Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Ormes.
Hi Will, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started in 7th grade. I asked my parents for a set of turntables and a mixer for a Christmas present, from there I started doing friend’s parties for fun and eventually started getting paid for birthdays and family events. I DJ’d a little bit in high school in the house party scene and when I turned 18, I started DJing clubs in Hollywood. I was able to obtain various residencies and that continued for about five years. During this period, I was always looking for the next step in my career and radio was always an enticing venture. During the early club days, I would often open for radio DJs and I would ask them how they became radio DJs and what the next step was.
After hitting a creative plateau, I found Scratch DJ Academy. I went through their program (took about a year) and joined their street team. We did numerous events throughout the city and made many great relationships.
Wanting to continue to evolve, I decided to revisit the radio idea. I applied for the street team at Power106 here in Los Angeles. Make no mistake, it certainly wasn’t easy. I applied three times and at that time, you used to have to audition not only as a DJ but also as an MC on the mic. I was lucky enough to get a callback and made the team.
After a few years of street teamwork, I started submitting demos for On-Air work with DJ Eman. That in and of itself was like starting all over again. Weekly meetings to discuss feedback and direction were seemingly never-ending. I eventually got an opportunity to do a live guest DJ set during the holidays in 2017. I was able to do a lot of Friday and Saturday nights and also some New Year’s Eve Mixes.
2020 Covid – we were all furloughed as mixers and presented a very challenging time not only career-wise but also cast severe doubts on whether I could continue DJing as a primary source of income. I was fortunate enough to get a call back once things started to re-open in the world and I re-joined the street team for a brief period.
Soon thereafter, I was approached with an opportunity to join the Liftoff Show with Justin Credible and DJ Sourmilk as their show’s board operator.
At present day I’ve been lucky enough to now have my own show on Power106 on Friday nights 10PM-Midnight. I also do mixing for Justin Credible’s Liftoff show on Saturdays at 5PM. I’ve been very blessed that my club & private gigs have continued to grow. I’ve been blessed to be booked usually 2-3 months in advance.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. Several times I not only contemplated switching career paths but actually started down those roads. After the first two applications to Power106 were denied, I applied for a radio station in Las Vegas. They actually wanted to hire me, but I needed to obviously relocate there so I could get a valid driver’s license. There was another period where the talent pool at Power106 was so crowded it seemed I may never get an On-Air opportunity.
At one point I started the application process to be a deputy with the Sheriff’s Department here in LA.
When I was on the street team at Power, I was so dedicated to the work and moving up that I always, and I mean ALWAYS, chose work over friendships, relationships, etc. Some would say to an unhealthy level. It definitely put a strain on those areas, but I’m a workaholic.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a DJ, I always try to emphasize a musical journey for the client. I do clubs all over Los Angeles and every crowd is different, but what they all have in common is they all came out to have a good time and chose someplace where I’m playing. That’s special. I want to make sure they have an amazing night, and if they leave saying “Hey that DJ was really good we have to come back”, I know I’ve done my job well. I do private events as well. Weddings, Proms, Homecomings, birthdays, etc. These events are even more special to me because the client went out of their way to find me and book me. What’s even more important to note is oftentimes, it’s a “one time only” event, meaning you only get married once. You only have one 21st birthday. There’s no do-overs and I have to do everything I can to make those some of the most special, fun, and memorable times of their lives.
I think one thing I’m most proud of is the amount of returning clients and recommendations I get simply from one client to another. I often get calls saying, “Hey, I’m so and so and I was referred to you by so and so.” This tells me I not only delivered for the original client, but now I have a new client that trusts me enough to reach out.
As far as what sets me apart, I truly believe it’s the fact that I pride myself on not only my quality of work but also being able to deliver the whole package. I engage with the audience on the mic at all my events, private or public. I truly strive to create an inclusive, fun environment. Musically I love being able to take people on a journey across genres. We can go from Hip-Hop to Latin to Country to EDM to Rock to sing-alongs and anywhere in between. Those are my favorite nights.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @iamdjdiamond
