Check Out DJ Mixaurina’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to DJ Mixaurina.

Hi DJ Mixaurina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been musically inclined and consistently receive compliments on my taste in music. It’s a blessing to be able to say I’ve been DJing now for five years. I love when people ask what inspired me to start DJing. It all started my first year in college. I went to a kickback with my friend to have fun and release the stress of a long, rigorous semester. They had a DJ which I thought was cool because the majority of the parties I went to just consisted of someone blasting music on the aux. That night, I WISH someone was on the aux. I was not impressed at all by the songs he was playing, his transitions, it just wasn’t giving. I remember making a video saying that he should be fired and that I need to become a DJ since these men clearly don’t know what they’re doing. I also wasn’t familiar with any female DJs at the time, so this pushed me even more to go harder.

Shoutout to my parents and uncle for investing in me as I started my journey. They bought me my first controller, a Numark Mixtrack Pro 3, a speaker that came with a wireless mic, and my uncle paid for my Serato subscription. I started out DJing a lot of our family events and eventually landed my first paid gig in 2019, a Halloween party hosted by the same friend that I went to the kickback with; full circle moment!

I took a bit of a hiatus after the pandemic hit. It wasn’t until I started working my first corporate job back in Summer 2021 that I found my way back to DJing. I had spent some time researching controllers and came across the Pioneer DDJ SB3. I immediately fell in love, especially with the gold-plated edition. After that direct deposit hit, I was on my way to Guitar Center. The hiatus not only sparked a reinterest but an entire rebrand. I started out as just “DJ NAE,” but I asked God to help me come up with a new name. Then it hit me. MIXAURINA. My middle name is Maurina, I mix, so it just made sense.

God is so good! I’ve had so many cool opportunities since the rebrand. From monthly open mic nights to fashion shows, gym grand openings, local restaurant gigs, non-profit events, birthday parties, baby showers, etc. I’ve just been embracing every single part of the journey and just grateful for what God has done, is doing, and will do in my craft and overall life!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Whether you work a 9-5 job or you’re a full-time entrepreneur, the road is hardly ever going to be smooth. Life itself is not a smooth road, there are going to be bumps – since we live in Atlanta, I think it would be more appropriate to say POTHOLES in the road. I’ve had gigs that I looked forward to, really thought I had the client locked in, only to be ghosted or find out they booked with someone else. I wish them well, trust that when the timing is right, we’ll be able to work together in future and just move on!

“The right opportunities find me and flow to me easily” is my favorite mantra. And trust me, they do! Most of the gigs I get are from previous clients, friends, family, or fellow DJs who refer me to new opportunities. I also use an app called Thumbtack where I get direct leads on local gigs and clients can reach out to me directly to book.

Not everyone is going to support, celebrate or even align with you or your work and that is OKAY. I’m learning that it’s imperative to not take anything personal – shoutout to the Four Agreements.

What’s for me will never miss me.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As I previously mentioned, I’ve DJ’d a ton of different events, but I would say most of my gigs fall within the celebratory event category. I love playing a critical part in such beautiful occasions, whether it’s celebrating another year of life or an entirely new one. It’s something about being in a room filled with nothing but love and support that is just so powerful to me. As far as genres go, my top 5 favorites to incorporate in my sets are hip-hop/rap, R&B, reggae/dancehall, afrobeats, and classic house.

In January, God gave me a vision to curate an event called the Galentine’s Gala and I’m so glad I followed through with it. I had so many doubts along the way, but thankfully I had a team of talented black women alongside me who helped make the event a success! It was an amazing night filled with laughter, dancing, and organic networking. I received a lot of positive feedback, and everyone is looking forward to seeing what I do next. Shoot, I am too!

I also have a series called MIXAURINA MONDAYS where I upload a mix on Soundcloud every other Monday. In addition to the content I make, it’s another great way to connect with my followers and clients. As I’m starting to incorporate more video content on my Instagram, I find that I really enjoy making reels. My followers seem to enjoy them as well, especially my voiceovers.

Word to Lola Brooke, I’m just doing something to make me, and others feel good!

*cues Here I Come*

I hope this inspires anyone who is interested in becoming a DJ, creative, entrepreneur, whatever the case may be! Put God first and allow Him to work within and through you.

What were you like growing up?
While I’ve been living in Atlanta for 15, going on 16 years now, I’m originally from Rochester, NY. I also spent a few years in Fort Lauderdale, FL prior to moving here. I grew up in a Jamaican household, so reggae, dancehall and soca music played such a major role in my upbringing.

Growing up I’ve always had creative interests. After school, I participated in ballet, jazz and hip-hop dance classes. I was an extremely artistic child, consistently coloring and drawing in my free time. I also had a strong passion for fashion with aspirations to become a fashion designer or celebrity stylist when I grew up. I would spend hours on websites like Stardoll and Polyvore and envision myself curating looks for certain celebrities.

To this day, I am still creatively inspired by fitness/dance, fashion, and music. I say all of the time that I believe God created me to create. I’m grateful that I am able to utilize my gifts in multiple areas that can also be interconnected.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://mixaurina.com/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/mixaurina
• SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/mixaurina