March 27, 2017

Meet Masha Evans of DJ Maasha in Venice

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Masha Evans.

Masha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in Russia and grew up mostly in Brooklyn and graduated from Columbia University with a degree in psychology. After working full time for two years doing child development research I took a year off to travel to India and Peru before applying to PhD programs.

Along the way, I found myself visiting a friend in Los Angeles, and, after a chance encounter with Sam Rubin from KTLA, I enrolled in Scratch DJ Academy. I was soon beat matching songs on vinyl and logging hundreds of hours mapping music while also learning to drive!

Five years later, and I now happily run a special events business for private and commercial events in Los Angeles.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Music and language have always been a big part of my life. I studied guitar, piano, and flute and speak English, Russian, French, and Spanish. I had envisioned a stable career in academia, so I was skeptical about being able to make a living as a DJ. What began as a hobby grew into something more, and I knew I had to integrate my psychology background with music in a meaningful way. It has absolutely been a learning process! And getting used to carrying the DJ gear was a challenge!

DJ Maasha – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I run an events business and can be booked as a DJ or MC for weddings, bar mitzvahs, youth parties, or any other celebration. I also play artist sets for yoga, exercise, and dance affairs. My goal is always to create well-planned events with meaning. I am inspired and energized by collaborating with my clients and some of my favorites memories are of working to write songs together or creating individualized trivia games.

I’m honored to share in the magic of these momentous occasions.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Joy — Steve Jobs spoke of the feeling of being alive in our work and that resonates with me, especially the idea of going to bed at night knowing you’ve done something wonderful. Close runners-up would be diligence, competence, and poise.

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