Rising Stars: Meet Simone Dill Aka DJ STARDUST of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Simone Dill Aka DJ STARDUST.

Hi Simone Dill, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a Los Angeles native, educator, writer, poet, and creative entrepreneur whose work has always lived at the intersection of storytelling, community, and culture. My foundation started in writing, I’ve always been drawn to poetry, prose, and the power of language to help people feel seen. That passion led me to study Film & Media Studies at University of California, Berkeley and later earn my Master’s in Film & Media Studies from Columbia University School of the Arts, where I deepened my understanding of narrative, representation, and the cultural power of media. I later completed my M.Ed. in Urban Education with a concentration in Educational Policy and Administration, which grounded my work in service, equity, and youth development.

Professionally, I’ve spent the last several years as an educator, teaching English Language Arts and Creative Writing to middle school students in Los Angeles. Teaching sharpened my understanding of how creativity can be both healing and transformative, especially for young people navigating complex realities. At the same time, I was building my own creative platforms outside of the classroom, spaces where art, music, nightlife, and community could coexist with intention.

That led to the growth of brands and experiences like Poetry After Dark LA, GODEEPER, and Magic Heauxs Inc., all extensions of my larger mission to create spaces where people feel free, inspired, and connected. Poetry After Dark LA began as an intimate poetry and open mic experience and quickly became a staple creative space in the city. GODEEPER expanded that vision into curated listening experiences and cultural storytelling through music. Magic Heauxs Inc. became the umbrella for all of it; a lifestyle, media, and event brand rooted in South Central Los Angeles, built on the idea of “where the streets meet the stars.”

As a DJ performing as DJ STARDUST, I’ve also found another language through music. Whether I’m opening for artists like Cupcakke, curating listening experiences, or building community-centered festivals like Streets to the Stars Cultural Summit, my goal remains the same: creating experiences that feel unforgettable and meaningful.

Everything I do is rooted in purpose. I believe nightlife, art, and culture can be powerful tools for healing, visibility, and collective impact. My work is about building legacy—creating platforms that not only entertain, but give back, especially to women, survivors, creatives, and the communities that raised me.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, and honestly, I think that’s what shaped me the most.

A major part of my journey has been learning how to keep building while carrying very real pain. One of the deepest challenges I’ve faced was navigating the trauma of a rape case involving my grandfather and everything that came with that, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and within family dynamics. Experiences like that change you. They force you to confront grief, anger, protection, survival, and what healing really means. There were seasons where simply getting out of bed felt like a victory, let alone showing up for work, school, and the people around me. People are committed to misunderstanding me sometimes, which makes it harder to keep going, but this is where my faith in God and his son Jesus Christ comes in and saves me everytime.

I’ve also had to work through mental health challenges that came from carrying so much at once; anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and the pressure of constantly having to be “the strong one.” As a Black woman, especially one rooted in service and leadership, there’s often an unspoken expectation to keep performing strength even when you’re unraveling. I had to learn that healing is not weakness, and that rest, boundaries, therapy, faith, and creativity are all forms of survival. I put alot of these challenges and lessons into my two published poetry books by World Stage Press.

Before fully transitioning into entertainment, music, and creative entrepreneurship, I spent seven years working in sports media and related spaces, learning how storytelling, production, branding, and visibility shape culture. That experience gave me a strong professional foundation, but I eventually realized I wanted my work to feel more aligned with purpose and personal expression. Moving into education, poetry, nightlife, and music wasn’t the “safe” route; it was the honest one.

There were moments where I questioned everything: whether I was starting over too late, whether people would take me seriously as both an educator and a creative, whether I could build something sustainable from passion. But every challenge kept pushing me back to the same truth: I was never meant to live small.

That’s why everything I create now, Poetry After Dark LA, GODEEPER, Magic Heauxs Inc., DJ STARDUST, Streets to the Stars, is rooted in impact. I know what it means to survive hard things. I know what it feels like to need spaces that heal, affirm, and remind you that your story doesn’t end at your hardest chapter.

So no, it hasn’t been smooth, but it has been meaningful. And I think that matters more.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Before I was known as a poet, educator, DJ, or creative entrepreneur, I was a filmmaker, videographer, and producer for seven years. Storytelling has always been the center of my work, it just continues to evolve through different mediums.

My professional foundation was built in film, media, and production. I studied Film & Media Studies at University of California, Berkeley and later earned my Master’s from Columbia University School of the Arts, where I sharpened my voice as a writer and visual storyteller. During that time, I wrote a screenplay that went on to win three international film festivals, which was one of my earliest confirmations that my voice and perspective had real impact.

Professionally, I worked across sports media, entertainment, and production with organizations and teams like California Golden Bears football Football, the Las Vegas Raiders (formerly Oakland Raiders), the Oakland Athletics, the Golden State Warriors, and Pac-12 Network Studios. I also worked in entertainment spaces with BET on Keyshia Cole’s reality show, with Crystalship Artists Talent Agency, as a multimedia producer for Maxie McCoy, and through communities like Black Film Space Writers Lab. Those experiences taught me how culture is shaped behind the scenes, through production, strategy, branding, and narrative.

What I specialize in now is cultural storytelling and experience-building. Whether through Poetry After Dark LA, GODEEPER, Magic Heauxs Inc., DJ STARDUST, or larger community-centered concepts like Streets to the Stars, I create spaces where art, music, nightlife, and purpose intersect. I’m known for building experiences that feel both elevated and deeply personal, where luxury meets authenticity, and where people leave feeling transformed, not just entertained.

One of the things I’m most proud of is choosing purpose over comfort. I stepped away from traditional industry paths and pursued education because I wanted my work to directly impact my community. Teaching Creative Writing and English Language Arts gave me the opportunity to pour into young people while continuing to build my own creative platforms from the ground up.

What sets me apart is that I don’t separate artistry from impact. I understand both the boardroom and the backstage, the classroom and the club. I know how to build a brand, tell a story, move a crowd, and create community, all at once. My work is rooted in legacy. I’m not just interested in success; I’m interested in building something that outlives me.
What truly sets me apart is my ability to bridge worlds that people often treat as separate. I move fluidly between education, entertainment, nightlife, media, poetry, film, and community organizing, and I do it with intention. I’m not just a creative, and I’m not just an educator. I’m a builder of ecosystems.

I understand how to create experiences that feel beautiful on the surface but are deeply purposeful underneath. Whether I’m producing a poetry showcase, opening as DJ STARDUST for a sold-out crowd, building a sponsorship deck for a major brand partnership, teaching seventh graders how to find their voice through writing, or designing a cultural summit for South Central Los Angeles, the mission is the same: connection, transformation, and legacy.

I think what also sets me apart is that my work is deeply lived. I don’t create from theory, I create from experience. My background, my challenges, my healing journey, my South Central roots, my academic training, and my understanding of both luxury and survival all shape the way I lead. I know how to speak to people across rooms, from corporate executives and university spaces to artists, nightlife communities, and young people who just need someone to believe in them.

I’m also incredibly strategic. People often see the aesthetics first, the beauty, the branding, the vibe, but underneath that is structure. I know how to build systems, partnerships, curriculum, sponsorships, and sustainable platforms. Magic Heauxs Inc., Poetry After Dark LA, GODEEPER, and Streets to the Stars are not just events to me, they are infrastructure for community, visibility, and economic opportunity.

Another thing that sets me apart is fearlessness in reinvention. I’ve been a filmmaker, producer, sports media professional, educator, poet, and now a DJ and cultural architect. I’m not afraid to evolve. I trust vision over convention. A lot of people wait for permission, I build first.

And honestly, I think my superpower is that I know how to make people feel. Whether through music, poetry, storytelling, or atmosphere, I create emotional experiences people remember. I believe people may forget details, but they never forget how you made them feel.

At the core of all of it, I’m building legacy, especially for women, for creatives, for survivors, and for communities like South Central that deserve beauty, investment, and platforms of their own. I’m not interested in simply being seen. I’m interested in creating spaces where other people can finally see themselves.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
A lot of the resources that help me do my best work are rooted in healing, discipline, and spiritual alignment, not just productivity. I’ve learned that in order to lead, create, and serve at the level I want to, I have to take care of the person behind the work first.

My faith is a major foundation for me. The Bible has been one of my greatest resources for healing, especially while navigating trauma, grief, and major life transitions. Scripture has helped me rebuild trust in myself, in God, and in the idea that pain can still produce purpose. I spend a lot of time in devotionals, prayer journaling, fasting, and reflection. Women of the Bible like Ruth, Esther, Deborah, and the Proverbs 31 woman have deeply influenced how I think about leadership, resilience, femininity, and spiritual discipline.

I’m also heavily inspired by Black feminist thinkers and writers whose work gave language to things I had lived but didn’t always know how to name. Writers like bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Toni Morrison, and Mikki Kendall have shaped the way I think about womanhood, power, intimacy, healing, and community. Their work reminds me that softness and strength can exist at the same time.

Books like The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron have also been transformative for me, especially as someone balancing creativity with entrepreneurship. Practices like Morning Pages helped me reconnect with my own voice and move through creative blocks with honesty instead of perfectionism.

Movement is another huge part of how I stay grounded. I’m in a yoga instructor program because I wanted to deepen my relationship with mindfulness, breathwork, and embodiment, not just for fitness, but for healing. Yoga taught me that the body holds memory, and sometimes healing starts there before it starts in words. I also stay committed to working out regularly because movement helps me process stress, stay disciplined, and protect my mental health.

Therapy has also been essential. I believe healing requires both spiritual work and practical work. Faith and therapy go hand in hand for me. One helps me surrender, and the other helps me unpack.

Music is another form of restoration. Gospel music, soul, jazz, R&B, and intentional listening spaces all help me reconnect to myself. Sometimes healing looks like prayer, and sometimes it looks like Jill Scott on a Sunday morning, a gospel playlist, or building a DJ set that feels like emotional release.

At this stage of my life, I’ve learned that success without peace isn’t success at all. So the resources I value most are the ones that help me stay clear, whole, and aligned.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pureatheartent.org
• Instagram: deejaystardust
• Facebook: Simone Dill
• Youtube: PureAtHeartEnt
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/lTiAYAXv5vSoBqALyf