Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Jay.
Hi Lauren, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Jessyka Faison, but professionally, I’m known as DJ Lauren Jay and am based in the DMV area. I was born and raised on the Eastside of Detroit, Michigan, and moved to DC not long after lockdown lifted – which also happened to be around the time I started taking DJing seriously.
Music has always been a part of me. I didn’t have a lot growing up and experienced homelessness at a really young age, so music was always an easy escape. I was always writing rhymes and exploring sounds however I could, even going as far as trying to build a radio with wires from another toy (it didn’t work, lol). I played violin in elementary school, taught myself keyboard in middle school, and started experimenting with production software like FL Studio (back when it was still called Fruity Loops).
In the same room where I’d play around with beat-making at my older sister’s house, my brother-in-law had this massive CD collection you could stack from floor to ceiling, probably several times over. I’d spend hours in there listening to everything from Sade, The Roots and Jodeci to Scarface, N.W.A….the list goes on. Riding in the car with my big sister put me on to a ton of amazing music plus the ghettotech jit/juke mixes on the radio, and my mom was a fan of soft rock and the queens from her era, so I also got into bands like Steely Dan and The Eagles, and the legends like Patti Labelle and Chaka Khan. Wherever the music was coming from didn’t matter, I just wanted to hear it.
In high school I took a band class that introduced me to drums and chromatic percussion, and not long after that, I discovered DJing.
When I was 17, my best friend’s dad had some old DJ equipment sitting in their basement, and he told me to knock myself out. So I did. I’d mess around with it while my friends played Xbox, watching them nod their heads when a transition actually landed. It was fun, but I didn’t take it too seriously at the time as I was heading off to college to study Journalism. Of course, I ended up hosting a music show on my campus radio station where I interviewed local Detroit artists, and eventually managed the station my senior year, so music stayed in my orbit.
Growing up, I’d also get to travel to the DMV with my family to visit relatives. By the time I was in college, I had friends at Howard I’d come visit regularly and I’d fall more in love with the city and it’s culture each time. At the time, I was working a corporate tech job that let me work from anywhere, so I made the move in 2021 when the world opened back up.
I started out DJing on Instagram Live and Twitch during quarantine. After I moved to the area, I got the chance to DJ at a small spot on Georgia Ave, and later I was doing open mics on H Street in DC. Not long after, I began spinning with community organization SyceGame at their iconic parties on U Street. That’s where I really started to consider a future in DJing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’d be lying if I said things for me came easy. Naturally? Sure, but not easy. As someone who has struggled with anxiety all her life, I spend a lot of time thinking and analyzing. This can be paralyzing in life in general but especially in the DJ world, where you’re actively reading people in a loud, most times chaotic environment while making decision after decision for hours at a time. Because of this, I used to doubt myself A LOT when DJing – especially in a city like DC where I had to start to learn different crowds. Like with all things though, practice makes you better and my confidence has definitely grown.
Being a woman – a queer, Black woman – in a male-dominated profession is also hard. I’ve definitely been underestimated and my technical prowess gets “tested” at times when i’m in new rooms. I’ve felt the pressure prove myself or to do things a certain way from early on, but ultimately my passion for the craft won’t let me dwell on those things or take them personally.
Balancing the demands of a 9-5 definitely created room for struggle as well with time management and getting comfortable in a false sense of stability. After being laid off several times in the past few years thanks to a volatile industry and economy, I’ve had to learn to bet on myself and stretch the limits of what I thought I could do. I also had to get real about taking care of myself – therapy, going to the gym and meditating have been a huge part of keeping me grounded when things get demanding. I’ve also been really lucky to have the support of my partner, friends and other DJs to keep me afloat throughout this journey so far.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a DJ, I’m known for my eclectic sets which usually mix different era’s of Hip-Hop and R&B with House, Club, Caribbean, Aftrobeats, Latin, Pop and anything else I can fit in to curate the vibe. I love when I have the opportunity to tell a story through the music, and it’s fun being able to catch a crowd off-guard with my selections. Like any DJ, you want people smiling and dancing the whole night, but I’m also keen on helping people create new memories and relive the best ones through a story told through music.
As someone who also loves to be on the dance floor whenever I can, I know it’s not just about what you play, but HOW you play it. What sets me apart are my smooth transitions, which I push myself to get more creative with in each set. I also try to use techniques to give tracks you’ve probably heard a thousand times a new energy, which is something I picked up from listening to DJs on the radio and at parties growing up in Detroit.
What does success mean to you?
Success for me looks a few different ways depending on the day! As a baseline, I define it as me being able to do what I love and do it well while getting paid for it. But it also looks like getting the opportunity to be in community with other DJs, and putting together my own events. So far, we’re off to a good start!
When I was younger, my big sister and I always talked about me doing my own radio show. I would also love to take what I’ve learned from being a DJ and a student of music in general to score a movie or TV series one day, or curate mood playlists for restaurants and hotels. There’s a lot more I aspire to do, and the possibilities are endless!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djlaurenjay/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DJLaurenJay
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bylrnjay
Image Credits
Moments by Mango, Chrys B. Photography, T. Brown Media
