Meet Norah Utley

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Norah Utley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Norah, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Trial and error with a dose of luck- I’ve always loved music, always been involved myself in music. In high school, I had a little vinyl only record label, a zine, and I even put on a show at our little vfw that drew 200 people (my parents still talk about this like I sold out a theater- but it was pretty impressive to get that many people to our tiny town pre-internet). Later, I went on to work at record distributors, record stores, and having a regular night DJing and hosting karaoke. I was in a band, too, once upon a time. I had a second record label in my late 20s too, which was also tiny, but had international reach. Eventually, I stumbled on DJing weddings and it was love at first site- it combined my love of music, plus my love of problem solving, quick thinking, and bossing drunk groomsmen around!

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I worked in the wedding industry for a larger company in Chicago and went off on my own in 2024. It’s the perfect job for me- it’s social, it’s fun, and I get to flex my hustle culture muscles too. When I started my company, I thought it would take a while to kick off, but I started booking immediately and ended 2024 with 48 gigs, and will end 2025 with 60! I love tailoring the music to my clients tastes, working with them to make their event as unique as their love, and all around just basking in the happiness that is weddings! I’ve added Karaoke, lights, and photo booth to our offerings this year, and am working on expanding to more DJs and live musicians as well for 2026!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

All of my past jobs have been invaluable to my career as a wedding DJ. My background in sales has helped with my admin and follow up and how I run my sales meetings. My time working as a server has give me the skills to think on my feet, me aware of everything that’s going on around me, problem solving, thinking on the fly, etc. And of course, my many jobs in music have informed a vast knowledge of music!

How would you describe your ideal client?

My favorite couples are the ones who want to truly collaborate. After more than a decade in the wedding industry, I know how to create a perfect timeline, how to incorporate their creative ideas, and what makes a killer dance floor. Having their trust is crucial. My integrity is important to me as well, so I always make sure that our values align as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://modernlovedjs.com
• Instagram: modernlovedjs
• Other: tiktok @modernlovedjs

Image Credits

Angela Renee
Vow and Vision