Meet Striz | DJ & Music Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Striz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Striz, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my success as a DJ and producer is my mindset; I do this because I love it and I do this because I have fun. In the end of the day, if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, why are you doing it? This may seem overly simplistic but it translates in many ways to what I do and has helped push me towards success.
My love for music and DJing is what inspires me to work hard and level up in my career. It’s the reason I produce music, perform live shows, and pursue this altogether.
The second half of what I said is also as important in my success: I have a lot of fun. I think my fans pick up on that and gravitate towards it. No one wants to go see a performer who isn’t having a good time, especially a DJ. People see how much fun I have at my shows, and want to come back for more. This also translates to having fun producing music, a great example of this is my upcoming song “Shake It”, coming out September 29th. I played the song countless times at my live shows, each time gauging the crowd reaction (were they smiling, dancing, etc). I’d take it back to the studio and make some edits, and test it out again. I kept doing this until I had a huge reaction from the crowd, and, to tie this in, everyone was dancing and having fun! At that point I teamed up with a great record label and we’re releasing it on all streaming platforms at the end of the month.
I think my mindset of loving what I do, and having fun with it is a huge factor to my success, and propelled me forward as a DJ and producer. I’ve so far accomplished a lot that I’m proud of, such as DJing at NYC’s top clubs and venues (Lavo, Nebula, MUSICA, and Somewhere Nowhere, to name a few), signing music to multiple record labels, and having a resident radio spot every Saturday at 10 PM EST on Power 98.5 Satellite Radio. I’ll keep tapping into my mindset and I hope for more exciting things to come.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Being born and raised in New York City has had a huge effect on my style as a musician and performer. I was exposed to diverse cultures and sounds growing up, whether it was coming from my Dad’s radio, street performers, or the top talent playing concerts throughout the city. This multitude of influences, from classic rock to reggae, rap, and beyond, gave me a wide range of knowledge and appreciation for styles of music, and gave me a great ear for finding music.

I’m most excited about my upcoming song “Shake It”. I have been working on it for a while and think it’s my best release to date. The song went through many rounds of feedback by other talented producers and musicians (big shoutout to the Kick & Bass Discord channel). Also, I’ve teamed up with Liftoff Recording to release the song, and I’m really excited to share it with everyone.

I’ve gotten to where I am today through hard work and building a strong network. It’s a lot of persistence, and pushing past rejection. It only takes one yes from a venue or promoter to get you on stage, or a label to sign your song, but there will be many no’s along the way. If you believe in yourself and have the right people on your side, you can get where you want if you’re willing to grind.
Overall that’s the big lesson I learned, and a big part of my story. I’m a product of growing up in NYC; I had to become independent at a young age, work hard for what I wanted, but all the while enjoy the experience of being in the best city in the world. The same applies to my career as a musician. I’ll keep pushing until I accomplish my goals, but I will make sure to have fun along the way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love this question because I could answer it in so many ways. Here’s what I’d do for a quick weekend:

First thing is we’d go grab a slice of pizza at Made In New York, then we’d walk through Central Park, one of my favorite places in the city. From there, we could take a train downtown, maybe check out SoHo or walk around Washington Square Park. Then we’d have to get some more food, too many good spots down there to list. Eventually, we’d make our way up to my apartment and chill a little bit (lots of walking, but that’s part of the fun).

They’d obviously be coming into the city to come to my show, so we’d have a big dinner beforehand: Tacombi is a pre-show favorite for big groups, or even grab some sushi (Momoya, Bondi, SUGARFISH, again endless choices), or maybe even get some tapas. Can you tell that I’m hungry while writing this? From there we’d go to my show, have an awesome time, and head back to my place after, probably grabbing some late night food too.

The next day, we’d hang out, maybe go to a farmer’s market, grab some coffee, check out some stores, and stroll through the neighborhood. NYC doesn’t have to be crazy all the time! We’d definitely cook a great dinner and invite some friends over too. Sounds like a fun weekend. One day to party and one day to relax.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are many people who have helped me along my journey DJing. My manager, Eric Gowat, helped me break into the NYC music scene and constantly provides valuable mentorship and advice. The event and hospitality groups like Rose Gold Presents, AIM Hospitality Group, and Black Card, among others, who gave me countless opportunities to DJ at their events, helped me establish myself in NYC’s premier club scene, and continue to book me at the best events in the city. Lastly my family, close friends, and my amazing fiancée, Maddie, who are always at my shows, sharing my music, and pushing me towards my dreams.

Instagram: http://instagram.com/strizmusic/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/strizmusic/

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@strizmusic Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4xroy2RCLlwZjYsyzlAPS6?si=d5GigEw5QXmaPUYyDg6cfQ

Image Credits
Ming Chang