Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Danna Alencar. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Danna , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The world was shut down. Gigs that had been in my calendar for years, all concerts and events I looked forward to, everything had to stop. As with many others in the entertainment industry it was devastating to the DJ business I had worked hard on fueled by my passion for music. The pandemic forced us all to not only stay at home but look for way to entertain ourselves. All around me I saw fellow creatives ,who have the power and talent to inspire others, not have a way to do so because all venues were shut down. Many resorted to live streaming themselves and relied on self promotion on social media as an attempt to continue to support themselves via their talents.
The Locals Mix idea came to me in the midst of the shutdown as a way to continue to provide a platform to support creative community. It is the event in any event, a multi media approach to highlighting locals with a passion, whether it be music, art, entrepreneurs or nonprofits. With a mix of putting on live events, video recaps and interviews we provide various ways for creatives to continue to engage with the community.
In our first year we put on 6 events in six months starting August 2020. We now put on an annual Music+Arts Expo at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, Florida that features an Original Music Competition, live painting, local artisan vendors, food trucks and explore museum galleries. We have more exciting events planned, I hope you will check out our website www.thelocalsmix.com and stay tuned for upcoming chances to be inspired.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Following my love for music lead me to DJ career in my company DJ Jukebox Bully. For over 8 years I’ve enjoyed DJing various celebrations from weddings to events. My vast knowledge of music ranging from various genres and decades allows me to adapt the sound and vibe to cater to each clients desires.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I never thought I would have a career as a DJ. I graduated from College with degrees in Psychology and Philosophy. I was working in the Behavioral Psychology field when I started DJing just for fun in between my friends bands sets. People started asking me to DJ at other events and 8 years later I am now full time DJ. It’s amazing and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. Music is magical and I love to spread joy with it.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The pandemic was a time that caused me to rethink how we can continue to provide quality entertainment while still supporting the creatives in our community. The Locals Mix is now in its third year and we have featured many local musicians, artists, entrepreneurs and nonprofits.. But we have only just begun and I’m so excited to continue to grow The Locals Mix providing a platform for our creative community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thelocalsmix.com
• Instagram: @localsmix
• Linkedin: Danna Alencar
• Youtube: The Locals Mix
• Other: @djjukeboxbully [email protected] [email protected]