We recently connected with Mykenzie Borrello and have shared our conversation below.
Mykenzie, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
To be completely honest, it took me a very long time to get here. To truly understand my personal journey with self confidence, let’s take a timeline jump. My father was never present in my life. My mother was the only parent I had beside my grandparents, so I never had that true paternal figure in my house 24/7 growing up. I saw my mother struggle with self-esteem over the course of my life which did end up negatively impacting me along with my father’s absence. I saw her pick the wrong guys, I saw her people please, I watched her get screwed over. I knew growing older and learning from others around me including her, that I didn’t wanna be like that but God has a funny way of teaching you things. In my later years, my catalyst for self confidence and self-esteem was actually a past relationship gone sour. I did all the things. I picked the wrong guy, I people pleased, and I got screwed over. That relationship actually taught me the most about myself and what I wanted out of my life from love, to self love, to my career even. Music really helped me to dig myself out of a really dark and deep hole and I made a vow to myself to NEVER let anyone or anything make me feel less than and that I am deserving of all things beautiful, shiny, warm, and loving. Becoming a DJ was the best decision I ever made for myself. I was able to put all my feelings into the music and create a space, not just for me but for others around who wanted to *feel* something. To feel safety in that space but as well as the safety to be yourself. Traces Ellis Ross said “I hope that people feel like themselves when they’re around me and feel safe to be themselves when they’re around me. And maybe that makes people think it’s me they love, but it’s really themselves that they love.” and I can’t sum up a better life quote that I do my best daily to live by.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a DJ/Music & Vibe Curator. The definition of my profession to me is someone that leaves you with a memory. To create an experience. and unforgettable moment between me and them or with others around them. The most exciting part to me is playing a song that people didn’t expect me to play then make a crazy mashup with another song they never expected or to be able to play a lost crowd favorite. The crowd singing at the top of our lungs will forever be one of my favorites but I honestly think the most magical and special part is being able to create a new feeling or bring back feelings for others. To time travel the crowd and take people back to a time that they thought was lost. To dig up that emotion, to get that smile, to create a new long lasting positive core memory they can take home with them. Since I have moved and as far as the Big Kenz Brand goes, I am currently doing some rebranding. I want to bring something special and different here to the Dirty South while hoping to make an impact here in my new home.
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?
3 qualities for success in my opinion? Be open to constructive criticism. You can’t get better if you refuse to have a 24/7 student mindset. Use your manners and be thankful. You wouldn’t believe how far a ‘Thank You’ will go in any scenario and lastly, believe in yourself. God gave us all gifts whether they be big or small, he wants us to use them and spread joy. God said be fruitful and multiply. That part of scripture is always up for interpretation but in my opinion it’s easy to understand. Go out and spread your gifts to the world, bring joy and happiness to others and to use your purpose for good.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My Mentor, Asia Horne. She goes by Venus Flyytrap. I was introduced to her by my first Mentor/Big Brother, Brandon McCall. She quickly became much more than a mentor, she became a big sister as well. I’ve seen her handle problems with grace, she gives me the most sound advice and she is by far one of the most creative individuals that I know. In our profession of Music, I’ve seen her tackle sexism head on. It’s really a norm where we come from but honestly in the world we live in. Trying to collaborate with the male species around us can become extremely difficult especially when the men just want to work with each other and not try to lean into creating safe spaces with and/for women and we’ve actually had to navigate that together.
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Image Credits
Dalton Smith and Kori Stevenson
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