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Meet Tiara Monique Edwards

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiara Monique Edwards.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Tiara Monique. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Music has always been a big part of my life since before I could even walk. Originally I’m from Moreno Valley California and there is where I learned the power of music. I started playing the drums when I was five years old so rhythm comes naturally. Eventually, I worked up the courage to play for my church around the age of 10. However, I didn’t start DJing until I was in the 11th grade (2011). My cousin gave me a Trakor controller he used for the family BBQs and I taught myself how to blend songs through virtual DJ. At that point, I thought I knew what I was doing; ordered myself some business cards and put the word out about my new business venture. I made mixes and saved up enough money to buy equipment to do a party, ie, speakers and stands. I started small doing family reunions, birthday parties, baby showers; but all my clients were family members. I was grateful to be working, but I wanted to find way to for my name to circulate outside of just my Christmas dinners.

After High School, I went to Howard University. I knew they had a radio station on campus and hired students as the main DJs. In my head I’m like boom, I got this. I’m about to go to Howard and blow up. Long story short auditions come up and they blew all my dreams out the window. The judges let me know quick my music selection wasn’t versatile enough ( I only played LA music), my mixes were subpar and I was too slow. From there, I was quickly humbled and had to take a step back and really perfect my craft. I decided to just work for the radio as a manager behind the scenes and put in my hours as a DJ at home working on every little thing over and over again. You have to realize though, I didn’t have anybody showing me what to do. I was going strictly off what I heard and saw other DJs do live and online. After graduation (2016) I moved back to California, straight to LA, and immediately put in the work to get on the scene as a real DJ. I had to teach myself how to actually use turntables because I wanted to call myself a real DJ.

I was working for CBS radio as street team DJ and posting DJ routines on my Instagram everyday, I started a podcast with my close friend Jay Clay where I mixed live and Here is where I finally started to get noticed outside of my family. One of my videos randomly went viral and promoters started hitting me left and right. A college friend even gave me an opening slot on a Thursday night. They loved me and let me come back every week. The management eventually asked me to take over the night as the resident DJ at the Room Hollywood for Thursday Nights. I’ve been running TAPOUT Thursdays successfully for a little over a year this month. At the time people around me kept saying I blew up out of nowhere or I was an overnight sensation, but they just didn’t see the work I’ve been putting in since I was a kid. After a few years of sacrifice and hard work I was able to quit my job and DJ full time.

Great, 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?
This journey definitely has not been easy, but I honestly don’t think I would be where I am without the obstacles and challenges. I’m a self-taught so that’s major challenge in its self. I was DJing clubs and taking my controller because I didn’t know how to use the turntables that were already set up. It was kind of embarrassing walking in a club saying you’re the DJ but can’t use the DJ equipment that’s there. Having a sound man re-setup the equipment is not a fun task. I had to learn the hard way. Also being a woman in a male-dominated industry, in any field, is a constant struggle; not just for me but all women. Early on, I would have promoters tell me they would only book me again if I changed my image (meaning dress more feminine or show more skin). I didn’t want to have to sell sex to sell my talent, I told myself that in High School. I never want to change who I am for the sake of a dollar.

As a DJ women sometimes and very often get booked for a look, not because they can really rock a party mic work and all. I had to earn respect as a DJ. Just a DJ, not a female DJ. I’m just a DJ. I would say the last major struggle was really and is still is just with me in mind. Nights are slow sometimes, I’m not always booked outside of my residences. You start question is the right move when you haven’t seen a check in a month. Or if you just give up and start on plan B. I can say faith has kept me going when times were hard and I truly believed I could live off my talents.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Tiara Monique Music is just that. Music by me, whether I’m creating or just playing a record its everything music. Tapout Thursdays is a weekly vibe curated by myself every single Thursday, at The Room Hollywood. I think what sets me apart from other DJs is my music selection and the creativity I bring to set. I’m not playing just songs that are the radio, I like play music with feeling. Now don’t get me wrong, I play the new hits of course, but its done it such a subtle way, Grandparents jammin too. Also with me you never what you’ll get. I am most proud of the progression of myself as a business. Yes, I am a DJ but I am a business in myself. I have gone more DJing only family functions through my laptop to stages with 10,000 plus people in the audience as a house DJ with R&B Only.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think my hard work, dedication to the craft, and my over all passion for music is what sets me apart from most DJs. I can tell you right now, even if it wasn’t paying my bills, I’d still be spinning somewhere tonight. Again, I am self-taught, so you have to be disciplined in the learning process. I feel it is important to be passionate about what I’m doing. Especially since I’m doing music. Music is the greatest communicator of all time. Music is very powerful and can be very danger when used the wrong way. I think my knowledge of music and the time I spent as a kid working on music is the most important thing to my success. I learned early how to sacrifice for what I wanted. I was the only kid on the block with a schedule at ten years old. I wanted to practice drumming when I got home never had to be told. I wanted to listen to the oldies my parents and grandparents played. So to answer this question, I feel my passion and dedication are two traits I owe my success to.

Pricing:

  • Booking Rate $200/Hr
  • DJ Lessons $50/hr
  • TAPOUT Thursdays $10 cover

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Tiara Monique Crowd Shot, Tiara Monique, Apex Laurent

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