DJ California Star Interview
T here are a lot of things to know about DJ California Star. The first is that California is, actually, her real name. Another is that she has a residency at Rumpus Room, called “New York Fashion Week’s newest watering hole” by WWD.
We’ve been hearing about California, so we wanted to sit down and learn more about her, as we do in this exclusive Fashion Week Online interview.
Q: How did you get started as a DJ?
It has always been a dream of mine to DJ and I love music that makes people want to dance and have fun. So, as a New Year’s resolution, I enrolled in a class at Scratch Academy with Dan Chaves aka “DJ Dirty Digits” and immediately fell in love with the art of scratching and mixing my favorite music.
From there, I landed a Friday night residency at Rumpus Room in the LES of Manhattan. I love the venue and it’s a great place to dance!
Star of the Show
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Q: What are your musical influences?
I am very aware of the music around me, whether it’s a club, bar, coffee shop and I am always using Shazam to discover new music. I grew up listening to a lot of Rock and Roll, as my Dad is a musician and was in a Rock-Pop band called the Suburbs in the ’80s.
The Beatles will always be one of my favorite bands of all time.
Currently, I am spinning a lot of ’70s disco and am inspired by DJ/Producer Giorgio Moroder and his introduction of electro-disco dance hits.
Q: Where does your music taste come from?
My music taste is very connected to my love of travel. During my time living in Italy, I had the opportunity to travel to so many vibrant cities in Europe and heard different types of music and the artists that are popular there.
The South of France is a big inspiration for me, for its easy living and tropical house vibes.
My music taste is connected to my love of travel
Q: How did you create your “DJ name”?
My real name is actually California and Star is my middle name, so it was easy to pick that as my DJ name, too. : )
Q: What other than music inspires you?
Photography, travel and all things Italian.
I studied abroad in Bologna, Italy while at Brown University and I am fluent in the language, so I love to go back and speak Italian, eat all my favorite pasta dishes and walk the streets with gelato in hand.
Q: What other projects are you doing or developing?
Aside from DJing I am passionate about tech and storytelling and am currently working on Brand Strategy and Social Marketing for a wine tasting startup called WineNight.
I am also passionate about tech and storytelling
Q: Most memorable set?
The first time I DJ’d at Rumpus Room. It was my first time DJing to a live crowd and I was so nervous that I practiced my set about 100 times.
Once I started, all the nerves went away and I was so happy to see my friends and family dancing in the crowd and having the best time. It was truly a dream come true and I get the same feeling every time I’m in a DJ booth.
Q: What is your on-the-job look?
Anything that shines in the DJ booth! I wear a lot of star prints to match my name.
Q: Is there a dream location you’d want to DJ at?
Yes, my biggest dream is to DJ at a club in Positano on the Amalfi Coast called Music on the Rocks.
It’s a small club hidden in a cave overlooking the ocean. I’d love to live there for a summer (or forever) and DJ there.
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Learn More
Find DJ California Star spinning at Rumpus Room on the weekends and check out her website djcaliforniastar.com to learn more and book her for your next part, runway show, or venue.
With love,
FWO
