Melbourne DJ-producer Kavorka may still be relatively new to the music scene, but at 19 he's done a lot more to progress his career than most at the same age.
Did you DJ at your own 18th birthday. . . at a real-life, proper club? Kavorka has; Cloud Nine on King St to be exact. To be fair, he has been a club promoter since he was 16. $kill$!Before COVID-19 ruined 2020 for everyone, Kavorka was regularly playing half-a-dozen sets a week in Melbourne. While his current original production, 'Your Heart', has reached #8 in the Beatport Big Room Charts.
So yeah, he may be young but Kavorka has plenty of knowledge about the scene to share. That's what he has done here, sharing 5 tips for bedroom DJs ready and eager to make the jump to professionalism and live crowds.
1: Networking
When I was 16, I was promoting for underage club events and selling 60-plus tickets to earn a 30-minute DJ set. I added everyone on social media and met new friends quickly, which I could then sell tickets to them and their friends.By the time I was 18 and ready to hit the clubs, club owners wanted to play me because I brought in so many people. My first over-age nightclub I played at was Cloud Nine on my 18th birthday, and that was the best night of my life. I was thrilled to fill the dance floor with mates from my school.
In Melbourne, there's A LOT of nightclubs which lead to A LOT of club wars. So basically pick a club you like and could see yourself playing at, be loyal to the owners and get to know all the people in the club. The more people you bring the more the owners will put you on. I mean, it's all business at the end of the day right?
2: Update your music library
The early stages of my career, I used to play music that was too heavy for my set time or for the club. The owners would text me and get pissed off, and the dance floors were empty very early in the night.If you're a resident DJ, you have to play what suits the set time and club. Scroll through the top 100 Spotify or Beatport charts and see what's popular! Remix those songs or play songs that people can sing and dance to.
Eventually we will all become headlining DJs at these clubs and festivals, and fans from all places will come to see US play for the music WE made instead of the club nights.
3: Be different
Find something that makes you unique. It can be your sound, a certain way you dress or way you hype up the crowd. There's no point copying another artist and ripping off their style. I like to get up on the mic and bring energy to the stage. I also wear vibrant Nike sneakers and have recently been wearing striped tops.4: Market yourself
I will say this again and again, and I can't stress this enough. . . you could be the best DJ in the world but if you don't market yourself online, no one will know you; and that's the sad reality it is these days.Social media is what everyone's on 24/7, and you need to be in the spotlight and in everyone's feed EVERYDAY. Don't be shy to put your name out there. I know some DJs in Melbourne that are too embarrassed to get in front of the camera and create content outside of their comfort zone. I guess you'll never hear about them anyway.
Tips for marketing:
• Post high-quality photos and videos
• Recaps from events • Post content that will create an audience reaction, that they can share with their friends
• Update your press shots yearly
• Analyse your posts with the tools social media provide; see what your fans like and don't like
5: Don't place all your eggs in one basket
Why stop at being a DJ? Fans want to see more of your personal life and creative ventures. Create videos, do interviews, try modelling, put yourself out there in every way possible!A great example of a DJ that does this is Marshmallow. Marshmallow DJs, produces, cooks, acts and is very humorous for a character that can't talk!
I recently got into YouTube and started my own Kavorka vlogs, so when fans aren't at my shows or listening to my music, they are watching my videos on YouTube.
