We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sara Simms a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sara, appreciate you joining us 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 been very fortunate to be able to make a living from music! DJing started as a hobby for me and turned into a career over time. One of my stepping stones was working in Moog Audio, a music store in Toronto which helped to give me a lot of connections for gigs. I lived in Berlin for six months, which gave me exposure to the European music scene and early performance opportunities. I’ve been able to DJ in Amsterdam, Detroit, Miami, LA, and Tokyo and have toured the UK and North America putting on shows and music production workshops. Lately, I’ve been focusing on playing in Las Vegas more often as it’s such a fun place for DJs. I’ve been able to open up for other artists like Carl Craig, Victor Ruiz, LP Giobbi and perform at festivals like Ultra Music Festival and Electric Island in Toronto. If you haven’t made it as a creative yet, stick to your vision and stay on your path until your dreams come true.
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 a DJ and electronic music producer who specializes in techno. I started as a guitarist and transitioned into DJing when I went to a rave. I produce my own tracks and own a record label called Simmetry Sounds. I DJ at festivals, clubs, parties, and raves all around the world. I have a background as a turntablist, which is a DJ who uses the turntable as a musical instrument. In addition to performing, I’m an educator who has put on workshops about electronic music production with the top audio schools across North America and the UK. I’ve worked with many music brands like Genelec, Native Instruments, Mixed In Key, Moog, Novation, and more to spread the word about their products on my social media.
I’m happiest about the music I’ve produced, which can be heard on Spotify and Apple Music, and my videos on YouTube. I’ve worked with many talented vocalists and producers, including Desiire, Melleefresh, Decklyn Dubs, John La Magna, and Adam James.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
When I first started DJing, there were very few online courses or learning materials. Nowadays, tutorial videos are abundant, and there are a lot of excellent resources online to help new DJs and producers in their journey. I recommend checking out the Anaweh Studio Masterclass video series, Vorwerk’s Tip of the Week production book, and KSHMR’s Dharma Studio. Learning with a mentor is the best way to learn music production or DJing, and I offer one on one sessions for those who want to learn.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I love to make new things every day! Creativity is the most rewarding aspect of being an artist. I have a lot of ideas and enjoy the process of choosing the best ones, and bringing my ideas to life.
Contact Info:
- Website: sarasimms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarasimms/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djsarasimms
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarasimms/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarasimms
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/sarasimmsmusic
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@djsarasimms
Image Credits
Main photo: Mario Miotti
Other photographers: Bright Light Digital Art, Spencer Selover, Elle Marie, Inga Sokol, Mario Miotti