Memphis Music Feature: DJ Nico

DJ Nico grew up surrounded by music, being a singer and a classically trained violist. Without even realizing it, she was being influenced by the dance music she spins today even at a young age. Originally from Arkansas, she felt that she was in the center of many music hubs and was influenced by music from Arkansas’ neighbors such as Memphis, Mississippi, New Orleans, and even Atlanta. Now, she creates mixes that draw from southern samples and southern rap that are "nostalgic to [her] neighborhood and childhood.” 

“When we were younger, we didn’t realize there was a certain classic ‘Black Music’ that was also dance music as well. Like “Pump Up the Jam” or even stuff we heard in Space Jam. There are dance music tracks that are popular that we didn’t know was ‘dance’ music. It was just ‘Black Music.’ The more I started to explore dance music it just started to center around what I had grown up listening to and what I had started listening to and the future of dance music and fusing that all together”

It was fellow musicians who got her into the DJ scene. A group called Bodywerk "shepherded" her into the world of DJ, teaching her the different forms. There’s many styles that a DJ can choose from: vinyl, digital, CDJ, or controller/laptop. There’s a whole world to dive into that many people probably don’t even realize. DJ Nico emphasizes that “DJing is not just pushing buttons. It’s not just pressing play. It’s a spiritual thing. It’s a moment to convene and to be free. Anytime we can do that and express our freedom however we want, that’s special.” That desire to express herself is a big motivator for why she is drawn into the DJ space. As a singer, she felt that there were too many rules. “Being a DJ, it was really easy for me to be my own boss, and to put myself forward and manage myself. I really enjoy the autonomy.” 

She’s even the boss of local festivals, such as Summer Solstice. Summer Solstice is a yearly festival that celebrates local DJs on the longest day of the year. It’s a huge block party that centers around artists you may not see at your larger Memphis festivals. The goal is to elevate these artists with a platform and also with the pay that they’re worth. They’ve even brought in bigger acts like Zack Fox. It’s a great opportunity to show off Memphis’ scene to outsiders who may not realize just how deep our music scene goes. As the DJ scene is still growing, it’s still largely a male-dominated field, and being a female in a male-dominated space is rarely easy. DJ Nico, though, takes it in stride and handles it with grace. Even if she’s not always immediately welcomed in and respected in a scene, she maintains her poise. “You have to be comfortable being rare...Once you get out there, and you play and the crowd responds to you in a way that only you can make the crowd respond, they have to respect you.”

 

 

 

 

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For DJ Nico, she wants to “always focus on [her] own grass].” Only she can make her crowd feel the way they do. When she’s creating a space for her set, she wants everyone to feel welcome to feel safe and comfortable to let loose, dance it out with everyone around them. “With everything going on in the world and the more and more we see, and maybe the more disconnected people feel, the dance floor is the one place we unite.” Perhaps that’s why there’s been an uptick in the interest in the DJ scene. 

When she initially moved to Memphis, DJ Nico felt that the DJ scene was mostly made of several smaller, underground scenes. The art form has become more mainstream, though, as people are craving more and more to just go out and dance. “I feel like Memphis is heating up. More people have come to Memphis who are used to a bustling scene and participating and helping it grow more and help it be seen more by other cities…Memphis will grow because people are allowing themselves to make music in the way that Memphis has always done” With this rising interest in DJ culture, hopefully we can see more venues pop up that are catered towards DJs. A lot of spaces now are not set up for the craft, and DJs have to bring their own equipment, which can create an expensive barrier of entry. DJ Nico views DJing as a gift, and the more accessible it is, the more people can share that gift with one another. 

DJ Nico praised Bar DKDC as one of her favorite venues. It has adapted to the rising demand for DJs.  DKDC provides the space and equipment for DJs to come in and enhance the environment that's already there, rather than having to bring their own setup. She noted one of their recent events, IndieSleaze night with DJ Livin and DJ Rhinestone, as a great example of how they are able to invite people from all communities in, mix genres, and still create irresistible atmospheres .“The bartenders and the people who do the program in there are always down. It doesn’t matter what crowd I’ve seen there, whether it’s indie bands or anything, everything there pops off.” She’d like to see more spaces embrace the DJ culture the way they’ve been able to. “[Dj’ing is] a gift. Whether you’re born with it or you’re given it…If you can give someone the gift and remind them of the music that they love and then give them the ability to figure out how to mesh and flow between music they already know and love, that makes it easier to become a DJ. You’re sharing your experience and music that you love in a way that you know how to.” 

Be sure to catch DJ Nico’s 2nd Annual Summer Solstice Block Party Saturday, June 27 at Grind City Brewery and follow her on Instagram to catch her next set! 

And as always, DJ Nico says the one thing you have to try or else you haven’t truly been to Memphis is a soul burger from Earnestine and Hazel’s.