We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Justin Stern (DJ JAS) a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Justin, appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
I offer a personal experience with all my clients, taking a great interest in what they envision for their event. I take the time to not only understand their wants, needs, and desires, but I also connect with each couple on a much deeper level, allowing me to customize their event to exactly match the energy, music, and tone they wish to create. I feel it’s important that I establish a relationship to learn their likes, dislikes, personality traits, etc., as I believe it has a major impact on the choices I make when I perform and the overall success of the event. It’s easy to create a cookie-cutter wedding day, but my goal is to truly make each couple’s day unique and true to them.
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 DJ JAS (Justin Stern) and I specialize in high-end, luxury wedding DJ entertainment. While I’m now best known for DJing weddings, I also DJ several corporate and industry events throughout the year. I am recognized for my creative, stylized, perfectly timed-out mixes, creating a vibe that matches the client’s wish at any given event. I pride myself on offering customer service like no other, and I take that element just as seriously as the craft itself. I started my career by DJing in college, which led to multiple residencies at nightclubs, bars, and lounges. This is where I honed my skills and created my personal style that so many have come to appreciate. From there, I built a DJ business, focusing on the art of DJing, but also understanding the bigger picture–I am in the service industry and it’s not all about me. I have exceeded clients’ expectations, and know what it takes to ensure clients are happy before, during, and after the event. I take great pride in the level of trust my clients have before I even show up to DJ their event.
I offer an invaluable experience from start to finish, realizing that it’s not just the performance on the day of that determines the overall success of entertainment. I feel it’s important to make the client feel special and understood. After all, my goal is to gain the trust of all my clients so that I can properly execute their desires exactly as they imagine. No two events are the same, so I take great interest in getting to understand what it is they want, even if they are not sure what that is. My relationship with my clients feels like long-time friends, and I am often told by couples I am their favorite vendor. I am genuinely excited to DJ and be a part of each couple’s day–we’ve spent months working together to bring their vision to life, and creating this type of relationship with my couples ensures this is a fun experience not only on the event day, but also leading up to it.
DJs are vibe setters, and my method of choosing the right song, while blending and creating a stylized fun, and energetic transition is what separates me from other DJs. Knowing what track should be played at the perfect moment is key to good DJing, which is something a pre-set playlist will never be able to achieve. Timing is crucial and is often the secret ingredient to DJing. I often tell people that all DJs have access to the same music, but it’s when and how I play the track that makes all the difference. Many songs just work better at certain times, and many songs just have a few parts people want to hear. Understanding this fundamental importance, and realizing that it is different at every event all contribute to the vibe. The way I bring that track in and out to the next one not only creates constant energy but keeps the audience excited in anticipation of what’s coming next, regardless of the makeup of an audience.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Like many creatives and artists, it’s so easy to want to do and believe “your way” is the only way. Whether it be style, branding, business practices, or even equipment choices, the best thing I have done over the last few years is to join and participate in like-minded communities with people in the industry trying to do better. This is not limited to other higher-end DJs, but also other vendors or event professionals. Sharing knowledge and learning from others helps elevate the entire industry. Community often inspires and healthy competition fuels the desire to be better.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
A DJ’s ability to read, watch, and connect with people’s emotions and expressions using music is overwhelmingly powerful and intoxicating. The rush of adrenalin when I light up a room with smiles and laughter is a high like no other. Taking people along a musical journey is therapy for the entire room. It’s the reason many of us go to concerts or dancing, as it’s a temporary release from the outside world. For the time the audience is with me, I take them on a musical trip filled with excitement, happy emotions, and even nostalgia. I have come to recognize how good DJing can have the incredible ability to shape emotions, create unforgettable moments, and unite people through the universal language of music. Seeing how my passion, creativity, timing and flow affect the vibe of an event only makes me want to work harder and be better. So long as people continue to enjoy what I deliver, I do not plan on hanging up the headphones.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.djjasproductions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djjasproductions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JASProductionsWeddingDJ
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Djjasonline
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dj-jas-productions-santa-barbara
Image Credits
Elizabeth Victoria Photography Olive and Oath Photography Lenoce Photo