ARTIST SPOTLIGHT : ROXI J SUMMERS
ROXI .J SUMMERS
HOUSE MUSIC, IT’S A SPIRITUAL THING, A BODY THING, A SOUL THING.
PHOTOS BY SYDNEY WRIGHT
House music and its many subgenres are influential in electronic dance music, which has become a global phenomenon for many years. It kept people dancing for decades, spawned subcultures, influenced technology, united people, and propelled music innovation. For some of us, we would not have guessed the importance of House music and how it has influenced pop music, hip hop, and other modern music styles. Yet, the cultural impact of house music continues to inspire new generations of fans, music, technology, and innovation.
We had the opportunity to sit with an emerging DJ in the house music genre Roxi J. Summers. She takes us on a journey through her creative process, the challenges she faces as a black female DJ, and most importantly, gifts us with a banging mixtape that we are sure will make you a newfound love for House music; after you're done reading this interview.
“if you do the work on the back end, your life will be easier on the front end .”
A.R.T.S.Y: What is your creative process like when you're prepping your mixtapes?
ROXI: It's twofold; I have a workflow that feeds into a creative process. First, I spend at least 4-5 hours digging and downloading music, listening to artists who inspire me to create my own remixes and tracks. I pick a few tracks, ranging from emerging artists to trending records, then organize my music. I didn't know as a DJ that organizing music on the back end can take hours. My motto in life is, "if you do the work on the back end, your life will be easier on the front end ." I prefer not to wing it in life. Once my songs are together and sound good, I prepare to stream to see how the audience receives them. My viewers don't hold back, they'll keep it honest, and I'll be able to gauge which ones they are most receptive to.
A.R.T.S.Y: You touched on finding new songs, and then you remixed them. Is that your version of having your 'own' songs?' And how do you go about finding these new songs?
ROXI: With streaming, they have what you call DJ pools, where you pay a certain amount a month, and in turn, you get access to download their vast catalogs. I prefer going this route because it's cost-effective, and I'm not getting shitty quality music because everything is ripped from youtube and Spotify. It's similar to what they did back in the '70s and 80s; record companies would send brand new vinyl records to the record stores just for the DJs; they'd pay like $30 and be given a crate of records.
A.R.T.S.Y: Is there a process you go through to have ownership of those remixes?
ROXI: So, that's funny you say that. I can't profit from an original song unless I receive permission from the artist, but when I upload a song, I make it a point to ensure the artist receives proper credit. For instance, one of the songs on my new mixtape, Disney has the right to; of course, i will give credit but if it gets big, and they gave me a cease, that would be a win for me. Aside from that, my goal is to eventually work with other artists so everyone eats. But at this point, when I'm doing those remixes, it helps me learn how to create my music and develop my sound.
A.R.T.S.Y : what kind of music are you searching for through the DJ pools to fit the open format house DJ genre?
ROXI: So I gained a lot of inspiration from the music I grew up on; my dad was a musician; he played everything from funk to country music. And my mom was a big Janice Joplin fan. I listened to CHICAGO growing up, R&B, and Neo-soul, so I like to take pieces of what I grew up with and incorporate them into remixes. So that's my inspiration when it comes to creating a remix. When it comes to finding new music, I'm looking for that little dopamine rush. It's like eating a good meal; you're like, "damn, that's good." It's the same thing with music. In a few seconds of listening to music, my brain determines how the track makes me feel physical and how it moves me on an emotional level. So that's kind of where I draw inspiration.
A.R.T.S.Y: I know you just started your journey in the entertainment world as a DJ; what would you say is the most rewarding part of being a DJ thus far?
ROXI: The most rewarding part is transferring energy between me and my fans, whether in person or when I'm online streaming. I think that having the capacity as a DJ to share good vibes and manipulate energy so that people can have a good time is magic. And getting that validation from people online reminds me that I'm not doing it in vain. I think that everyone can make the world a better place, and there can be a lack of respect for creatives. So having fans say things like, "I listened to your music, and it helped me get through the day," is invaluable.
A.R.T.S.Y : So this is something I found very interesting, you stream via Reddit. I know many DJs have been on Twitch and other platforms. What made you decide to utilize Reddit?
ROXI: Reddit was a game-changer early in the pandemic when I learned how to DJ regarding getting eyes on me. During that time, Twitch was over-saturated with DJs; and had some legal issues because DJs were getting paid, but the artists they were playing weren't. So when I noticed Reddit created a streaming platform, I had to take advantage of it. There are about 53 million users a day, and when they're scrolling through, they can stumble upon you. So I saw that and used it to my advantage in building a global audience. So when I first started, I didn't expect anything. I was doing it to build my confidence, but I slowly began to grow followers; now, I can get upwards of 400 thousand views. Building that global fanbase of people who know me because I DJ is invaluable because that's all they are looking for in my music.
A.R.T.S.Y: I love that you seem to be getting good vibes during your DJ journey. What challenges did you face when you popped out that you're now a DJ, whether internal or external?
ROXI: When I went to school for DJ'n, my instructor told me, "you're not going to get support; people will not want to support you like you expect." I didn't believe her because I know some DJs, and I thought they would bring me in and guide me in this journey, like "come, here, let me help.", but for a while, i didn't receive any of that. Who was I to think I could pick up a controller and start DJing, and people would cosign me right away?! Who was I to believe that I was exceptional at the end of the day? Nobody owes me shit; I always have to keep telling myself that. But that was an emotional challenge and a reality check. Still, that made me more robust because it made me self-sufficient; it's my responsibility to create my own journey. Nobody can take that away from me, and it made me more confident in myself because I'm doing the work, and it's turned out to be the perfect personal journey for me so far. Don't get me wrong, though; I also understand that there is a community I need to be part of, but rather than searching for it, I'm letting it happen organically. I stopped trying to force relationships a while ago; I'm cool, but I'm not good at kissing ass, and that's the challenge. Aside from that, it's just getting out of my head; when I'm spinning and getting lots of views or a crowd is rocking out, accepting love and support is something to get used to.
A.R.T.S.Y : Would you say it's expecting anyone to do anything for you, or like in any industry you're in or anything you're doing in life, you want that support or community base to uplift you in your journey. So what kind of solutions would you like to see for female DJs, especially black female DJs in your genre?
ROXI: I have been researching that music labels or big entertainment companies can help, like marketing, pushing out albums, and putting us in shows.
A.R.T.S.Y : So you would rather see a mainstream type of support for emerging black female House DJs?
ROXI: I would like to see that type of support in a perfect world, but I'm always careful what I ask for, there have been things that worked how I planned, but in the midst of it, I wasn't happy. But all in all, in a perfect world, a prominent entertainment company would recognize a group of black and brown house DJs and put them in places where they wouldn't be able to be otherwise. For example, cosign them or find other DJs willing to cosign them. Things like that.
A.R.T.S.Y : How do you engage with your audience while streaming? Are there any specific branding materials you use?
ROXI: When I stream, I have crazy backgrounds, videos of puppies playing, just weird stuff that would make someone stop scrolling through Reddit and think, "not only do i want to listen to her, but i want to watch these puppies; play for like 40 min." Once I grab their attention, I'm focused on keeping them there and engaged. Another thing that I do is because I am streaming is have conversations with them, answer their questions, ask them questions, and build relationships. It's an excellent way for them to get to know me as an artist.
A.R.T.S.Y : Do you ever have a battle with what you want to play vs. what people want to hear?
ROXI: Not really, because the music I play is based on a dopamine rush. This sounds pretentious, but this is how I am going through and choosing my music. I love delicious food, and it is hard for me to not eat delicious food. I don't even want to eat if I'm not eating delicious food. I love fine dining, and that's that very explicit good feeling that I get from it. I don't overindulge, but I love it. The same thing for good music; I want fans that have that refined dining taste. They love good music, and I think that I don't have to battle with that if I have excellent musical taste. And music is subjective, art is personal, and anything that has a sense is emotional because everyone senses things differently. If someone does say, this isn't for me, then I'm like, cool, I'm not going to strap you down to a table and let you listen to my music. For the most part, gaining fans who enjoy my music style is something I am focusing on more than pandering to people who don't like my shit.
A.R.T.S.Y : You're dropping House town vol6. When this interview goes live. What should our readers and your listeners expect the mood of that mixtape to be?
ROXI: The feeling is like a roller coaster; it has some highs and lows. You're going to feel some type of deep emotions in parts of it, and in some parts, you would want to go out and party, which I like to do when I am creating a mix. I like to show the range of house music and how deep you can get; I want to bring the emotion out in parts. I'd like to say that I'd like to listen to House Town vol6. On an excellent road trip through the mountains or something, it's something you can really sit with. It's not all tech house, it's not all bangers; it's just beautiful music that comes together in a way that you won't necessarily expect.
FOR MORE ON ROXI MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW HER ON INSTAGRAM.