Armando Seguí is majoring in Mechanical Engineering and at the same time is a super rad DJ on weekends. He even has the opportunity to travel because of his talent. Not only is he a great DJ, but he is also an outstanding student. Armando is even part of the UPRM solar car project. That sounds pretty cool, right? Below are some questions and answers that help us know how amazingly busy he is, but also how remarkable he is. Her Campus was lucky enough to track him down and have him answer some questions for us.
1. HCUPRM: How did you start out?
Armando: Wow, this one’s a long story, but I’ll try to make it short! I’ve been listening to Electronic Dance Music since I was in the third grade. My oldest cousin was a DJ in Orlando, Florida, and always sent me the mixes he recorded for a local radio station. I fell in love with the feeling his music gave me, and from that moment on I was sure that this was what I wanted. However, it was not until I began my first year in the UPRM that I finally decided I wanted to be a DJ myself. I downloaded one of the DJ softwares and began practicing every day for hours. I knew that to get to the next level I had to buy my own DJ equipment, so I began saving in order to purchase it. Once I felt ready, I began recording my own DJ mixes and shared them with my friends and family, and the feedback I received was incredible. On my second year of college, one of my friends that worked in “Radio Colegial” (a radio station here at UPRM), suggested I propose to them a show hosted by myself! I quickly thought it was a great idea, and sent them one of my mixes. They called me on that same day to tell me they had approved my proposal, and this was how “Westronica”, my first Internet radio show, was born. Things like performing in Spain and Las Vegas, and becoming one of the Resident DJ’s of Puerto Rico’s biggest EDM radio show, MEF Radio, where my weekly Armed Podcast is aired every Saturday on SBS’s La Mega 106.9/95.1 FM, are just the start of my career.
2. HCUPRM: What is your favorite gig?
Armando: I really have two favorite gigs. The first one is my last performance in one of Madrid’s biggest nightclubs, Joy Eslava. The fact that I got to perform in front of a Spanish crowd of approximately 1,200 people and have the chance to wave the Puerto Rican flag on stage was unbelievable. The second one is my performance at this year’s Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. I performed for one whole hour in front of the entire crowd; I’ve never felt so much adrenaline in my life.
3. HCUPRM: How do you manage late night study sessions and late night “partying/working”?
Armando: It’s all about good time management. I try to study as hard as I can during the week, so I can have time on the weekends to work on every aspect of my DJ life.
4. HCUPRM: What year are you in? How old are you?
Armando: I’m 21 years old and I’m in my fifth year here in UPRM.
5. HCUPRM: What inspired you to become a DJ?
Armando: The main thing that inspired me to become a DJ was my passion for Electronic Music and the feeling its sound gives to people.
6. HCUPRM: What do you consider a “middle ground” between your major and your job?
Armando: Getting to the “middle ground” is all I am working for right now! My plan is to achieve a master’s degree in Acoustical Engineering because this will give me the chance to work as an engineer in the music industry.
7. HCUPRM: Tell us a little about your international gigs in Europe?
Armando: My gigs in Europe took place in two of the biggest nightlife hotspots in Spain, Orange and Joy Eslava. This unreal opportunity happened last year when I studied abroad in the “Universidad Complutense de Madrid”, giving me the chance to let the nightlife event companies recognize my talent. I was given the opportunity to play my first gig at Orange in Madrid at a battle against an Italian DJ that was also competing with me for the job of a former DJ at European Vibe Entertainment’s events. From that point on everything just skyrocketed for me. I was made the headline DJ at every event at Orange and later promoted to Joy Eslava, which is actually one of the biggest nightclubs in Madrid. It was really an unbelievable experience!
8. HCUPRM: Who’s your role model?
Armando: Armin van Buuren is definitely my role model because he has achieved being the number one DJ in the world for the longest time ever. Also he was able to finish his studies and still be able to have a family, the most heard radio show in the world, and one of the biggest Electronic Dance Music labels that have ever existed.
9. HCUPRM: Girls are really time consuming, are you open or are you focused on your work?
Armando: Trust me, I know, but in the end it’s really worth it. There’s a special someone I dedicate some of my time to right now and everything is going great. She really supports me in everything I do and doesn’t take all of my focus away. I really hope it remains this way!
10. HCUPRM: How do you visualize yourself in 5 years?
Armando: In 5 years I see myself touring at least in North America. I’m really working hard to get to the next level. I’ve already had a gig in Las Vegas, Nevada, and on September 14th, I performed at Staples Center in Los Angeles at “Calibash 2013”! This is just the start, and I hope even bigger things keep coming my way. Let’s see how far we can take the name of Puerto Rico in electronic music!