Today we’d like to introduce you to Derek Tao.
Hi Derek, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Being a DJ now, I always grew up wanting to pursue a creative passion since I was raised loving music and dancing by my brothers. However, getting older and working made it more and more difficult to have the time to pursue such passions. It wasn’t until my mom became extremely ill in 2018, which made me realized how short life really is and made me to decided to embark on my DJ journey. Music has a special place in my heart and I find that everyone from around the world can enjoy it and come together to love as a whole.
I started as a self-taught DJ playing at house events/parties to joining a school called the Academy of DJs in Santa Ana, CA, which helped expand my talents and network to new horizons. I’ve continued to DJ for the past 5 years and have been growing my DJ business by playing at clubs/bars/weddings/private events all across Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orange County on a weekly basis. I am now a part of the staff on the Academy of DJs and currently have a residency at a bar arcade called Mission Control in Santa Ana, CA. I continue to better myself and work to accomplish even greater things and hope to be as great of a DJ as I can be and help people in my local communities enjoy good music and just enjoy life!
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?
Definitely, a lot of bumps in the road to get to where I am at today. 2020 was definitely a hard time due to Covid-19, since event/entertainment-based industries slowed significantly since people can’t come together to gather at these events. I certainly had doubts and almost lost hope to pursue being a DJ in this industry slow down, but I never gave up working hard. I keep practicing and building connections with other creatives, which eventually led to many more opportunities!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a music connoisseur/curator or someone who plays music for an audience AKA a DJ. I typically spin all kinds of music or Open Format, but mainly music from Hip-Hop/R&B/Reggaeton/House/Oldies and many Soundcloud edits. I’m proud of how far I’ve come and the amount of connections I’ve made along the way. It inspires me to continue to do good work as a creative as I help influence other creatives who are also trying to pursue their own creative journeys. I love teaching, I love connecting with my audience and other DJs, and most of all I love music.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
I find self-improvement to be the most important aspect in my life. I always try my best to strive to be a little bit better than I was yesterday. I find that every day should have a subtle challenge to move yourself in the right direction towards your goals. Whether it be improvements in your health, your relationships, your talents, your knowledge, or your mental health, they are all great areas to improve on to help make every day better than in your life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwrecklesstao/?hl=en
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/dwrecklesstao
Image Credits
rob.img & paulo.manlapaz on IG
