DJ -X- and local artist & collaborator Ethan Rue
One, if not the biggest, purpose of Housician Magazine is to highlight local artists and bring them further into the limelight. We understand and know the many talents that lie past our ‘Be Someone’ sign and want to showcase them. One of the ways we do this is to sit and chat with our fellow Houstonians and that’s what we did recently.
We took some time to have a talk with DJ -X-, an H-Town born and bred DJ/producer/manager extraordinaire to get a sense of his relationship with music as well as his take on the Houston music scene. DJ -X- has been producing for about 4 years and has recently started a new avenue where he’s scoping the town for new talent to manage and help grow. His first and most recent sign was the talented Ethan Rue. The two are frequent collaborators and are even currently doing a project lasting throughout the entirety of August through September where they’ll be releasing a song every Friday. Their goal? To not only challenge themselves and their skills but also bring us, the listeners, something fresh to enjoy. They’re definitely giving us something to look forward to during these weird times!
DJ -X- has always been kind of a music kid, I’m guessing just like everyone else reading this. But his fondest memories have to do with the playlists that he used to create. He states,
“I would always have that playlist I could listen to after a bad day to just help me escape reality for a minute. That’s what got me into producing my own music/recording, It was the thought of someday being able to get put on someone’s playlist and knowing that my music can one day make the same impact for someone else as it did for me.”
And thus he took matters into his own hands, not just taking in other people’s sound but going as far as to create his own. In order to achieve this, the Houston native packed his bags and set sail to a faraway land. A.K.A. Los Angeles. To the Los Angeles Film School for Music Production to be exact. This is where he began his networking journey and reached out to local artists with offers of free recording sessions in exchange for a musical transaction. That is where he met Ethan Rue, one of his biggest collaborators.
DJ -X-’s main goal in creating is to “uplift anybody through [his] music”. So much so as to citing the birth of his stage name to the feeling of someone adding his songs onto their playlist. He says,
“If someone was having a bad day, I wanted my music to make their day just a little bit better. I get excited when I’m creating whether it be Djing or working on a song, I feed off the excitement and raw energy of any audience, whether it’s a live performance or someone simply streaming my song and enjoying it. The “X” is a tribute to that feeling of eXcitement that connects me to my fans. The name “DJ -X-“ is special to me, It represents the bond that I have with the people who support me.”
One of his goals is to make sure that the Houston music scene rises steadily to receive the recognition it deserves. His way of doing that? “Discover new talent and help them begin their careers in music so that together we can bring more attention to our city.” DJ -X- believes that not enough musicians are even being given the opportunity to be heard. He sympathizes and realizes that navigating the industry as an artist can be difficult and confusing. He explains,
“When it comes to being a new artist it can be pretty tough figuring out the ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ of releasing music. I’ve come across a few different artists who weren’t even sure how to get their music on Spotify/Apple music.”
Getting put onto streaming platforms is something we can take for granted because all of our big and favorite artists do it with ease but it’s a much different situation being the one to put it there yourself. That’s why having such a knowledgable and trustworthy team is so valuable. DJ -X- shares that he hopes to “not just help them turn their musical ideas into art but also guide them through the steps of releasing their first single/album. When it comes to finding someone to sign with, I believe that I stand out because I know I can turn your ideas into a fully published song that you can happily brag about.”
The finish line for many genuine artists is usually about creating real moments and connections with listeners through their music. It’s clear that DJ -X- and Ethan Rue fall into that category. We thank DJ -X- for his time in talking to us and are looking forward to all of their projects to come. Make sure to follow them on social media and follow us to stay updated with more musical H-Town updates!
Leslie Campos