Meet Sterling Orchard of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sterling Orchard.

Sterling, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been drawn to the arts from a young age. In high school, I am always trying something new — trumpet, guitar, bass, and at one point just regular turntables. I also spent many years working as a chef, which gave me another creative outlet and taught me a lot about hospitality, discipline, and creating experiences for people.

I had always wanted to DJ, but it never really became something I seriously pursued until about three or four years ago, when I went to Splash House with some of my best friends. Something about that experience clicked for me. I wanted to find a creative outlet that felt fun, expressive, and social, and DJing became that.

From there, I started taking it seriously. I attended Scratch Academy in Los Angeles to build a strong foundation, then continued at IO Music Academy in Hollywood so I could keep learning from people who were more experienced and push myself creatively.
What started as something fun quickly became a much bigger part of my life, and I’ve really enjoyed continuing to grow as a DJ, producer, and creative.

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?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Like anything in life, there have been plenty of moments where it feels like you’re banging your head against the wall, figuring things out as you go, and learning through frustration.

For me, the hardest part hasn’t really been the music itself. Discovering new music, learning the craft, and being creative are the fun parts. The challenge has been figuring out how to turn that passion into opportunities to actually play in front of people.
A lot of it comes down to networking, putting yourself out there, and sometimes asking the same person over and over again for an opportunity. Sometimes you’re just trying to get your foot in the door somewhere and play for an hour or two so you can prove yourself.

The other challenge is consistency. Life gets busy, and balancing work, relationships, responsibilities, music, and everything else can make it difficult to stay focused. I’ve learned that progress usually comes from continuing to show up, even when things aren’t moving as quickly as you’d like.

I try to look at all of those challenges as part of the process. Every rejection, awkward conversation, empty room, or opportunity that doesn’t work out teaches you something and makes the moments that do work out that much more rewarding.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work across a few different creative and professional worlds. I DJ professionally, and I also work in sales on the foodservice side, which connects back to my background as a chef. I spent many years in kitchens, and I’ve always been fascinated by both the art and the science of food.

What I enjoy most is finding ways to bring those worlds together. Food, music, hospitality, and atmosphere all have the ability to create a memory. I’m drawn to those moments where multiple senses connect and something really resonates with people, whether that’s through a great meal, the right song at the right time, or the overall energy of an experience.

What I’m most proud of personally is being alcohol-free for more than five and a half years. That decision gave me back a lot of time, focus, and consistency, and I’ve tried to invest that energy into creativity, learning, relationships, and building things that matter to me.

I think what sets me apart is that I don’t look at music, food, or hospitality as completely separate things. To me, they’re all different ways of creating an experience and bringing people together.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is building good relationships, holding onto the people who matter, and treating others with kindness and respect.

It isn’t always a two-way street, and I’ve learned that you can’t control how other people show up. What I can control is keeping my own path straight, continuing to move forward, and trying to be the kind of person I want to be regardless of what comes back to me.

I also want the people I cross paths with to leave a little better than when I met them. Maybe that means they had a great night, heard the right song at the right moment, shared a meal, laughed, or simply felt welcomed and respected.

At the end of the day, I think success means more than what you accomplish. It’s also about the relationships you build, the experiences you create, and the way people feel after spending time with you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djsterlingorchard/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djsterlingorchard
• Other: https://www.mixcloud.com/SterlingOrchard/