Today we’d like to introduce you to Bella Fiasco.
Hi Bella, who was your inspiration / what inspired you? How did you get to where you are today?
My dad is my earliest and biggest influence in music, he taught me how to play a few instruments growing up and fate led me to a pair of turntables he bought me as a gift when I was 17. Fell in love with the craft and along the way fell in love with the journey — from countless nights of trial and error to big stages and endorsements I could’ve only dreamed of. It still blows my mind that I get to do what I love for a living, even more so do it while making other people happy too.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road, specially for a woman in a male-dominated field. There were only a handful of female DJs in the circuit around the time I was trying to break into the industry. I could barely get a promoter to give me a chance because they thought I was too young and “girls can’t DJ.” There were a lot of frustrations and discouraging moments but I didn’t let any of it stop me, I knew the value I bring to the table and wanted to prove it. Fortunately, there’s been a positive shift in climate in the last few years, there have been glass ceilings we broke through and although the job isn’t over, I’m proud to contribute to the change and continue to help break down barriers in the music and club industry — whether it’s age, gender, or racial disadvantages. Getting headlining gigs, getting more female talent on a lineup, getting paid the same rate as men, getting opportunities that aren’t limited to one race, etc. That way, those to come after me won’t have to go through the struggles I had to go through to break into the field.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I always like to say that I’m a full-time visionary first and a DJ second. I’m a creative in every sense of the word and make sure that all my outlets of expression show that – whether it’s in my sets, style, art, music, brand identity, marketing.
Before going into DJing, I was in school for advertising. I’ve always enjoyed the business aspect of turning a hobby into a generative career — the digital era is the best thing to happen to modern entrepreneurs. I’ve been an independent artist in the last decade, I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to witness the fruits of your labor firsthand. If you’re a control freak like myself (or maybe just a Virgo), working for yourself and being your own boss and employee is naturally easier than having a team of people managing your career. From booking your own gigs, contracting endorsements and sponsorships, being your own accountant, to creating your own flyers, promoting your own events, marketing your own brand, producing your desired content — it’s the most fulfilling job in the world. Creating your own path and cultivating it however feels true to you, that’s my kind of entrepreneurship. I’m most proud of being able to succeed against the odds just by being me and doing me and I think that’s what sets me apart from others, my transparency throughout my journey. I’ve always preached being your truest and most authentic self – people who have followed me on this ride have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly and I wouldn’t have it any other way. If you’re honest to yourself and to others, it produces honest work and that is what I always want people to remember me by.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’m a highly functional procrastinator. Some of the best work I’ve produced (from mixes to artwork) were done at the cusp of a deadline, willingly. Pressure is my best friend 🙂
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/djbellafiasco
- Twitter: twitter.com/djbellafiasco
- SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/djbellafiasco
- Other: twitch.tv/djbellafiasco
Image Credits:
@hairface
