBMp9
