Mdundo DJ Spotlight: DJ Dami Fresh Wants to Play at AfroNation, Afrochella, Others

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This week on Mdundo DJ Stories, Adeniyi Michael Damilola a.k.a DJ Dami Fresh shares the story of how he navigated from being a computer science graduate to having a budding DJ career. 

Here’s how our chat with him ensued: -

Question: Hi DJ, please tell us about yourself.

DJ Dami Fresh: My name is Adeniyi Michael Damilola, I’m a graduate of Computer Science from Yaba College of Technology. I hail from Kogi State, although born and raised in Lagos. I’m a Music DJ, Sound Engineer, Playlist Curator, A&R,  and Music Business Professional. 

Question: Tell us about your journey and how did you start DJing?

DJ Dami Fresh: I Started Djing in the year 2014, but a couple of years before that, I tried my hands on the Virtual DJ software for a house party with little or no knowledge about the software for djing and it was a massive shutdown, then and there, I knew this was my calling. I haven’t looked back since that day. 

Question: Why did you choose djing as your professional career?

DJ Dami Fresh:  I choose this career path because of my love for music. I grew up around good music from my Dad and all the parties we hosted back in the day. It’s also a means for me to travel and meet people from across the world. 

Question: What was your struggle while starting, and what are you currently facing as challenges?

DJ Dami Fresh: The initial challenge was an acknowledgement from my Dad to venture into this craft. I think that was the major obstacle for me back then, now it’s basically the cost of djing gadgets, due to the exchange rate, these gadgets are on the high side. 

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Question: Do you think that the DJ world has given women adequate representation?

DJ Dami Fresh: I think most female DJs have taken up the craft and they actually do well, but we need more female DJs to have more balance. 

Question: How do you balance your life as a professional DJ, your family and your study?

DJ Dami Fresh: Well, I just take each day as it comes, I try as much as possible to create time for the people in my life and the projects I work on at a time. It’s not easy but over the years I’ve been able to master how to manage it. 

Question: Which big concert do you dream of playing?

DJ Dami Fresh: Afrobeats is a the centre stage of music globally now, so in the coming years, a lot of festivals across the globe will be in high demand for season DJs from the source of the music, reason why I’m positioning my brand for such opportunities but Glastonberry, Afronation & Afrochella, just to mention a few.

Question: Where do you feel most comfortable? In the studio or on stage?

DJ Dami Fresh: Stage actually. I love performing and creating memories with the music I play in my set. I like telling stories with the way I mix my music. Also, I get to connect directly with the audience. 

Question: How do you stay up to date with the latest music trends?

DJ Dami Fresh: As a playlist curator, I monitor top streaming platforms for new music. I listen to the radio, monitor charts, and I’m on the mailing list of some content providers, so I get content before release, and I hold my shazam close while I scroll through Social Media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels as visual content is now spreading like wildfire and virality is gold these days. So I’m constantly on the lookout to discover new music as I surf through social media.

Question: Are there any DJs on or off the scene that you look up to or who inspires you?

DJ Dami Fresh: Wow! The big guys, so I look up to a few, DJ Neptune, Spinall, Kaywise, Jazzy Jeff, Robswift, DJ Khaled and the Crossfader crew.

Question: Which Naija artist will you like to play for and why?

DJ Dami Fresh: Presently I’m working with Lade, but Oxlade, Omah Lay, Buju, Asake, and Mayorkun are guys I’ll really love to play a set with. Their discography is quite robust and they have a good number of hits in their arsenal. 

Question: How do you feel mixing Afrobeats tunes, compared to mixing foreign songs?

DJ Dami Fresh: I’m very comfortable mixing afrobeats because it comes naturally to me and I understand the culture and the lingo. Although I also love playing Afrohouse, Amapiano, UK Rap/Drill and HipHop in my set. 

Question: What advice would you give to your past self, and those who want to take up djing as a career?

DJ Dami Fresh: I’ll say to my younger self, It’s show business so try to put your work out there more. Build a brand and a community around your music. For those that want to start DJing, don’t cheat the process, learn and continue learning, and never stop learning. Do your own research about the craft, understand that there’s a business behind the music, educate and empower yourself with information, and finally learn the people skill, you’ll be working and networking with a lot of people.