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Interested in coming to Dillo Day?
Here’s a helpful guide to our 2013 wristband policy.
In anticipation of Mayfest’s Battle of the DJs Thursday, we sat down with the six student performers to see what’s up before their big show.
DJ Wade
Mayfest: For starters, tell us about your experience DJing.
DJ Wade: I’ve been doing it for three years now. Throughout high school, I would DJ at birthday parties, bat mitzvahs, sweet sixteens and stuff like that. It was kind of my summer job. I actually didn’t bring my turntables out here until after spring break, I haven’t done much at Northwestern.
Mayfest: What music is most prominent in your mixes?
DJ Wade: I’d say house and moombahton, I like to add in hip-hop to make things interesting.
Mayfest: Who’s one artist that you either think you sound like or you hope to sound like?
DJ Wade: I would really like to sound like Diplo. I think Diplo does a really good job of keeping EDM music interesting, incorporating a lot of different genres. He’s produced a lot of hip-hop tracks and I think that’s something great for EDM.
Mayfest: And why do you deserve the Dillo Day stage? What makes you stand out over the other DJs?
DJ Wade: I think I’m a lot more fun. People in EDM tend to take themselves too seriously. I’ll be a little looser on stage, just trying to have a good time. I won’t worry too much about what I’m doing and just have a huge dance party.
Mayfest: One word to describe the performance you’ll give tomorrow?
DJ Wade: Energetic.
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DJ NN
Mayfest: Tell us about your experience DJing.
DJ NN: It’s mostly just a hobby, I haven’t done any major events or anything. I started doing it for fun in high school, so I did it at my friends’ parties and stuff, but nothing too big. I haven’t really done any events at Northwestern, but I do practice a lot and make mixes.
Mayfest: What music is most prominent in your mixes?
DJ NN: I try to mix a variety of genres, but I’d say my main genres are trap and hip-hop.
Mayfest: Who’s one artist that you either think you sound like or you hope to sound like?
DJ NN: I really like TNGHT. Lunice and Hudson are both two of my favorite DJs, it’s one of the great collaborations.
Mayfest: And why do you deserve the Dillo Day stage? What makes you stand out over the other DJs?
DJ NN: I’m going to try to keep the crowd on its feet, do something for everyone, keep everyone dancing and moving and having a good time.
Mayfest: One word to describe the performance you’ll give tomorrow?
DJ NN: I’m gonna go with twerkin’.
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Luccii
Mayfest: Tell us about your experience DJing.
Luccii: I’ve been DJing and mixing for about a year. That’s about all my experience, haha. I’ve never played a show at Northwestern.
Mayfest: What music is most prominent in your mixes?
Luccii: Progressive house music. It’s the genre I like the most.
Mayfest: Who’s one artist that you either think you sound like or you hope to sound like?
Luccii: Alesso. His music is so melodic and happy, it just makes you feel good.
Mayfest: And why do you deserve the Dillo Day stage? What makes you stand out over the other DJs?
Luccii: I’m not very serious. I can make people laugh.
Mayfest: One word to describe the performance you’ll give tomorrow?
Luccii: Massive.
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Snad
Mayfest: Tell us about your experience DJing.
Snad: I started DJing in 11th grade producing in 10th grade, and I’ve been making mixes ever since. I started out just producing and then moved to turntables and making mixes. Now Sam [the other member of Snad, along with Shyam] and I use CDJs. Last year we were runners up at Battle of the DJs and I’m a part of Street Beat at Northwestern. I have a weekly radio show where I play progressive house, deep house, as does Sam. He’s got his own show where he plays deep house and tech house and techno.
Mayfest: What music is most prominent in your mixes?
Snad: Deep house, tech house and techno. That’s the sound we’re really into, it’s what we like. It’s not overdone to the point where you hear it too much, crowds still lose their shit.
Mayfest: Who’s one artist that you either think you sound like or you hope to sound like?
Snad: Oh, that’s a tough question. Hmmm, I really don’t know who we’re trying to sound like. Maybe Dusky? You can say that we’re just aspiring to be our own niche sound.
Mayfest: And why do you deserve the Dillo Day stage? What makes you stand out over the other DJs?
Snad: Well, we produced some of the stuff that’s in our mixes. We’ve done these tracks over the past two years playing together. It’s a culmination of everything that we’ve been doing for the past two years. Once you hear the type of shit that we’re dropping and what everyone else is, you’ll understand where we are with our music.
Mayfest: One word to describe the performance you’ll give tomorrow?
Snad: Deep. That’s totally a buzzword these days.
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KaitoS
Mayfest: Tell us about your experience DJing.
KaitoS: I DJed at a hookah bar for some of my senior year of high school, I did blocks in Dance Marathon last year, during fundraising events, formals, general house and frat parties.
Mayfest: What music is most prominent in your mixes?
KaitoS: Mostly EDM, some rap, progressive house.
Mayfest: Who’s one artist that you either think you sound like or you hope to sound like?
KaitoS: I believe it’s like a mix between Arty and Hardwell. Let’s go with that.
Mayfest: And why do you deserve the Dillo Day stage? What makes you stand out over the other DJs?
KaitoS: I just love sharing my music, my purpose is to help everyone else have a good time listening to the music I love.
Mayfest: One word to describe the performance you’ll give tomorrow?
KaitoS: I’m definitely gonna say immense.
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Behind These Eyes
Mayfest: Tell us about your experience DJing.
Behind These Eyes: Well I’ve played music all my life, I picked up DJing when I got to school here because I found out about Street Beat at WNUR. Every night from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. people are live DJing on the radio. I signed up and apprenticed and they basically taught me how to DJ with the equipment. That was when I got here my freshman year, so it’s been almost two years that I’ve been actually DJing. I’ve also been making tons of music on my computer.
Mayfest: What music is most prominent in your mixes?
Behind These Eyes: I’m mostly into bass music, I got into dubstep, hip-hop, rap, and I like trap music as well. Anything bass oriented, most of the music is like breakbeat, so not house music but the opposite, anything that’s evolved from hip-hop.
Mayfest: Who’s one artist that you either think you sound like or you hope to sound like?
Behind These Eyes: I don’t try to sound like anyone, but there are some artists that I look up to. One of my favorite producers, I know this sounds cliche and a lot of people would make fun of me for it, is Skrillex. I genuinely think he’s a great songwriter, he just does a great job on the computer. Besides him, I listen to a lot of music, so some people I really like are Flux Pavilion, basically that whole genre of British dubstep so Flux Pavilion, Doctor P. I really like Diplo too, he’s one of my all-time favorite musical acts.
Mayfest: And why do you deserve the Dillo Day stage? What makes you stand out over the other DJs?
Behind These Eyes: What makes me stand out is that I’ve been playing music, not just on the computer. I’ve been playing guitar and stuff all my life. I started making beats on the computer when I was around 10. I just feel like I want to pursue music as a career and it’s my favorite thing to do in the world. I have a lot of experience and I’ve put so much time into it. I feel like I have the drive to do my best and win this whole competition. I’m stoked.
Mayfest: One word to describe the performance you’ll give tomorrow?
Behind These Eyes: Rampage!
Battle of the DJs is Thursday, May 9, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Buffalo Wild Wings. To hear the DJs’ music, check out our Soundcloud set.