Matthias Kammerer
Sigma Phi Epsilon brother, University of Miami Student, and prominent DJ… all at the age of nineteen. It’s no question that the University of Miami attracts a vast amount of students who “into” the art of DJing, but rarely do we ever see DJ’s at the University who actually show promise, especially ones as young as Matthias. If you have never seen this Texas born gentleman on the ones and twos, then you have yet to experience music being played at its finest. I got the chance to sit down with this up and coming DJ star to let readers get some insight as to who Matthias is, both as a person and as an artist.
HC: When did you first get into Djing?
Matthias: I started DJing my freshman year in high school. It got to the point where my friends and I started DJing all the house parties. Back then it was kind of just an easy way to make money.
HC: Since then, do you consider it more of a hobby or a serious career move?
Matthias: Now, I consider it more of a career move because I’m making good money; it’s not just a hobby where I sit around and experiment with music-I actually have a passion for it now.
HCL What kind of music do you like to spin?
Matthias: I don’t really stick to one type of music when I’m DJing. Different people like different types of music. When I’m DJing, I like to read the crowd. Based on what they like or what the vibe of the atmosphere is, is what I like to play. I hate sticking to just one genre.
HC: How many hours would you say you practice?
Matthias: In terms of me practicing actual DJing, I don’t. The reason being, I DJ two to three times a week at gigs, so I use those as my “practice” times. Most of my time outside of gigs is geared to finding music and putting it together but not practicing the actual set.
HC: What does it take to be a successful DJ in Miami?
Matthias: That’s a tough one. It takes a mixture between actual talent, meaning people actually liking your music, and experience. There’s also a business side: you need to be marketable online. Your brand is very important to a club so it’s important to know how to present yourself. Lastly, your DJ name needs to be memorable and needs to be able to draw people in.
HC: How did you get your residency at Rok Bar?
Matthias: One of my fraternity brothers promotes there and the owners of Rok Bar heard about me and wanted to have me come in and open up one week. I went and did it and it went really well and after, they asked me to headline a couple of nights. After that, it just turned into me DJing there every Saturday.
HC: Where else have you DJ’d?
Matthias: I’ve DJ’d at Space, FDR in South Beach, The Goose, Moe’s, and Cove. I’ve also spun at places in Tallahassee and Orlando as well.
HC: What’s your DJ name (if you have one) and what made you decide to go with it?
Matthias: My DJ name is DJ Emkay. In high school I wanted to think of a name that would be catchy and memorable, so I took my initials and spelled them out. It ended up being a good fit because people liked it and it sounded awesome in my sets. Plus it sounds good when girls scream it.
HC: Who are your musical influences?
Matthias: From a hip hope standpoint, I’d say my influence would be Kid Cudi. Otherwise, I’d say the DJ’s Diplo, A Track and Laidback Luke are some of the artists that have influenced me the most. HC: Where can people expect to see you perform next? Matthias: This Saturday, I’ll be DJing the Sig Ep tailgate for the Homecoming game and also that night, they can find me at Rok Bar.
HC: Is your music available for people to listen to online?
Matthias: Yeah. You can listen to it at soundcloud.com/djemkay . Otherwise, they can search DJ Emkay in iTunes and subscribe to my podcast!