Check Out Laryn James’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laryn James.

Hi Laryn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Atlanta, and music has always been a huge part of my life because the majority of my family are musicians. Even though I never sang or played an instrument myself, I always knew music would influence my path in some way. During my senior year of high school, I originally planned to study psychology and move to Washington, D.C., but I started realizing I wanted to lean more into my creativity and focus on my love for fashion. Around that same time, COVID happened, and like it did for many people, it completely shifted my perspective. Graduating high school and starting college during that period was a very abnormal experience, but it also forced me to really think about what felt authentic to me and what I truly wanted for myself. That’s when I realized music was something I genuinely wanted to pursue.
I bought my first Pioneer controller and started teaching myself how to DJ through experimentation — mixing different sounds and genres and learning through trial and error. I started creating mixes for myself and friends, and that passion naturally continued to grow. At the same time, I was balancing college, building my fashion brand, LADE, and developing my skills as a DJ. During that period, I also experienced the loss of a close friend, and emotionally that impacted me more than I realized at the time. I think it accelerated my mindset and caused me to put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed quickly and juggle too many things at once.
Because of that, I shifted more of my focus toward fashion and eventually entered Corporate America to support myself and invest back into my brand. But over time, I realized I felt creatively disconnected and unfulfilled because I wasn’t prioritizing the thing I truly loved, which is music.
Even though I never fully stopped DJing, there were periods where I stepped away from it while trying to navigate life and figure myself out. Looking back now, I see that period as part of my growth and part of what shaped my artistry. In 2024, I made the decision to fully take myself and my craft seriously again. I started consistently creating, posting my work online, and showing up for myself creatively — and that decision honestly changed everything for me.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the biggest challenges in my journey as a DJ has honestly been managing anxiety. Growing up, music was always therapeutic for me, so when I started DJing, it became an outlet that helped calm me and allowed me to express myself creatively. But once I started getting booked for live sets and performing in front of actual crowds, I realized a different kind of pressure came with that. I would overthink everything — reading the room, transitions, crowd reactions, whether people were connecting with the music, all of it.
Over time, I had to recognize that a lot of that anxiety was coming from being too inside my own head. One of the biggest mindset shifts for me was understanding that as a DJ, I help control the energy of the room. I’m curating an experience for people, and if I walk into a space nervous or disconnected, that energy can translate into the crowd as well. Learning that has helped me become more confident, present, and trusting in myself creatively. Anxiety is still something I actively work through, but DJing has actually helped me grow not only as an artist, but as a person overall.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My first time DJing in front of an actual crowd happened really randomly. I DJ’d for Slim Jxmmi during one of his streams while he hosted a silent party, and honestly that experience gave me the confidence to keep pushing forward. After that, I did my first official set with Club17 for one of their early events, and that opportunity ended up opening the door for more bookings — both with them and through people who heard me at that set.
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with organizations and platforms like Rumors Radio, Slow Mornings, The Vibe on 6th, and several others.
Each experience has helped me grow more confident in my sound, my ability to read a crowd, and the kind of energy I want to create whenever I perform.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I never really had a mentor when I started DJing. When I first got my controller, I immediately went to YouTube to learn how to use it, but even then I still felt pretty lost in the beginning.
I’ve always been a very hands-on learner, so a lot of my growth came from simply spending time with my board, experimenting, making mistakes, and learning through experience. That trial-and-error process really taught me how to trust myself creatively and stay patient with the learning process.
Even now, I still discover new things about my equipment, different techniques, and new ways to approach a set every time I perform. I think that’s one of the things I love most about DJing — there’s always something new to learn and ways to continue evolving creatively.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larynlade/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@larynlade