Episode 11: Amara
We’re back with a refreshing mix by Amara! She brings great style and variety in this hour mix. Amara is based in Los Angeles, CA. With 15 years working on her craft, Amara is a veteran in the DJ game. Below take a full read of the written interview to find out more about Amara! This is the first week Wonderful radio is officially launching on the Charivari Radio stream. You can tune in every Wednesday at 8pm EST to hear the weeks new episode. Following the stream we will upload each episode to our usual MixCloud page and link it here. Please do spread the word and tune in today at 8pm EST
1. You have a strong resume as a DJ and 15 years experience, that is amazing! Take us back to the beginning ...What led you into this career path, how did it all start for you ?
It all started in junior high school. My dream then was to be a dancer/choreographer. I had a boyfriend who was a DJ and he always made mixes for our dance routines. Eventually I wanted to make the mixes myself so I asked him to teach me and I was hooked! As I learned the art of DJ'ing, my passion for it eventually surpassed my love for dancing. I started to DJ house parties and being business savvy at a very young age, I realized I can make extra money by throwing my own parties. I rented halls, hired friends as bouncers, passed out flyers at my school and nearby high schools and charged a cover at the door. Before you know it, I was able to save enough money to buy my first car! In the 90s/early 2000's, I didn't know any DJ's that made a living just DJ'ing alone. It was strictly a hobby for most. Growing up, my dad was a professional gambler so in our household there were frequent highs and lows with regards to finances. This led me to place great importance on maintaining financial stability as I grew older. Since I didn't think a full time career as a DJ was possible, I figured my next step is to go to college and choose a career that was stable and in high demand so I chose to major in Computer Information Systems. I got my bachelors degree in C.I.S and was blessed to land a job at Yahoo after graduating. My first paycheck was spent on a new set of Technics turntables. I continued to DJ and hold residencies at nightclubs while having a full time job. This was definitely not sustainable as I was coming home at 4am after my club gigs and needed to be in the office at 8am. This lifestyle lasted 2 years. My department moved to India and at that point, I decided that I wanted to wake up every day excited to go to work and a career in information technology just didn't do that for me. It paid the bills but DJ'ing is what made me happy. When I got laid off, I took a leap of faith and decided to give DJing full time a try and I never looked back!
2. I loved reading your bio, you mentioned a lot of cool events and venues you have played before. What is one of your favorite or fondest memories from a particular gig ?
One of my favorite and memorable shows was playing a corporate event a few years ago. I was the surprise entertainment at this lavish holiday party. They converted the Long Beach Convention Center into a prehistoric jungle complete with volcanoes to compliment the theme of the night. They built a cage for me which was suspended from the ceiling so I was hoisted up hidden high above the crowd at the top of the arena. What I didn't know was I had to stay in the cage suspended 300 ft, above the crowd for 2 hours (while the guests were having dinner and mingling). Every move made the cage sway and on top of all of this, I'm deathly afraid of heights! After dinner, I was lowered down to the crowd for a grand reveal. A team of fire dancers released me from the cage and led me up into my DJ booth at the top of a volcano. It was insane and a production I will never forget!
3. What advice would you give to new DJs looking to really grow and build confidence/ skill in the craft ?
First off, make sure you are getting into the DJ industry for the right reasons. It's essential you have a passion and great love for music and you're not just getting into this for the recognition or the “cool” image associated with being a DJ. Practice, practice, practice, and record your mixes if you're just starting to learn. Play out as much as you can in a variety of settings and learn to read the crowd. A very important part of DJ’ing is the ability to look at a crowd and feel when to play the right tracks at the right time. If the crowd isn’t responding, it’s important to have the ability to quickly shift music direction on the fly.
4. What are some other passions and projects you are currently focused on ?
I’m very passionate about plants and gardening. In fact, last year I fused my love of plants and music by starting a Plant Jams mix series, which I hope to continue recording next year. One of the positive things that this pandemic has brought to my life is the extra free time to tend to my garden and cultivate my hobby further. Working with plants has been a lifesaver and it's awesome how popular it has become! It warms my heart seeing how much joy it brings to so many people, especially a group of my friends who are self proclaimed plant mamas and papas. It's fun to have friends who share this love. I'm also a cannabis farmer and passionate about spreading positive information about the health benefits of the plant. Instead of being vilified, it should be celebrated for helping improve so many people's lives, especially children who suffer from epilepsy. I hope to continue to broaden my plant knowledge and see where it takes me in the future!