We recently connected with Parallel Attractions and have shared our conversation below.
Parallel Attractions, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
I’ve always been extremely passionate about music and started to get involved in the local music scene in New York City as a high school student. Growing up in NYC really inspired me and influenced my music taste. Everything, from going out to bars and nightclubs to interning for indie record labels and a music magazine has contributed to my love for various genres of music. DJing has been my side hustle since I was in college and I’ve earned money for the services provided on many occasions, which I’d like to add is the best feeling in the world – getting paid to do what you love.
However, a few factors gave me the push I didn’t even know I needed in order to become a full time DJ. I was lucky enough to be able to keep my part time remote customer support manager job for an e-commerce company throughout the pandemic and for a year after. It allowed me to stay afloat financially while DJing on the side. At this point I didn’t really think I had it in me to expand my DJ vision beyond having a few local residencies here and there and mainly treated it as a hobby. However, I was laid off due to some cuts and that’s when I started to realize that my DJ side hustle has been a prominent source of income after all and with more energy, drive and time that I could apply (now that I no longer had the commitment to my day job), I started to focus more on the possibilities and opportunities that I could pursue doing what I truly love and feel passionate about in a more positive light. I got so inspired by all the possibilities out there and seeing other professional DJs in the community growing and killing it daily really allowed me to change my attitude towards it. People don’t always realize that by following their dreams and passions, they inspire others to do that same and make a huge difference in the world – so thank you to all doing what you do and the inspiration you’ve shared through that process!
Although initially the idea was a bit scary and I felt like I really lacked the support I needed, I was really inspired and excited about what positive outcomes the future could hold. I figured why not give it a go? This was about two and a half years ago and I’m so grateful to say now that I’ve been thriving as a full time DJ ever since. Of course, there have been multiple trials and tribulations that I’ve had to overcome as a small business owner. It’s not just full time fun – there’s taxes you’re responsible for, you have to keep track of billing invoices and the never ending saga of self promotion and marketing. But when you’re truly excited to wake up every morning and continue this journey of learning and growing your business everyday, all of this work and effort is really worth it. It brings me great joy that my services and music knowledge can be a valuable asset to my community in this way and that’s the drive that I need to keep going.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m an open format DJ based in Los Angeles, CA. I specialize in vinyl and I also spin digital format, when applicable. I provide DJ services to businesses for corporate events, bars, hotels and venues as well as private clients that are in need of a DJ for special occasions. I am also pretty active in the nightlife scene and have/had over a dozen long term DJ residencies. I’ve been spinning records professionally at various venues and bars on the East Coast and now West Coast for over 14 years . I have an extensive vinyl collection that I pride myself on, which includes many genres such as disco, funk, soul, boogie, house, international, rock, and R&B – all the hits and of course some dope deep cuts. I focus on maintaining a unique sound and image that is a true representation of authentic myself, as I believe that’s really important to hold on to in a sea of other DJs.
I love digging deep and seeking out records that have an interesting sound. Records that people may not hear out and about that often. The biggest compliment to me is when someone in the room is trying to Shazam my tunes. And it’s even more exciting when Shazam doesn’t recognize the song, so they have to come up and ask me what I’m playing which opens up a dialog about the music and creates connection which is the goal. It’s a two way street – I get to share a song I think is really cool and you get to walk away with a new favorite song that you can now share with others.
I have had amazing opportunities to play all over the US, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, Austin, San Francisco, Portland, Baltimore, etc. I have previously provided DJ services for major brands such as Dr. Martens, Dior, and Lomography. I truly love doing what I do and I certainly believe that translates into a specific uplifting energy that I provide for all the events that I take part in. I’m not your typical wedding DJ that goes off of a redundant playlist, I pick and choose each song manually and create an unforgettable vibe by customizing the selections. It’s more of a collaborative effort, where I work with your playlist of favorites and put my own spin on it.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
There was a time in my earlier DJ career where I was too focused on my brand and my image and how I came off to others, trying to maintain a specific vibe by only spinning one or two particular genres and in a way trying to fit myself into a mold. It really allowed me to excel in the selective genres and expand my knowledge of the specific music. However, when I started to think bigger and chose to expand my business, I came to the realization that I like many genres of music and I wanted to grow my style and offer more eclectic selections at my DJ residencies and to my clients. I also feel like that’s part of growing up and expansion in your journey. It becomes less about you and more about the music and making it accessible to all. Now, I feel like I can work with any genres that my client may want and I can still do so by bringing my own style and flavor to it. Of course, I still cherish those less common DJ opportunities where I have free reign of what I’d like to play and I can bring forth my unique vision with my curation of records in any genres I’d like. It’s truly a balance between it being a job and a creative endeavor.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
In my opinion, DJ’s are a really important resource in our society – they bring us community, joy and keep music alive from past decades. However, what I’ve learned is that DJs are often not appreciated as much as they should be. People take for granted how much time and effort it takes to seek out the records in our record collection, or download all your favorite songs unto a curated playlist for the event. All the hard work is behind the scenes, as I have experienced through expanding my business to play private events: from packing up and carrying extremely heavy equipment to maintaining the efficacy of the equipment to the work involved in upgrading the equipment to bring the best experience really takes a lot of funds and a lot of patience – its not always plug and play.
I do wish that society would acknowledge this effort in DJs by providing them with more rewarding opportunities to offer their services instead of having the common attitude of “everyone is a DJ, they’re a dime a dozen”. A little more support would go a long way, such as resources for physical and mental health, which is something many DJs struggle with. The long hours of travel, being up late multiple nights in a row, really loud music, and the heavy lifting can really take its toll on you and wear you out causing burnout. Self care is so important in this realm, I just wish more guidance was available on how to actually follow through with it. And of course, resources specifically for female and female identifying DJs would be ideal, as we do get overlooked often and have to expand extra effort to make our own path to stand out in the community. But I think this is an issue that is not only exclusive to the DJ world, but to any freelancer in the artistic field where there is lack of structure and resources available.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://djparallelattractions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parallelattractions
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irena-azovsky-00670951
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/parallelattractions
Image Credits
Photos 2,3,6 by Jared