We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Juliet Mendoza a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Juliet, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Risk-taking requires a leap of faith, as it often involves venturing into the unknown with no guaranteed outcome. Last year I took my leap and it has made me grow into a different person with different goals. It has pushed my creativity, resilience, and problem-solving abilities. I have always been a jumper, letting the universe do its thing for me and having faith that I am on the right path at the right time.

I was a chef for over 13 years and had a 9 to 5 since I was 15 years old. Doing what I love has given me a new way to look at life. To understand that now I am in control of my future. It’s not easy, you have to have a strong mindset on your bad days and you need to keep a routine to make sure you get your work done. Staying on top of everyday life and family and the lifestyle I have chosen comes with trying your best to find the balance.

The world we live in today has so many challenges and you just have to be ready to go in any direction needed. Living in the now has been the best thing I could have ever done for myself. This requires a lot of self-care. Mentally, physically, and spiritually.

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

Hi, I am LA native Juliet Mendoza, Dancer, DJ, Producer, and Proud Mother of 2 boys. I have been in the LA House scene for over 25 years. I started dancing at clubs in LA in my teens and evolved into the music side in my 20s. The relationship that I built with music has made me who I am today, It saved my life! Music is a staple in my family. I love it all. My father is a musician and my mother is a singer and dancer. My childhood was filled with many musical environments. Taking this journey has been the biggest growing experience for me and I continue to grow every day.

I would have never thought that I would be traveling the world and performing with people that I look up to and inspire me on a daily. I want to say that this all started on the dancefloor for me. I met so many DJs and artists at the clubs and undergrounds. I would travel to different cities to dance with friends and listen to electronic music all over the US. It helped me in my dark times and also filled me with so many beautiful memories.

Going out and supporting artists and venues created a space for me to meet the right people at the right time. It is important to support your local artists and venues to keep this culture alive. I would say to anyone who wants to become an artist, to do your homework. Go and support the people and places that inspire you. Be open to learning new things and remember you never know who you will meet so be on your A game.

Moving forward I want to keep giving back to my community. I now teach a beginner DJ class at iO Academy and also started my own label Spiritual Systems,( Music Coming Soon) to make sure that I have the creative space I need to make the music. I am also bringing back my crew Jills House aka Jackn Jills with a new experience for our community to have a new experience here in LA, so keep a look out for our event coming soon.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I would say that being an Afro-Latina in this space and representing my culture and house music has been the biggest reward. Knowing that I get to influence others by being an artist in this industry and sharing the love of music with music lovers, drives me to keep going and giving. We can become anything we want to be and I love being an example of that. I want to keep inspiring people to not give up and keep going for their dreams.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My Mission at the moment is focused on becoming the best artist I can be, not just for myself but for my family. I want my children to know that they can do anything in this world. I am the prime example they will have and see doing the things I do, so it is very important to keep learning and exploring all the possibilities and opportunities that come my way. Starting the label is one of the steps I am taking to do this. Making music that drives me and moves me is a big part of my career. It not only helps you to elevate, but it is a way to express yourself. Ups and downs and in the most beautiful way in my opinion.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.julietmendoza.com
• Instagram: @juliet__mendoza
• Facebook: Juliet Mendoza
• Twitter: @djjulietmendoza

Image Credits
Dj Eclyps , Kindrella, Narek Petrosyan, Aj Elgammal