We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sean Anthony a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sean thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
Becoming a DJ took years of trial and error. I can remember playing at a nightclub in Atlanta for the first time and the club literally emptying out as I played. This put a huge dent on my self esteem and this eventually led up to me not playing for the next 2 years. Being from New York I wasn’t in tune with the south and its musical history, and that night proved it. But going back home wasn’t an option for me. Being a dj must’ve been my calling because as I think about what lead up to my return, everything happened so organically. My friend Zay would invite me out damn near everyday of the week (lol). There was always a $2 Tuesday or a kickback going on in Atlanta and through these encounters I was exposed to music. Through hanging out with him I was able to meet people from all over the south. I paid attention to the music they listened to while getting ready to go out, or while driving to a kickback. To see the way they reacted to songs that I’ve honestly never heard before inspired me to learn. I wanted to be apart of that history, I wanted to dance and try to imagine that summer in Miami or a homecoming at an HBCU. Those nights, the memories, and the excitement pushed me to give being a dj another try and in 2019 Sean Anthony took off.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I believe that my father was truly my inspiration for music and my love for a diverse sound. When I was younger I remember my dad having these tall CD towers that spun and when he would leave out I’d run upstairs and grab two or three cd’s and hide out listening on my cd player. His taste in music went from Yolanda Adams to Naughty By Nature so you can only imagine the music that I grew up listening to. While my siblings and cousins played outside I stayed inside with headphones daydreaming. Every year I would ask my parents for DJ equipment (which they gracefully declined lol) but eventually came to the conclusion of buying me a karaoke machine and. two cd’s which I’ll never forget, the Rugrats Movie Soundtrack and Dru Hills “Enter the Dru”. Growing up I would make mixes for my dance team or edit songs for my own personal listening- but that was it. I eventually entered the working world and had to find a means of supporting myself. In 2016 I quit my job and went to a dj store and maxed out two credit cards on equipment and began to teach myself how to play. The name “Sean Anthony” came from a close friends mom who called me her son and gave me their last name, It.stuck! Shortly after that I moved to Atlanta in 2017 and fell short on my talent. It wasn’t until 2019 when I came back with a better understanding of music and a stronger passion for wanting to be a dj and the rest is history. The best thing to take away is to never give up on yourself. I could’ve stopped in 2017 out of embarrassment and fear but I turned that into a powerhouse.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is how you’re able to connect with people and genuinely sharing / spreading love. Since 2019 I’ve encountered so many faces and backgrounds that have shared powerful moments with me. Whether they’re escaping from a pain or needing to celebrate I was a part of that. At times a special bond was created through an experience and this brought on friendships and support systems that even I needed. My craft became healing and this began to fuel the drive for a bigger purpose. I’ll admit that in the beginning I didn’t understand what was happening or what I needed to do and it scared me. It’s like my passion was becoming bigger than me and I was losing myself in the process of managing the two lanes. I have since pulled away from being a dj and now have to secure understanding balance and remaining creative. This has opened a new venture for me in which I am working on currently for my audience.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
This answer will definitely sound so cliche but it’s the honest truth. BE YOURSELF ! I come from a very small town in New York with little to no outreach so it’s possible. I’ve always surrounded myself with people that would tell me “Sean you’re doing too much, or I wouldn’t do that” and I had to tell myself it’s because you’re not me. With the growth of Sean Anthony I began to let more and more of my audience in on who I was. Being honest about my fear before a dj set or how I dealt with depression only boosted my interactions and opportunities. My audience wanted to know the truth! Outside of the flyers and promotional videos who was Sean Anthony. That became my platform and it continues to be my reason for staying on social media.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: DJSEAN.ANTHONY
- Twitter: @DJSEANANTHONYY
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DJSEAN.ANTHONY