Meet Quincy Palmer

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Quincy Palmer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Quincy, thank you for joining us today and sharing your experiences and acquired wisdom with us. Burnout is a huge topic these days and so we’d love to kick things off by discussing your thoughts on overcoming or avoiding burnout
To this day, burnout to any extent seems unavoidable. I’ve learned that it can only be managed by recognizing how those symptoms affect me personally and learning when to pivot or take my foot off the gas a little. It’s going on 6 years since I’ve began my journey as a full time DJ/ Producer; full time creative if we include all of my other endeavors, and one of the biggest lessons to learn is balance. When there isn’t a set schedule or really any certainty to when and where my next gig will be, there is a lingering sense that there’s “something” I could be doing with my time. That sense overtime can manifest into anxiety and fear. That fear of the unknown, not knowing what to do next, if you’re doing the right thing, if what you’re doing will pay off in the long run, etc. In the past, to drown out that feeling, I’d keep myself in constant motion. Turning to other skills and passions to feel “productive”. At times, it did help. I would create something musically that is fulfilling, or come up with an exciting new idea. But eventually that burnout will hit, which puts a damper on my creativity and motivation. I really used to not believe in leisure, I felt bad for relaxing when there’s always so much I could be doing. To an extent, it is true. Too much leisure or a lack of consistency and focus will drive you away from your goals and dreams, but a balance is always necessary. I’ve learned to accept those still moments, not to force creativity, allow myself to rest or focus on other things for leisure. But at the end of the day, when your survival is reliant on your personal drive and ability, beyond clocking into a secure job, an exceptional amount of drive is necessary. Certain sacrifice of leisure and down time can be necessary. It’s an ongoing battle. But balance is most certainly the key to maintaining this lifestyle and continuing to go after the success I want so badly for myself..

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As I mentioned before, I’ve been supporting myself as a DJ, Producer & overall creative going on 6 years. In that time, I’ve started my career in college at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, DJing college parties and events while running recording sessions out of my campus apartment with student artists. My career advanced rapidly during my senior year and after graduation (2019) as I was being booked for clubs, parties and private events throughout the tri-state area, with my notoriety as a producer and audio engineer making a linear progression as well. I continued that path until the pandemic hit in March of 2020 which put my DJ career at a very uncertain halt. I maintained by hosting private studio sessions with those who still wanted to make music during lockdown and eventually caught wind of Atlanta being “wide open” compared to the northeast U.S.

With little to no knowledge of Atlanta and enough uncertainty about the future as a DJ in the then shut down northeast, I made a leap of faith and moved to Atlanta in July of 2020. Since then, I’ve worked tirelessly to continue the path I originally set for myself prior to the pandemic in a new place. I found work in recording studios initially as it took some time and networking to get consistent opportunities as a DJ.

I am now going on 4 years since I’ve made that move and am very grateful to say it has paid off. I have had recurring bookings in several popular venues here in ATL including Apt. 4B, Our Bar ATL, MJQ, Rocksteady ATL & more. In the past year, my focus as a DJ has shifted more into event curation in attempt to further solidify myself and my brand here in Atlanta. So far I have established and curated two recurring events, Uncle Wink’s Cookout, which is an annual community event held at Piedmont Park in Mid-Town in the summer time; and a monthly dance party called “No Requests”, which looks to highlight diversity in music and allow some of Atlantas best DJs to express themselves with no restrictions.

As an extension of the No Requests party series, I’ve launched “No Requests Radio”, an interview and mix show series that highlights the DJs of Atlanta through a one on one sit down interview/ conversation and a recorded mix that showcases each DJs unique style and expression. Bringing the DJ community together and offering a platform to support other DJs has become a primary focus for me lately. If it weren’t for the support of other DJs in my early days of finding my way here in Atlanta, I wouldn’t have made it this far. So I feel very strongly that it is my duty to pay that support forward to others as an ally to the DJ community.

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?
Networking, Consistency & Passion.

I say networking first because your relationships and who you know is honestly one of the most valuable and important things in life, period. Despite being a DJ and being “the life of the party” at most functions, I can be a very shy individual. That is something that I’ve had to work on, to allow myself to be more open and establish important relationships in the industry that will ultimately help me along the way.

Consistency almost goes without saying. Yes sometimes breaks are necessary to regroup and move forward in a better direction. But even within those breaks, you must remain consistent in your efforts to reinvent yourself and get back out there. People recognize and admire consistency. It will ultimately take you somewhere, it’s just on you to steer your ship in the right direction. Consistency is what fuels that ship.

Passion is a key quality, although it sounds cliché, it’s real. Passion will drive you to do all of those little necessary things along the way. Passion will motivate you to grow and develop in areas that need it, whatever is needed to fulfill whatever it is that you want out of life. Passion isn’t always direct. A person may be passionate about their family and loved ones, which drives them to do whatever is necessary to support them, even if it’s something they don’t necessarily enjoy. Passion makes consistency easier. It makes hard times more bearable.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
Over the past 12 months, I’ve been very focused on creating for myself. This goes in many ways, but most specifically in the direction of event curation. I’ve been inspired by a lot of DJs and event organizers in this city and across the country who are doing great things, on their own terms. It’s definitely not an easy process building things from scratch, but the payoff in the long run is what makes it worth it. Although I enjoy new bookings and even my recurring gigs, I do not want to rely on someone else to choose me. It doesn’t always work out in my favor and that’s just the business. But when I bet on myself entirely and curate my own events, generate my own revenue and build my own brand individually, it is only mine to lose. It can’t be taken away from me unless I allow it to. Events like No Requests and No Requests Radio platform, I see as vehicles to drive me and my brand to a place of establishment and stability. Reliant solely on my movement, actions and consistency. It is definitely a more difficult route, full of greater responsibilities than just showing up to the gig I was booked for, but in the long run this journey will do more for me than any small time booking will ever do. You must challenge yourself in order to grow, and that’s what I’ve decided to do over the last year and beyond. I think it’s due time for me to make these steps. I’m only 26.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Haley Parker

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