Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Louis.
Mike broke out onto the scene originally under the name Dutch in the everyday evolving city of Delray Beach. He has continued to add musical input throughout South Florida over the last decade and has recently expanded his portfolio with residencies in Miami Beach after relocating four years ago. With the ability to curate playlists that can cater to any client or venue’s needs, Mike is a true vibe provider.
Let’s rewind to 2005, a year that got Mike an opportunity to spread his artistic ability and passion for music. “I was just a freshman in college, and an older fraternity brother let me use his decks to play a frat party off campus. From there, sorority formals turned into college nights at local bars, which eventually catapulted me into the night club scene. It’s been a fun ride and I continue to invest time and money into perfecting the craft. Everyday I feel truly rewarded for being able to make a living doing this.”
Aside from the nightlife residencies, his resume also includes performances with Kendrick Lamar at the BET Music Matters Tour in Orlando, and Ice Cube & Big Sean’s Coors Light Search For the Coldest event in Manhattan. Corporate events for brands like Playboy, Lacoste, and Chloe, OK! Magazine and Veuve Clicquot are also worth noting. “I honestly have so much more to learn. Everyday I am progressing, learning new ways to go against the normalcy you experience during a night out and try to be creative as possible. I like playing throwback jams that will strike a feeling of nostalgia in my audience, that’s probably my favorite moment.”
You can enjoy the sounds of Mike weekly at The Cove (Happy Hour) in Deerfield Beach, as well as Salt7 off Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. He also provides the vibe at WET and Living Room Lounge inside the W Hotel located in Miami Beach. “I’m excited to be expanding my residencies to other areas, and love the fact that each venue requires a different sound.” Every year is another step up for this rising talent, and that trend doesn’t appear to be fading any time soon.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I fell into the DJ career after using it as a way to pay my way through college. At the time, I was an up and coming recording artist in the local hip hop scene of Palm Beach. DJing funded recording time for me, and gave me an opportunity to have my own music heard by others. After I graduated FAU with a degree in criminal justice in 2008, I began to earn more and more DJ bookings. It was then I realized just how big the market was to take DJing to the next level. Whether it was private events, nightclubs, PR functions or music festivals, there were plenty of outlets to earn income. Slowly my DJ career began to rise above my passion to be a recording artist, so I decided to concentrate fully on DJing in 2015. It’s been a long 12 years since that first college party I played at, but I feel like every DJ needs to go through those to pay their dues.
Please tell us about DJ Mike Louis.
Well, my business relies solely on me. So no matter what might be happening in my personal life, I still have to show up every night to entertain with a smile. I’m know for providing a great atmosphere at my events and playing a music selection that fits the venue. I’ve built relationships with multiple employers and developed a trust that’s run five plus years. They’re loyal to me, and I am loyal to them. Am I trying to be the next Diplo? Absolutely not. There is a huge ceiling for DJing, but I have grown extremely satisfied building up my brand locally from Miami to Delray Beach. In an oversaturated profession, I think what sets me apart is my ability to read crowds and be personable with staff. They are the ones who have to listen to you every week. Patrons come and go, but ultimately my main concern is to keep my staff smiling and singing along to my sets. When they are happy, they provide better service, which results in happy customers and ultimately happy managers. It takes an entire team to execute in nightlife industry, and the staff performance is just as vital as the DJ.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I could have done it differently, I would have made the move to South Beach as soon as I graduated college and extended my education at SAE (School of Audio Engineering). The ability to produce your own music is a huge stepping stool that can take your DJing from a local gig to a global gig. I’ve seen a lot of producers on the internet launch DJ careers simply over successful remix renditions they’ve created and uploaded onto music blogs/soundcloud/etc. I do feel like that is the one area I could of focused more on to be more well-rounded in the industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.itsmikelouis.com
- Phone: 954.461.1685
- Email: itsmikelouis@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmikelouis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeLouisMusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsMikeLouis
- Other: https://soundcloud.com/itsmikelouis
Image Credit:
Jarred Noah (Forever Current)
Brett Sylvia
Orinary
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