Arts

Grambling student moonlights as DJ, hopes to turn passion into career

Williams

DJing is a big career around the U.S., but it especially has it’s special spot down South. 

 

Danielle Williams, also known as ‘DJ Dani’ states that her biggest inspirations in the DJing  industry are DJ Carisma (Los Angeles, Calif.) and DJ Spinderella (Brooklyn, N.Y.). 

 

Half joking and half serious, Williams said her motivation to continue to DJ is the money because it comes fast. 

 

“I have a big love for music and creatively finding the different stuff that I could do with it,” Williams said.  

 

Williams began DJjing when she was only in sixth grade, playing around with an app on her phone. 

 

“I told my cousin he was like ‘I need a DJ!’ I was like ‘I can do it!’ then I plugged the phone up to his car and started mixing on the app,” Williams said. “He looked at me and was like ‘You really not bad.’” 

 

Dani hosted an event for her cousin’s bike shop in Oklahoma and DJed from the app on her phone. People were amazed by her talent and age, and the fact that she was mixing on her phone. Williams and her cousin went half and bought the very first mixer board that she had. Then she started buying the other two on her own after that. Williams currently performs on a board called “Pioneer SB3” and plans on upgrading to a bigger board once she has more funds. 

 

Dani didn’t take her gift for DJing seriously for five years, until she got into her senior year of high school. 

 

Williams began DJing due to her strong love for music. She plans on continuing to expand her skill and knowledge by studying other DJs. 

 

“If  I go to a party, I’m studying the DJ,” Williams said. “On Instagram I watch a lot of videos of DJs, figuring out their techniques and hand motions, and just practicing.”