Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikol Straws.
Hi Nikol, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a California native but has been firmly rooted in the Midwest for almost 20 years. My love of music started at an extremely early age, and I have both my parents to thank for that; my mother was an avid singer in her younger years, and my father worked heavily in the music industry as I was coming up. As a road manager for major acts like Bill Withers and the Jackson 5, my dad exposed me to a bevy of musical geniuses and genres. This love never went away and evolved over many years into work as a lyricist, poetess, singer, and dancer.
Life moved on, and as I got older responsibilities steered me in a less artistic direction, but my love for music never waned; I was able to fully tap into my desire to DJ at a late stage in life but took to it like a fish in water. I married a DJ in 2016 and quickly joined him in the business, as he is a full-time A/V Engineer and DJ. We have become one of the Midwest’s most sought-after husband & wife DJ teams but also maintained a strong following independently.
A multi-hyphenate threat in the entertainment industry, I not only DJ, but I also a model (hence my tag of #musicmeetsthemodel), act, still write poetry and lyrics (as time permits), and dance (Urban Line Dance and KC 2-step) with Kansas City’s own IDWD. My DJ career has allowed me to travel across the US and perform with the likes of Toby Keith, David Niall, Lipstick Mafia & Johnny Good and the Triple O’s, Babyface, and Chrystal Rucker among many other acts. My ability to spin in almost ANY genre is something to truly witness, but my favorites still remain R&B, old school Hip Hop and EDM.
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?
Nothing worth having ever really comes without some struggle, so this journey has been no different. The obvious elephant-in-the-room struggle of being a female DJ in such a male-dominated industry seems to go without saying but still is perplexing. I am honored to personally know no less than 20 female DJs in my region on a personal level though, and definitely work with many to spread the gig wealth.
There’s also the age struggle. It’s no secret that I got started in the game late in life, but with age came wisdom and the ability to not only have fun with the music but handle my business quite differently than most. I will admit to some days feeling every bit of my 49 years, but it never slows me down. I take music and DJing seriously and will continue to pursue spreading the music “gospel” as long as I’m able.
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?
I’m an IT professional by day but a kick-ass DJ by night! I love to play music that speaks to the soul; my number one goal during a set is to find that groove, that rhythm, that flow that makes your head nod and your heart sing. I adore making people dance, sing, smile, feel good, and remember old track while checking out new ones.
From a DJ perspective, my two specialties are the blend/transition and the marrying of genres. There’s nothing like making a transition during two tracks that makes people say, “Yes! That was SO smooth,” or that makes them just keep dancing without even stopping. There’s also nothing like hitting a great hip hop track that blends so well with a Punjabi beat that can transition to a Techno/EDM track that melts into a Pop hit…some would just never do it, but I love to experiment.
What’s next?
My future plans include traveling and learning more about music. I want to definitely explore more outside of the Kansas/Missouri arenas, be more on the scene in Dallas, gravitate up to Chicago, and hit the East Coast as well. Beyond that, it’s international stages and venues that pique my curiosity.
I also plan to fully retire from my 9-5 life in the next few years, so I look forward to spending time training up young DJs (female AND male) and helping the next generations find a way to express their love of music.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.2themaaxe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djicekole
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icekoledj
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/icekoledj
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/icekoledj
- Other: https://www.mixcloud.com/icekoledj/
Image Credits
Tori Erwin
J. Wing Photography
