Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendee.
Kendee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
-Started teaching myself how to DJ in 2013 while I was in Nigeria. My DJing style is really influence by Dancehall/Reggae DJs because I loved how they could control a crowd with the mic and still DJ. -I started DJing because I wanted to spread my love for music with the world, and I felt DJing would help me do that.
-I would say I went pro in the year 2015/2016 in Canada where I had my first major bookings.
– I handle all my marketing and management needs alone for now. I have the old understand of if you want things done right, you have to do it yourself, but it has gotten to the point in my career/life where I need the assistance.
– I got to where I am today mostly by being good to people, that could go from how I conduct my business to how people feel when they attend my events. Building good relationships take you a long way, apart from the fact that people just need love in the world we live in today.
– Apart from DJing, I love cooking and grilling, that I would say is my hobby.
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?
Some of my challenges starting off was getting club bookings or bookings in general. Which is part of the reason why I did my own house parties and back-to-school events. I also put out a mix called AFROBEAST 101 and O.V.O (Ottawas Very Own) Sound, available on Soundcloud/Apple Podcasts. After doing this consistently I was able to show venues more of the kind of vibe I am able to provide and what to expect.
Fast forward a few years, apart from DJing in major clubs, I have been privileged to be on stage at some of Canada’s most note-able event centers and wedding venues like EY Centre (Ottawa), National Arts Centre (Ottawa), Theatre Corona (Montreal), National Event Banquet Hall (Toronto), Aquatopia (Ottawa) and Infinity Convention Centre (Ottawa), to mention a few.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a DJ, event organizer, event promoter and host.
I specialize in wedding receptions, engagement parties, nightlife, and corporate events.
I had a couple tell me a couples of years back that they are “proud to say Dj KenDee was the DJ at their wedding reception”. That is the review that has stood out to me, but there have been many more like that. Right now, I have couples requesting my availability for their reception and booking me at least a year in advance.
I am popularly known as Ottawas Very Own; this name was derived after I put out a mix called “O.V.O (Ottawas Very Own) Sound” in NOV 2015. My goal of this mix was to show people my ability to blend different kinds of music together while still creating a party vibe. This is still one of my most played mixes on SoundCloud at 11k+ plays.
Another of my popular mix series would be “Afrobeast 101”. This mix, like its name, was to push/teach people what Afrobeats really is and feels like because, at that time, I felt venues, people in the diaspora, and non-Africans really needed to hear Afrobeats the way I felt it. My Nigerian background also plays a big influence in my love for Afrobeats, which gives me an edge over those that just love Afrobeats.
I am most of proud of how people have given me a chance to be able to share my passion for music and creating safe environments for people to have a good time. My achievements also speak to that.
On the cooperate side I have DJed on the Parliament Hill, DJed for the Prime Minister of Canada at the Liberal black Black Caucus social event 2023 and this year I have been invited to Dj at Canada’s Official Black History Month Event in February 2024.
I have also opened for international stars like Psquare, Wizkid, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Iyanya, Focalistic, Rotimi, to the likes of Caribbean stars like Kranium and Chris Martin, to mention a few. I have also been privileged to DJ at comedy shows such as Basketmouth & Bovi Ottawa, Kenny Blaq, and Basketmouth ‘UNPROVOKED’ Live in Otttawa.
I have also done a fundraiser for CHUO 89.1FM in Ottawa, Canada, and appeared on other radio stations like CKCU 93.1FM.
What sets you apart? –
My experience with different kinds of events and before DJing I have always had love for music. In my younger years, I would wake up to my dad listening to ppl like Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, and 2Face Idibia. I also involved myself in social nights while in high school, where we got to dance, perform personal or mainstream music, and play instruments. Fun fact: I started learning the piano and violin in school, so I know how to read music. With this knowledge of music, I was able to understand things in DJing like beat matching, key, how many bars are in a phrase, and so on. I believe my background in music has helped me in also knowing how to mix different music genres together, both old and new.
With how I handle my business, everything is done professionally, from sending emails and estimates to sending invoices and contracts. My business is also registered, so this gives customers the confidence they need to carry out a business transaction with me.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk-taking.
There is a saying that you miss all the shots you do not take, so I believe in risk-taking. For me, risk-taking is having faith in the possibility of something to yield a positive outcome.
The biggest risk you can take is believing and investing in yourself regardless of what people say because there will always be people who won’t see the vision the way you see it. That doesn’t mean your vision is not realistic, but more so, them not being able to fathom the idea that it is possible, and you can do it.
The risk I take often is curating my own parties where I have to payout venues, DJs, hosts, and sometimes special guests. I see this as a risk because nothing is certain to succeed.
In 2022, I did a 4-city tour (Windsor, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal) in Canada, where I got to play in Windsor, a city I had never played in before. And my favorite city in Canada so far Toronto, where I used to live before moving to Ottawa. I still visit and do events there often, like my yearly birthday celebration in February.
Some of the other risks I’ve taken is taking part in a DJ competition in Toronto. This really put me out of my comfort zone because I am naturally an introvert, so having to be in front of judges was a bit nerve-racking. At events, I am able to feed off my love for music and the energy of people, so it’s not noticeable that I am an introvert.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.djkendee.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/djkendee/
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/DJKENDEE
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/dj-kendee/id1166763803
