?: Introduce yourself - What is your name, where are you from, and what do you do?

J: My name is Jace, born and raised in Vancouver and I'm a DJ

?: What got you into DJing?

J: Growing up around music and lots of family gatherings, I had a natural feel for music. As I got older, I was always the person plugging into the aux cord at parties or car rides. I desperately needed another source of income and eventually a friend of mine asked me to play music for her wedding and I decided to take it seriously. Learned how to beatmatch and I've been continuing to learn and build my library [ever] since.

?: Is there anything else you‘d want to pursue other than DJing?

J: I'm at the most peace when I'm creating and expressing myself. Anything art/culture related I gravitate towards. Film, editing, branding, visual arts, photography I would love to hone in on those skills.

?: When you find a new song or mix, do you feel eager to share it with your audience?

J: When I find a song that makes me feel a certain way, I'm eager to share that feeling. I'm always thinking of how songs would work in certain settings and environments, how it must feel to hear it in a particular city, and what kind of crowd would be more receptive to this.

?: Can you speak on the competitive nature of being the first to play a mix or track?

J: I feel like I'm old enough to come from a culture where DJs had to literally dig for music so I respect how sacred that process is. Now everything is accessible to everyone but not everyone has the time or motivation to actually dig for new or exclusive music. There's always popular music that just belongs to everyone. There's no real excitement for me to find the next Travis Scott song to play at 1AM in the club because those songs will always be there. That being said, if there's a remix I find that will impress other DJs around me, I definitely get excited. If those DJs react it's an amazing feeling. And if they ask for an ID, I feel like that's the ultimate compliment. Everything from breaking new music, playing someone's edit, and even asking for a song ID, all has to be done tastefully. I don't like to think of this scene as competitive. I don't like to gate keep. There's just certain rules and etiquette to abide by.

?: Has there been a turning point in your career that’s had a significant impact on your work?

J: My definitive turning point for me would be playing in Toronto. This happened early on for me, and my brother Mike Roc booked me to play a Cold Tea BBQ - RIP Oli and shout out to Mike for the video bomb appearance. For those that haven't experienced or heard of this party, it was a legendary day party in an alley patio behind a dim sum cocktail bar in Kensington. It's basically a 7-8 hour party, all bangers, no filler, packed with people. The crowd was incredibly receptive. I have this really strange memory for lyrics and seeing a crowd non stop dancing, rapping and singing along to every song was a feeling like none other. Made me feel like I'm supposed to be doing what I'm doing.

?: How do you handle creative blocks when you feel uninspired?

J: Creative blocks usually hit me when my mental health is taking a toll. I have to seriously check in with myself. The DJ circuit lifestyle is really stressful and hard on the body. Slowing down, embracing silence, being around loved ones, managing dopamine and tapping into healthy routines to reset myself helps when I'm feeling uninspired. It's a work in progress still. Once this is managed, I feel like I can absorb and feel through music and find inspiration much better.

?: Can you walk us through your creative process when preparing for a new mix/set?

J: I take my time to dig for music. I screenshot a lot -- any recommended song on social media, shazams, timestamps on mixes, playlists etc. Then I'll take some time to take them in, downloading and making sure they're properly organized. If I find music that fits in the direction I'm going, I keep a mental note of it. Then I think of what other songs would work well to mix with. Now I have a combo that I might run to the ground for the next few weeks or until I'm sick of it.

?: Do you prefer to curate something before or solely base it off the audience’s vibe/wing it?

J: I hardly ever have a pre-meditated set. Even for this one, I had a crate of music. I knew which song I wanted to start with, which combos I wanted to use and generally which order I wanted to go. But for the most part the songs are just all in one crate. At Fortune on a Saturday, I generally go by vibes.

?: How do you balance personal/artistic expression with audience expectations (what the crowd wants to hear) during your performances?

J: Poorly! I'm blessed enough to play parties in my city where I align creatively and GMs, owners, and promoters embrace me being myself as a DJ. I tend to have tunnel vision sometimes when I play but I have a performance aspect where I'm jumping around and rapping along, connecting with others around me. This is my gauge. If I'm unable to connect then I find myself recalibrating to jump to a song or genre to get a reaction. If I find myself playing too much pop music - any genre where I'm not really comfortable in - but the people are receptive, I know I have to kill my ego. If you can't beat em, join ‘em.

?: What are some of the challenges that you’ve faced in the music industry/djing community?

J: Tons! Being a promoter, dealing with egos, throwing events, paying dues as a DJ (taking gigs for exposure), demanding pay, demanding getting paid what you're worth, tech related issues, imposter syndrome, comparing yourself to others, getting caught up in the lifestyle. I can go on. That being said, I love what I do.

?: How has this changed your perspective or approach from when you first started your career?

J: I always come back to "I get paid to play music I love". This has always been the attitude going into it. All the other challenges have built me up professionally. Still feel like I have a ways to go.

?: The Vancouver nightlife has seen its fair share of ups and downs, what do you feel is missing from the current landscape?

J: I think it's a numbers issue. Being blessed to play in other cities with larger populations and older roots, there's already a solid foundation and very supportive communities. Vancouver is a relatively young city so the scene is definitely still growing and a little clique-y in my opinion. We've had the "no fun city" title for a long time so I think it starts with the city of Vancouver. We need access, permits. grants etc to encourage gatherings, parties, live performances. I think we've come a long way and the scene has done a good job promoting inclusivity

 

?: How do you see yourself filling that gap?

J: Still struggling to find my place in this city to be completely honest. I feel like I'm in a weird spot where there's a clear new guard/old guard and I've just been floating around in between. I started DJing in my late 20s so I haven't been around as long as the more established DJs but I've been around long enough that they are now my peers. I'm just focusing on being myself and if I can inspire someone younger in the scene, that will always be amazing to me. 

?: Do you feel pressure maintaining a DJ persona? how do you stay true to yourself as an artist?

J: Absolutely. Starting out I was a pretty shy and reserved person. Switching my IG from private to public was a huge deal to me. I think the DJ persona and myself as an artist are 2 very different things. I look at my DJ persona almost like an alter ego. I think there's an art to how to express myself in this light and also be a welcoming and approachable person that can keep it professional. How I express myself outside of the club life is how I try and stay true as an artist. Everything from the mixes I release, how I dress, what I consume and how I carry myself. 

?: What are the most rewarding aspects of being a DJ?

J: The props. The love. Having someone tell me how much they love a mix or how much fun they had at a night I was DJing. I'm constantly reminding myself that I'm in a position where I get to make people feel good.

?: How do you stay grounded, especially in an industry that puts emphasis on partying, and public image?

J: Great question. If it weren't for my support system, I wouldn't be where I am today. I've always associated drinking with having fun and being around loved ones. I've lived enough life to know this lifestyle can easily turn into coping or I'm trying to escape a feeling. If I'm caring too much about my public image, it comes from an ego-driven place and I don't like it. Lately, I make sure to find stillness, sit with certain emotions and not drown them out with work or partying. I'm a huge advocate for mental health and I'm always fascinated to hear people's stories in this industry and connect with them. In any case, I try to surround myself with good people and I make sure I take care of myself first and foremost.

?: What message or feeling do you hope your audience takes away from your mixes/performances?

J: Don't take yourself too seriously. Dance. Love. Laugh.

?: Are there any personal or professional goals you’re still trying to achieve?

J: Yes, but I would rather show.

?: With the amount of masterclasses available and the influx of new DJ’s, what role do you see yourself in, in the position you are in within the DJ scene.

J: I love being a tastemaker. I feel like I'm a sponge for music and culture. And I love to share what I love.

?: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a DJ?

J: Go out. Meet new people. Go to the parties you align with. Gas up your favorite DJs and support them on social media. Don't ask for free guestlist, let it be known you value these events and are down to pay to support. Build your library up. Personally, music selection is everything to me. And if you're not getting booked, put out content and express yourself as much as you can.

?: If you could collaborate with any (creative) artist, who would it be, and why? (Music, visual arts, film, design, etc)

J: 2000s Neptunes. I remember seeing YouTube videos of Chad and Pharrell in the studio making magic and feeling completely inspired. They would effortlessly draw reactions from the biggest artists during those sessions. Would love to even be a fly on those walls. They completely influenced my ear. Collaborating with them on any level and picking their brains would be a dream.

?: How would you define “success” for yourself?

J: Being happy and content doing what I love and expressing myself. Taking care of myself and levelling up to the point where I am secure enough to take care of others.

?: Let the people know what you got going on.

J: Ah ah ah. Shoutout to my Choosy family. We'll have some events and content coming out soon. Tap in @choosy.wav on IG. Catch me every Saturday at Hello Goodbye. Catch me once a month at Fortune Sound Club. Come see me at the Greek Gastown if you're looking for something more chill/date night/pre game type vibes. And I'm still trying to find a basketball run in the city so let me know who tryna hoop!

?: Lastly, what’s your favourite sneaker of all time, and what’s your size?

J: Tough. It's a tie between the Jordan 1s and Penny IIs. Size 9.5 big shout out to all my average sized mans.