Today we’d like to introduce you to Darrell Holland.
Hi Darrell, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
With a strong background in music, I quickly rose to bloom in my career as a Dj. From playing string bass in the orchestra, being the baritone voice in the middle school choir… my music career was on the come up. Unknowing that I was going to be a part of this career for years to come. Now; years later. I’ve done hundreds of events, gigs. Performances, and more. Who would’ve known a young kid from Arlington would stand to do so much? Coming from a low-income family to working and DJing for The Dallas Mavericks.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey thus far has definitely been challenging; not as challenging as I might had thought it would be. While being new to the game, it was critical that I was to find my sound and fast. Starting to Dj in 2019 was nothing easy of any task. I originally pick up becoming a Dj when I first got out of grade school, but I stopped. I thought it was the most challenging thing in the world. Which honestly, that was one of my biggest regrets. If I would’ve went with my first mind and continued to process forward with going through with my Dj career at that time… who would’ve known where career would be now. Pressing forward I know some of the biggest struggles now is being overbooked. I’m usually working 7 days a week now. Which is not a bad thing (financially). However, it can be overbearing… that’s where I highly recommend a booking manager or anything in the course of that direction.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The DJ JDON is based out of Dallas, Tx. I’ve been DJing almost close to five years now. Working for some of Dallas’ hottest entrepreneurs and party organizations across the city. I’ve built this name for myself by basically networking and maintaining a positive repertoire amongst my clientele. I’ve been a DJ since late 2019 (right before we knew what a COVID-19 was). Growing up I was always into music. From sitting and listening in front of the radio to 97.9, K104, Smooth 105.7 I grew up into music heavily. My dad would always have me ride along with him Listening to all types of different artist. The artists that I grew up listening to was Mary J, Blige, Busta Rhymes, Isley Brother, P Diddy & Bad Boy Entertainment. Maze & Frankie Beverly, Usher, Luther Vandross, Brandy, Monica, Beyonce and so much more. I use to get so attach to beats of song and rhythms and would hum or tap all types of beats on the desk(s) at school. Within going throughout educational years, I would always involve myself in a musical extracurricular activity. From playing string bass in the elementary school orchestra learning how to play tuba in the 7th & 8th grade. From becoming the top bass singer in my 8th-grade choir. I’ve grown to know that I always had a musical talent. 2010 came around, and the next step was to graduate high school. I had to figure out what was next musically. I went to community college and ended up working full-time in the workforce. I knew I need to apply my time into what I love to do, and of course, that was music. I went into learning how to DJ… started learning thought it was the most difficult thing in the world. I then thought to myself “I can’t do this s***.”, “This is the most difficult thing in the world to do.” I then gave up on it and fully committed to working. Amongst that time, I was doing parties and working the regular 9-5. One day I came to realizing that I wasn’t fully happy in what I was doing. I of course was making money, paying and taking care of bills. I knew I wasn’t happy with what I was doing. I knew that I had missed what my heart had for me, and that was being in music. Late 2019 I went ahead and picked up on where I had left off in learning my DJ skills. Ever since then, I’ve been on fire. I’ve DJ for some of Dallas’ biggest of entrepreneurs. Daisha Board Gallery, Don The Junkman & The Don P Agency. Indie Dallas Fashion show (Featured in NYFW). So Classic Gents XL. DJ in front of brands such as DXL, Energy Check apparel, guns and roses boutique. KNG SHYT apparel, The Dallas Mavericks, Obtaining Multiple (weekly) DJ Residency’s for Caven Enterprises. and more. Some of the connections that were mentioned above were not easily created overnight. I got to where I am today with a lot of dedication to working in my craft, practicing 3 to 4 times a week, and making sure my crates and arrangements were always up to date. DJs have the toughest job in the industry. They help produce and create the vibes for the events. There’s a lot of pressure on you for 4 to 6 hours. Sometime longer, if that. Making sure that a good Dj stays good and up to date with music and the latest trends. Building your connections is a very vital part as well: I can’t express to you enough on how important it is to network, build, and work on the aspects in your brand. Some of things that makes me excited about DJing is knowing that I am an essential power to create an atmosphere for people to let loose, for them to feel their vibe. It’s rewarding to be in the midst of an atmosphere where the elements of a good time all takes place. A couple of lessons that I’ve learn is 1. Don’t take it too hard on yourself. Remember that No idea is stupid; there isn’t a time frame on when you should start or stop the logistics of your creativity. 2. Break out of your shell. You’ll never achieve high satisfaction in your career by not taking risk. You have to be completely ok with being out of that shell in order to succeed fully in the entertainment
What are your plans for the future?
I am looking forward to traveling more for DJ work. I’ve been to Houston, Atlanta for different events. Looking forward to even more bookings. I’m also looking forward to soon offer DJ Classes. To simply teach the fundamentals of DJing. As far as anything else in the future… Please stay tuned.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Djjaydon214
- Facebook: Djjaydon214
Image Credits
Kyron A.Davis
