Daily Inspiration: Meet Lennae Rattray

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lennae Rattray aka Mixaurina.

Hi Lennae, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been DJing for about four years now, but I recently began taking my craft a lot more seriously in the Winter of 2021. After attending various parties and events throughout college, often curated by male DJs, it inspired me to break out into the male-dominated industry. In 2017, my parents bought me my first controller, a Numark Mixtrack Pro 3, and a speaker with a wireless mic for Christmas. My uncle paid for my Serato software and purchased my laptop stand. At that time, I was also interested in becoming a fitness instructor and makeup artist. I received my Group Fitness certification a few days before Christmas and I opened a ULTA credit card shortly after. I read this quote, “A jack of all trades is a master of none,” and I knew I had to focus on one thing at a time, but I wasn’t sure which one specifically. I then came across another quote, “You have everything you need to be successful.” I literally had everything I needed to be successful in DJing from the equipment, the software and most importantly, the love and support. Ultimately, DJing made the most sense.

I started out mostly DJing family events including my mom’s 40th birthday party, my God parents’ anniversary dinner, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc. My first paid DJ gig was in October 2019 for my friend’s Halloween party. I received a ton of positive feedback that night and it fueled me to keep going and put myself out there as a DJ. My last gig for a while was in March 2020, and we all know what happened after that.

I graduated four months later in July 2020 and started working at three different jobs. I was too busy and honestly unmotivated to even touch my controller. I put DJing on the back burner for a while to redirect my energy on finding a “big girl job.” Although I was making good money, I was still unfulfilled. One day, payday to be exact, I went to Guitar Center to look at new controllers and came across the Pioneer DDJ SB3. I liked the fact that it was similar to my Numark in some ways, but I really admired the improved scratching sounds I was able to make with it. I also invested in a new laptop and headphones. I started posting mixes on Soundcloud and videos of myself mixing on my Instagram stories.

So far, I’ve DJ’d holiday parties, birthday parties, monthly Open Mic Nights at Embrace Nutrition, an Herbalife Nutrition club, and biweekly gigs at Escovitchez, a Jamaican restaurant. I eventually want to delve more into the concert and music festival space and be able to work with different artists. One of my goals is to be the Official Hot Girl DJ for Megan thee Stallion and have the opportunity to tour with her. I admire who she is as a person and as an artist; it would be a dream to work with her.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
With any new venture, especially as an entrepreneur, the biggest mental struggle has to be imposter syndrome. It is extremely imperative to intentionally and consistently block out any noise that will try to hinder your creativity. Comparison is the biggest thief of joy. Stay in your lane, stay focused, and stay inspired.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I mostly specialize in hip hop/rap, R&B, reggae, and Afrobeats, but my personal taste in music ranges outside of those specific genres. I have always been known for my exceptional taste in music. I am extremely proud of the growth I have experienced since taking my craft to the next level. What sets me apart from others is that I am who God created me to be. I am MIXAURINA and there will never be another. I find a lot of power and confidence in that.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
When it comes to networking, just be yourself. It is important to have a 30-second elevator pitch ready at all times. In this pitch, you want to be able to confidently talk about what you do, who you do it for and the value you add others lives.

Contact Info:

• Email: bookmixaurina@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mixaurina/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mixaurina
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/mixaurina

Image Credits:
Instagram: @brellephotography