posted on 02.18.2011
Marc
Jay: So as many of you know I love music and I love DJs and I’ve been
going out for many years and joining me now is miss DJ Quira. Hello
Quira!
DJ Quira: Hello!
Marc Jay: So I want to talk about the
future, but first I want to talk about the past. I’ve known you
for eight years and going back eight years ago you were an incredible
cocktail waitress. Tell us, how have you made this transition from being
a cocktail waitress to becoming one of Vegas’ most popular DJs?
DJ Quira: When I decided I wanted to start DJ'n initially I
started with Serato, but then I got serious and decided to go back to
basics, so I called my friend Bad Boy Bill and he mailed me out a box
full of about 50 vinyl records, so then I learned how to play on real
vinyl. And I really think that its important to learn all the tricks of
the trade. Along with that I'm taking it slowly cause there is a lot to
learn, and I feel its important I put in my time.
Marc Jay: So tell us, you’re from Seattle. How did you end up working and living in Vegas?
DJ Quira: I was living in Seattle and I came to Vegas right
before I was 21 for a vacation with my girlfriends and I ended up
falling in love with the city and decided to come out here and attend
UNLV.
Marc Jay: You still DJ, waitress, and study. How do you combine that into one week? It must be pretty crazy.
DJ Quira: Well for the last few months I have just been
spinning & going to school full time at UNLV. I will be graduating
this May with my BSBA Marketing Degree. Although I have actually decided
to do doubles this summer and am officially going to be cocktailing at
Wet Republic Pool on the weekends along with spinning during the week at
different pools and clubs. This will be really good for me for cause I
will be able to hear the most amazing talent in the world every week
along with ill be able to pay off my debt and save some money.
Marc Jay: Going back years ago to Ice, I
always saw you jumping around and dancing a lot and enjoying the music.
I didn’t realize you were that into music. Has this been a passion from
childhood or just since you got to Vegas?
DJ Quira: Music has been a passion my whole life, but when I
was 16 back in Washington my friends and I would go to all age Raves in
Seattle. This is actually where I got my first true experiences with the
house music scene, I saw Donald Glaude at NAF Studios when I was 17
yearrs old. So I have been in the music scene for quite some time and
have always loved being in the DJ booth, that's usually where you'll
find me.
Marc Jay: That’s funny because Vegas is
known more for its commercial hip hop music and you’ve gone down the
road of DJ-ing electronic and house music. How is that going and how did
you fall into that area of music?
DJ Quira: Well to tell you the truth my passion is truly with
house music. Although I am trying to find my niche in the style of music
I play, I want to be unique yet also keep people interested in whats
coming next. I really feel like Vegas is known for its commercial
hip-hop, yet I am loving all the amazing house DJ's that are getting
monthly Vegas residencies. But even though I am a house head, I also do
like hip-hop and am all about being versatile and playing what's going
to make people dance. I do what I do for the reaction I get from people.
Marc Jay: So when did it start
exploding for you in the DJ world? The last time I saw you you were
working at Tao and all of a sudden you’re name is everywhere. When did
that transition come and how did it come about?
DJ Quira: I
have actually been working with Omar Galiano, whom is the music
director for TAO group. He has been mentoring me for about two years
now and he has probably helped me more than anybody with my music. So I
felt that last year it was just time for me to resign from cocktailing
at Tao and time to pursue my deejay opportunities. Thank goodness I
made the right choice and everything is going great, I am spinning at
Lavo three to four days a week and Omar gives advice along with 'DJ
tests' and is really pushing me to be my best with that good ol' tough
love.
Marc Jay: So tell us a bit about the
equipment that you prefer to work with. Because I know all DJs work with
different CDs or turntables or laptops and so on. What is it that
you’re working with right now?
DJ Quira: The equipment I prefer to use would be a set of
Technique 1200s and a Pioneer 800 mixer. When I go live I use Serato and
a laptop of course; although I am learning Ableton as well because I
want to be able to do the bridge and learn how to produce live. That’s
really interesting to me. I’m also putting my music on SD cards because I
want to be versatile and also learn the CDJ 2000's because I'm all
about being prepared for whatever comes my way.
Marc Jay: One thing I love about
Vegas is I think it gives young people multiple opportunities. Now, I
think if you lived in Seattle, coming from a waitress that wants to be a
DJ you would probably struggle a little bit. But in Vegas it seems that
with so many clubs opening that it would seem being a DJ in this town
could be very profitable and it could actually build your career from
here. Is that one of the reasons you came to Vegas to begin with?
DJ Quira: Your 100% correct! My choice to move to Las Vegas
when I was 21 and get a cocktailing job at ICE was the best move I ever
made. To Financially be able to put myself through school with only
having to work three days a week really gave me enough time off to focus
on school as well.
Marc Jay: I see that. I mean I was
just in Chicago and saw your name on a flyer. Is it just that Vegas is
such a huge market that people hear you and want to book you?
DJ Quira: Yeah, I actually have not gone and looked for one
gig. Every gig that I have gotten so far has come to me. How I feel
about it is, when people want me they’re going to come get me. Just this
weekend, I did a private party and I just got a call today from the
modeling agency and they want to book me for another event. It’s word of
mouth, people see you, they want to book you and that’s how it happens.
Marc Jay: So tell us, what can we see of DJ Quira in the next 10 years? Where would you like to be?
DJ Quira: I want to be an international DJ and producer.
Marc Jay: I know you’ve been to Ibitha a
couple of times. What was your experience with going to Europe and
listening to dance music and big Ibithic style clubs?
DJ Quira: My experience with clubs in Ibiza was such a
different experience than the club scene in Vegas. So I really payed
attention to the programming and the reaction certain tracks got out of
people, because people actually love to dance out there. I must thank
Queen of House Zee, Jackson and Rob for all taking me to Ibiza, it was a
life changing trip for me.
Marc Jay: What kind of DJs inspires you right now?
DJ Quira: One of my main inspirations and they are also
friend's of mine is Tiesto and Erick Morillo. I really admire look up
to the whole performance aspect of it. They put the whole show together
they do the music and they make it more of show and I feel like that’s
important. Even when I did my gig at Blush I brought in my own
performance. I had a mood director come in and they had a whole
performance and I really feel like it’s about putting on a show and
bringing energy and creating energy in a room.
Marc Jay: There’s now 30 clubs in
Vegas and they’re all fighting for the same customer sometimes so you
have to bring something more to the table than just your DJ-ing skills.
You have to put on a show almost.
DJ Quira: Back in the day a DJ could just be a DJ but
now-a-days you need to be more versatile. Versatile is the key word. I’m
even getting down to learning tricks; like scratch and hip-hop tricks.
Which I am learning from DJ Frankie from Studio 54. I’m working hard to
be well rounded in my music and be able to tackle whatever comes my
way.
Marc Jay: I know you mentioned that
all this work you’re getting is from people phoning you directly. Do you
have a book agent or a manager yet or are you doing this all yourself?
DJ Quira: I do everything by myself. I built my website myself
and also update it. I manage my facebook and twitter currently by
myself. I had a part time assistant but right now I’m just solo and I
have a lot of people approaching me for management but I’m just holding
off for right now.
Marc Jay: So how do people follow you and find you. What your website and twitter pages?
DJ Quira: My website is www.djquira.com
and from there you can link straight to my facebook, my fan page and my
twitter. I have a blog; everything’s on my website. I update my
calendar and my photo’s too.
Marc Jay: Do you have any tours planned in March; will you be reaching out to the rest of America or will you be in Vegas?
DJ Quira: Well, I’m planning to go to the Ultra Festival in
Miami. Then on February 26th I’m doing a show in Chicago at the Roof in
the WIT Hotel. Then pretty much until I graduate in May I’m not going to
be going on any tours but once I graduate school I want to start going
on tours around the world.
Marc Jay: Why do you think DJ-ing
always seems to be a male dominated business and there are not many good
female DJs? I can think of 2 or 3 but why is that? Girls can DJ just as
well as guys do.
DJ Quira: I think that it’s because it’s a lot more work than
people think it is. It takes a lot of dedication and a lot of time. I’m
not trying to just be sexist; you just have to have the right mind set
for it. You can’t think it’s just all going to come together you really
have to do your homework and I spend hours and hours downloading music,
tracking it, practicing it and there’s so much more to it and I’m
willing to dedicate myself to the art of it and I immerse myself around
other DJ's to help bring good creative energy.
Marc Jay: Now do you have a studio set up in your house at all where you practice all the time?
DJ Quira: Oh yeah!
Marc Jay: How many tracks do you have at home?
DJ Quira: I have about 7,000 songs or so on my laptop, along with a few hard drives at home full of music as well.
Marc Jay: Well I know you have to rush
off because we’ve caught you just before your gig. You’re off to Lavo
tonight, is that right?
DJ Quira: Yeah, I’ll be at Lavo tonight and tomorrow night as well.
Marc Jay: Lavo Vegas has become a
hugely popular club. They have a great line up of DJs there every week.
Do you enjoy playing the venue?
DJ Quira: I really do. It’s been great practice and exposure
for me. It’s got me in the door and they’ve already talked to me about
doing Tao Beach this summer for them. They want me to do Marquee Day
Club. I already got calls for other venues; it’s going to be a really
busy summer. I have a lot of fun stuff coming up.
Marc Jay: Do you think you going to make it to New York any time soon?
DJ Quira: I do. Probably the summer.
Marc Jay: Wonderful. Anything else you’d like to tell the reader’s of clubplanet?
DJ Quira: Please stay tuned for more! By the end of this year I
plan to produce my first track and to get in the studio with some
amazing producers to collaborate with.
Marc Jay: And you can’t miss her. Her name is DJ Quira she’s beautiful and she’ll be coming to a town near you!
