My dad taught me to mix. He’s been DJing since 2000 under the name Dima Rodnoy — our stage name is a family thing :)
I grew up on Michael Jackson, Sting, and Jamiroquai. My favorite genres to play are funk, disco, house, and pop. I also have a soft spot for 2000s R&B: think Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and Black Eyed Peas.
As a kid, I studied piano and preferred figuring out soundtracks from Titanic, Twilight, or High School Musical instead of playing Bach. These days, I unwind with a ukulele and some Brian Eno or Beatles.
I believe the key qualities of a great DJ are empathy and cultural awareness. A good DJ reads the room and doesn’t just play club remixes of top hits.