We always love to share the Wall Street Journal(WSJ) articles that come through on topic because it's great to hear what the main stream media have to say. Nonetheless, the following article about not being afraid to call yourself a DJ couldn't be any more relevant than now.
But try explaining that to Jan Gunnar Solli, the fullback-DJ: The 31-year-old Norwegian plays for the New York Red Bulls of the MLS by day and has a DJ residency spinning at the nightclub Pink Elephant on Eighth Street by night.
Daniella Zalcman for The Wall Street Journal
Norwegian soccer pro Jan Gunnar Solli performed as a DJ at Pink Elephant in Midtown on Sept. 29 just hours after taking the field for the New York Red Bulls.
Mr. Solli moved to the U.S. nearly two years ago when he was signed by the Red Bulls. The team's Swedish coach, Hans Backe, knew him from playing back in Scandinavia, "and he said, 'Jan, would you like to come and play for us?' I didn't need to think about it too much," Mr. Solli said.
The fullback lives in Hoboken, a short ride on the Path train from the Red Bulls' arena in Harrison. During the season, the team practices every day at Montclair State University. Sometime the Red Bulls play three games in a week, "so it's impossible for me to do some DJing. That's why I like to work with one company like Pink Elephant." The scheduling, Mr. Solli said, is easier. (His next performance there is scheduled for Saturday.)
Making your way in the international nightlife industry is "a lot of connections and getting to know people, and at a certain point they give you a chance," he explained.
Mr. Solli has been DJing since he was 19, but "in Norway, it's not like there are a lot of clubs." Instead, he found work at Barcelona spots Opium Mar and CDLC Carpe Diem, and at the Eclipse at the W Hotel; then in London at a nightclub called Maddox. "And then I played in Ukraine at a place called Opra," recalled Mr. Solli. "They like to party."
Norwegian soccer pro Jan Gunnar Solli performed as a DJ at Pink Elephant in Midtown on Sept. 29 just hours after taking the field for the New York Red Bulls.
Mr. Solli moved to the U.S. nearly two years ago when he was signed by the Red Bulls. The team's Swedish coach, Hans Backe, knew him from playing back in Scandinavia, "and he said, 'Jan, would you like to come and play for us?' I didn't need to think about it too much," Mr. Solli said.
The fullback lives in Hoboken, a short ride on the Path train from the Red Bulls' arena in Harrison. During the season, the team practices every day at Montclair State University. Sometime the Red Bulls play three games in a week, "so it's impossible for me to do some DJing. That's why I like to work with one company like Pink Elephant." The scheduling, Mr. Solli said, is easier. (His next performance there is scheduled for Saturday.)
Making your way in the international nightlife industry is "a lot of connections and getting to know people, and at a certain point they give you a chance," he explained.
Mr. Solli has been DJing since he was 19, but "in Norway, it's not like there are a lot of clubs." Instead, he found work at Barcelona spots Opium Mar and CDLC Carpe Diem, and at the Eclipse at the W Hotel; then in London at a nightclub called Maddox. "And then I played in Ukraine at a place called Opra," recalled Mr. Solli. "They like to party."
In his guise as DJ Solli, he especially enjoys "finding new tunes, keeping updated, looking for different remixes. I have a lot of patience finding the kind of tricks that a DJ can use. It became more of a competitive thing between me and my friends."
Mr. Solli said that what makes him a good DJ is that he "focuses on the good energy, and if that can be delivered through the music, that's when my mission is complete. I feel great with music alone, but if you add a few smiley faces or a whole screaming crowd of joy and happiness, well then I'm on fire," he said.
"It's about the crowd," he continued, saying that he succeeded when "the people can walk out of there with a smile on their face, and if they tell me I have a fresh sound. It's not so much about me. It's about great energy and how that can be delivered through my performance."
Daniella Zalcman for The Wall Street Journal
DJ Solli in action.
Thanks to his athletic regime, Mr. Solli insisted he's not a big party guy. "But I'm not afraid of having a drink. Still, I get all my energy from just being there and performing and playing all the right tunes."
That kind of sounds, well, like, playing a big soccer match. "You get the goose bumps when you play the assist pass or you score the winning goal," he said. "It can be almost similar when you play the winning track and the whole crowd goes insane."
Here are a few of Mr. Solli's current "winning" tracks:
1. "Spectrum (Say My Name)" by Florence + The Machine (Calvin Harris remix): "A super crowd pleaser," said Mr. Solli.
2. "Lies" by Burns (Otto Knows Remix): "There's a lot of energy in this track, especially the cool synths."
3. "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia: "Beautiful sing-along vocals over a fantastic drop. It'll give you that goosebump feeling."
4. "Steel Eyes" by Benji (feat. Sherry St. Germain): "Listen to the sick break and how the guitar and Sherry's voice just get under your skin."
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