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113-400: Junior Vasquez (born Donald Gregory Mattern ; August 24, 1949) is an American DJ , record producer and remixer. He has been referred to as one of the only DJs of his time to gain international attention. Mattern moved to New York City as a young man of 22 in 1971 with ambitions of becoming a fashion designer, briefly attending Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and working for a while as

226-713: A DJ controller device to mix audio files on a computer instead of a console mixer. DJs may also use a microphone to speak to the audience; effects units such as reverb to create sound effects and electronic musical instruments such as drum machines and synthesizers . Some of the most popular DJs are Skrillex , David Guetta , Porter Robinson , deadmau5 , Avicii , Calvin Harris , Martin Garrix , Marshmello , Zedd , Alan Walker , Eric Prydz , DJ Snake , R3HAB , Timmy Trumpet , Tiësto , Steve Aoki , Diplo , Nicky Romero , Lost Frequencies , Daft Punk . The term "disc jockey"

339-557: A DJ controller . Modern media players have the ability to stream music from online music providers such as Beatport, Beatsource, Tidal and SoundCloud GO. DJ mixers are small audio mixing consoles specialized for DJing. Most DJ mixers have far fewer channels than a mixer used by a record producer or audio engineer ; whereas standard live sound mixers in small venues have 12 to 24 channels, and standard recording studio mixers have even more (as many as 72 on large boards), basic DJ mixers may have only two channels. While DJ mixers have many of

452-521: A microphone , effects units such as reverb , and electronic musical instruments such as drum machines and synthesizers. As music technology has progressed, DJs have adopted different types of equipment to play and mix music, all of which are still commonly used. Traditionally, DJs used two turntables plugged into a DJ mixer to mix music on vinyl records. As compact discs became popular media for publishing music, specialized high-quality CD players known as CDJs were developed for DJs. CDJs can take

565-638: A 14-piece band. The act was called Kristine W's Come See the Music , and they performed until 1999, by which time their residency at the Vegas Hilton spanned 8 years in total. On June 28, 1999, the governor and entertainment director for the city of Las Vegas officially recognized Kristine as having performed more live shows at the Las Vegas Hilton than any other performer in its history, including Elvis Presley , and officially designated June 28 "Kristine W Day" in

678-622: A DJ and remixer, he has co-produced albums for John Mellencamp , For Real , Lisa Lisa , and Cyndi Lauper as well as individual LP tracks for Madonna, Cher , Wild Orchid , and Kristine W . Vasquez, along with his former record label Junior Vasquez Music, is also known for introducing new artists, including many crossover singers, to dance/pop music scene, including Vernessa Mitchell, Jason Walker, Casey Stratton, Quentin Elias, Vivian Green , and Sam Harris. In late October 2019, Vasquez partnered with his new business partner, Christopher Petrock to reignite

791-607: A Facebook comment that a new album is actively in development, stating, “[…] we’re nearing the end game.” Her album Episode One: Love and Lies was released in February 2020. Kristine W's biggest support has come from the LGBT community, who has embraced her ever since her first single, “ Feel What You Want ”. She is a long-standing and outspoken supporter of the gay community and advocate of LGBT rights – she regularly performs at pride rallies and for pro-LGBT charity organizations across

904-444: A New York-based collective and booking agency, describe themselves as "representing and showcasing cis women, trans women and genderqueer [ sic ] talent." In Japan, the newest Bushiroad franchise: D4DJ focuses on an all-women DJ unit. DJs use equipment that enables them to play multiple sources of recorded music and mix them to create seamless transitions and unique arrangements of songs. An important tool for DJs

1017-429: A black girl. I just walked right past the whole crowd. There were a couple of thousand men and no AC . Everyone was just dripping wet. I loved it! I was like, ‘This is great! Look at all these hot guys. This is like a freaking garden, a bouquet of loveliness. It’s a banquet, and where do I start?’ I turned to one of the guys with me and said, ‘These guys are so hot it’s ridiculous.’ And he said, ‘Don’t get too excited. This

1130-458: A brief residency at Club Bassline, where he began to make a name for himself as a live DJ. Many of Junior Vasquez's earliest underground hits were released under the name "Ellis D", including the house track, "Work This Pussy". Vasquez also released the tracks "Just Like a Queen", "My Lolleata", "It's Scratched", and "Took My Love Away". From 1989 to 1995, Vasquez was the DJ at the original Sound Factory,

1243-699: A club he co-founded with Richard Grant, which was located at 530 W. 27th St in the Chelsea district. Major record labels began soliciting Vasquez to produce club-friendly remixes for their top singers using his personal beat-driven house style. Due to a rise in demand from these labels, many singer and musicians like C+C Music Factory , David Morales , Björk , Marilyn Manson , and Madonna were known to frequent his Sunday morning events. Working with many popular artists allowed Vasquez to create his own repertoire of exclusive "Private Collection" of authorized remixes (along with several unofficial remixes) which were not released to

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1356-482: A computer to fully take advantage of its features. The consumer-grade, regular sound card integrated into most computer motherboards can only output two channels (one stereo pair). However, DJs need to be able to output at least four channels (two stereo pairs, thus Left and Right for input 1 and Left and Right for input 2), either unmixed signals to send to a DJ mixer or the main output plus a headphone output. Additionally, DJ sound cards output higher-quality signals than

1469-507: A custom-designed DJ booth for Vasquez's exclusive use and fitted with new cutting-edge audio technology known as "Phazon", Vasquez's residency at Twilo lasted until May 2001, when the venue was closed by order of the city. In 1997, Ian Jenkinson and Inner Rhythm Artists Tribal Gathering enlisted Vasquez for the largest single artist DJ event in UK history at the London Arena. Problems with the venue saw

1582-651: A decisive influence on the club or a series of events. Per agreement with the management or company, the DJ would have to perform under agreed times and dates. Typically, DJs perform as residents for two or three times in a week, for example, on Friday and Saturday. DJs who make a steady income from a venue are also considered resident DJs. Examples for resident DJs are: In Western popular music , even though there are relatively few women DJs and turntablists, women musicians have achieved great success in singing and songwriting roles, however, they are given much less representation than men DJs. Part of this may stem from

1695-412: A deejay (DJ) is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and " toasts " (recites poetry) to an instrumental riddim . Deejays are not to be confused with DJs from other music genres like hip hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors. Deejays whose style is nearer to singing are sometimes called singjays . The term deejay originated in

1808-480: A demographic distinct from teenagers in the Bronx, Herc's parties had a ready-made audience. DJ Kool Herc developed the style that was the blueprint for hip hop music . Herc used the record to focus on a short, heavily percussive part in it: the " break ". Since this part of the record was the one the dancers liked best, Herc isolated the break and prolonged it by changing between two record players. As one record reached

1921-411: A feature commonly labelled "sync". Most DJ mixers now include a beat counter which analyzes the tempo of an incoming sound source and displays its tempo in beats per minute (BPM), which may assist with beatmatching analog sound sources. In the past, being a DJ has largely been a self-taught craft but with the complexities of new technologies and the convergence with music production methods, there are

2034-423: A feature known as "keylock". Some software analyzes the loudness of the music for automatic normalization with ReplayGain and detects the musical key. Additionally, DJ software can store cue points, set loops, and apply effects . As tablet computers and smartphones became widespread, DJ software was written to run on these devices in addition to laptops. DJ software requires specialized hardware in addition to

2147-489: A generally low percentage of women in audio technology-related jobs. A 2013 Sound on Sound article by Rosina Ncube stated that there are "... few women in record production and sound engineering ." Ncube states that "[n]inety-five percent of music producers are male, and although there are women producers achieving great things in music, they are less well-known than their counterparts." The vast majority of students in music technology programs are male. In hip hop music ,

2260-414: A growing number of schools and organizations that offer instruction on the techniques. In DJ culture, miming refers to the practice of DJ's pantomiming the actions of live-mixing a set on stage while a pre-recorded mix plays over the sound system. Miming mixing in a live performance is considered to be controversial within DJ culture. Some within the DJ community say that miming is increasingly used as

2373-719: A hairdresser. Mattern soon became fascinated with NYC nightlife, especially the work of DJ Larry Levan at the Paradise Garage . Despite his Italian and German ancestry , he adopted the pseudonym "Junior Vasquez" (inspired by the Latino neighborhoods he frequented) as a way to "reinvent" himself. He began his career in music production in the 1980s. Vasquez worked with DJ and pop remixer/producer Shep Pettibone , and together they co-produced and edited numerous singles from artists like Madonna , Whitney Houston , Janet Jackson , MC Hammer , Prince , Pet Shop Boys and others. Vasquez landed

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2486-461: A hardware mixer. Turntables allow DJs to play vinyl records. By adjusting the playback speed of the turntable, either by adjusting the speed knob or by manipulating the platter (e.g., by slowing down the platter by putting a finger gently along the side), DJs can match the tempos of different records so their rhythms can be played together at the same time without clashing or make a smooth, seamless transition from one song to another. This technique

2599-417: A laptop as a source of music instead of transporting CDs or vinyl records to gigs. Unlike most music player software designed for regular consumers , DJ software can play at least two audio files simultaneously, display the waveforms of the files on screen and enable the DJ to listen to either source. The waveforms allow the DJ to see what is coming next in the music and how the playback of different files

2712-423: A live audience in a nightclub or dance club or a TV, radio broadcast audience, or an online radio audience. DJs also create mixes, remixes and tracks that are recorded for later sale and distribution. In hip hop music , DJs may create beats, using percussion breaks , basslines and other musical content sampled from pre-existing records. In hip hop, rappers and MCs use these beats to rap over. Some DJs adopt

2825-493: A local retirement home, which she has stated helped her to overcome her stage fright. Regarding her musical influence, Kristine W fell in love with house music after hearing it played frequently in Canada when her mother would perform at resorts there. From an early age, it was clear Kristine had an aptitude for performing. Throughout middle and high school, Kristine frequently competed in talent shows, and she won numerous awards in

2938-405: A means to better mix and blend recorded music. These techniques primarily include the cueing , equalization and audio mixing of two or more sound sources. The complexity and frequency of special techniques depend largely on the setting in which a DJ is working. Radio DJs are less likely to focus on advanced music-mixing procedures than club DJs, who rely on a smooth transition between songs using

3051-658: A more creative manner (although turntablism is often considered a use of the turntable as a musical instrument rather than a tool for blending recorded music). Professional DJs may use harmonic mixing to choose songs that are in compatible musical keys. Other techniques include chopping , screwing and looping . Recent advances in technology in both DJ hardware and software can provide assisted or automatic completion of some traditional DJ techniques and skills. Examples include phrasing and beatmatching , which can be partially or completely automated by using DJ software that performs automatic synchronization of sound recordings,

3164-474: A motor to directly drive a platter on which a vinyl record rests. In 1969, Matsushita released it as the SP-10 , the first direct-drive turntable on the market, and the first in their influential Technics series of turntables. In 1972, Technics started making their SL-1200 turntable , featuring high torque direct drive design. The SL-1200 had a rapid start and its durable direct drive enabled DJs to manipulate

3277-443: A musical instrument. Perhaps the best-known turntablist technique is scratching . Turntablists often participate in DJ contests like DMC World DJ Championships and Red Bull 3Style. A resident DJ performs at a venue on a regular basis or permanently. They would perform regularly (typically under an agreement) in a particular discotheque, a particular club, a particular event, or a particular broadcasting station. Residents have

3390-403: A non-stopping flow of music. Mixing began with hip hop in the 1970s and would subsequently expand to other genres in especially (but not exclusively) dance music. One key technique used for seamlessly transitioning from one song to another is beatmatching . A DJ who mostly plays and mixes one specific music genre is often given the title of that genre; for example, a DJ who plays hip hop music

3503-426: A number of prominent women DJs: Hannah Wants , Ellen Allien , Miss Kittin , Monika Kruse , Nicole Moudaber , B.Traits , Magda , Nina Kraviz , Nervo , and Annie Mac . Two years later, another article brings out a list with world-famous women DJs including Nastia, tINY, Nora En Pure , Anja Schneider, Peggy Gou , Maya Jane Coles , and Eli & Fur . American DJ The Blessed Madonna has been called "one of

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3616-436: A range of techniques. However, some radio DJs are experienced club DJs, so they use the same sophisticated mixing techniques. Club DJ turntable techniques include beatmatching , phrasing and slip-cueing to preserve energy on a dance floor. Turntablism embodies the art of cutting, beat juggling , scratching , needle drops , phase shifting , back spinning and more to perform the transitions and overdubs of samples in

3729-431: A remix that was sponsored by K-Y ; the track was titled “Love Is The Look” (Ralphi Rosario K-Y® INTRIGUE Mix)”. Kristine W’s next album Straight Up with a Twist (released in 2010) was a significant stylistic departure from her previous releases. A two-part album, CD 1 featured covers of her own previous works, redone in a smooth jazz style with all acoustic instrumentation. CD 2 featured electro lounge versions of

3842-627: A significant impact on the American hip hop culture. DJ turntablism has origins in the invention of direct-drive turntables . Early belt-drive turntables were unsuitable for turntablism and mixing, since they had a slow start-up time, and they were prone to wear-and-tear and breakage, as the belt would break from backspinning or scratching. The first direct-drive turntable was invented by engineer Shuichi Obata at Matsushita (now Panasonic ), based in Osaka , Japan. It eliminated belts, and instead employed

3955-417: A special signal, referred to as "timecode", to control DJ software. The DJ software interprets changes in the playback speed, direction, and position of the timecode signal and manipulates the digital files it is playing in the same way that the turntable manipulates the timecode record. This requires a specialized DJ sound card with at least 4 channels (2 stereo pairs) of inputs and outputs. With this setup,

4068-472: A strong technological tendency such as DJing, sound engineering and producing" are "not necessarily about their dislike of these instruments but relates to the interrupting effect of their dominantly masculine delineations". Despite this, women and girls do increasingly engage in turntable and DJ practices, individually and collectively, and "carve out spaces for themselves in EDM and DJ Culture". A 2015 article cited

4181-560: A technique by celebrity model DJs who may lack mixing skills, but can draw big crowds to a venue. During a DJ tour for the release of the French group Justice 's A Cross the Universe in November 2008, controversy arose when a photograph of Augé DJing with an unplugged Akai MPD24 surfaced. The photograph sparked accusations that Justice's live sets were faked. Augé has since said that the equipment

4294-422: A whopping six #1s on Billboard Dance Club Songs, being one of only three albums in the history of the chart to do so. The others were Beyoncé’s I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008), also achieving six, and Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream (2010) at seven. Also released in 2009 was Kristine W’s Love Is The Look, to support the single of the same name, accompanied by a host of remixes. Notably, Ralphi Rosario produced

4407-666: Is a gay party.’ So that was my first experience and I was like, ‘This is hot.’ I loved it." The gay community has also served as a place of solace from the sexism she's faced throughout her career. Kristine stated in a radio interview, “[The gay community] gave me a place I can focus on my music and not have to worry about all the other weird stuff going on.” Among her many pride performances, Kristine W headlined all three of Arizona's pride festivals (Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff) in 2018. Recently, she has performed at Chicago's Human First Gala , an annual fundraising event celebrating organizations and businesses who have contributed to

4520-399: Is aligned. The software analyzes music files to identify their tempo and where the beats are. The analyzed information can be used by the DJ to help manually beatmatch like with vinyl records or the software can automatically synchronize the beats. Digital signal processing algorithms in software allow DJs to adjust the tempo of recordings independently of their pitch (and musical key ,

4633-400: Is called a hip hop DJ, a DJ who plays house music is a house DJ, a DJ who plays techno is called a techno DJ, and so on. The quality of a DJ performance (often called a DJ mix or DJ set) consists of two main features: technical skills, or how well the DJ can operate the equipment and produce smooth transitions between two or more recordings and a playlist; and the ability of a DJ to select

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4746-403: Is impacted upon by what he defines as "male technophilia ". Historian Ruth Oldenziel concurs in her writing on engineering with this idea of socialization as a central factor in the lack of engagement with technology. She says: an exclusive focus on women's supposed failure to enter the field – is insufficient for understanding how our stereotypical notions have come into being; it tends to put

4859-473: Is known as beatmatching . DJs typically replace the rubber mat on turntables that keep the record moving in sync with the turntable with a slipmat that facilitates manipulating the playback of the record by hand. With the slipmat, the DJ can stop or slow down the record while the turntable is still spinning. Direct-drive turntables are the type preferred by DJs. Belt-drive turntables are less expensive, but they are not suitable for turntablism and DJing, because

4972-423: Is the specialized DJ mixer , a small audio mixer with a crossfader and cue functions. The crossfader enables the DJ to blend or transition from one song to another. The cue knobs or switches allow the DJ to "listen" to a source of recorded music in headphones before playing it for the live club or broadcast audience. Previewing the music in headphones helps the DJ pick the next track they want to play, cue up

5085-598: Is widely believed to be an actual phone message from Madonna left on Vasquez's answering machine. Disc jockey A disc jockey , more commonly abbreviated as DJ , is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music festivals ), mobile DJs (who are hired to work at public and private events such as weddings, parties, or festivals), and turntablists (who use record players, usually turntables , to manipulate sounds on phonograph records ). Originally,

5198-589: The Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, respectively. So Close to Me: Global Sessions was released in 2013, marking Kristine W's first collaboration with several more highly regarded and influential DJs and producers throughout the world, including UK radio's Andi Durrant ( Kiss , Capital , Nova FM ), American house DJ Joe Gauthreaux , Miami DJ Oscar G (of club duo Murk ), Canadian house act Cosmic Dawn (frequent remixer of Hanne Leland's singles), and producer Steve More. Also released that year

5311-402: The Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Kristine W is also tied for third place with Beyoncé for the most consecutive #1 hits with nine. In addition, her album The Power of Music is one of only three albums in the history of the chart to produce at least seven No. 1s from one album ( Katy Perry's Teenage Dream [2010] also had seven, and Rihanna's Anti [2016] had eight). Kristine W

5424-512: The Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart. A three-part release of remixes for Kristine W’s single " Fade " was released in 2011, which helped to propel the track to the number one spot on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, marking her 16th No. 1 and solidifying her love for DJs. Kristine's adventurous Christmas -themed dance music EP, Mary Did You Know , was released the same year. Kristine W's EP What I Like About You , on which

5537-665: The Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in the U.S. “Feel What You Want” was also a massive success in the UK , reaching #1 on the Official Chart Company's Top 40 Chart. Kristine wrote the lyrics for the song in response to the passing of her stepfather, stating in an interview, “He was my mentor, really, and one of my heroes. And he died of an aneurysm really suddenly. So, that was really feeling his loss. That song just made me think about everything from religion to pollution to

5650-700: The Scotch Club , opened in Aachen and visiting journalist Klaus Quirini (later DJ Heinrich) made comments, conducted audience games, and announced songs while playing records. The first song he played was the hit Ein Schiff wird kommen by Lale Andersen . In the 1960s, Rudy Bozak began making the first DJ mixers , mixing consoles specialized for DJing. In the late 1960s to early 1970s Jamaican sound system culture, producer and sound system operator (DJ), (Jamaican) King Tubby and producer Lee "Scratch" Perry were pioneers of

5763-616: The University of Nevada in Las Vegas and began pursuing her musical dreams. Her mentor, John R. Lewis, helped Kristine W to form a band called Kristine and the Sting, with whom she recorded an indie album called Show and Tell. The band was a local favorite, amassing numerous awards. After the release of Show and Tell , Kristine began traveling to California to work with an R&B production house. The songs she would record with them eventually became

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5876-713: The World Trade Center on television from her hospital bed, which she described as “very devastating”. The procedure itself was, fortunately, a success, and her AML is currently in remission. During her stay in the hospital, Kristine W wrote the songs that would later become her third album, Fly Again . Its creation was cathartic for her, as she stated in an interview, “ Fly Again really helped me begin to heal after having leukemia. I'm really thankful for that album because it probably gave me enough fight to keep going. You have to live for something. I have my kids, but my music got me fired up. We shot that video and I saw it for

5989-640: The "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to shellac and later vinyl records , but nowadays DJ is used as an all-encompassing term to also describe persons who mix music from other recording media such as cassettes , CDs or digital audio files on a CDJ , controller, or even a laptop. DJs may adopt the title "DJ" in front of their real names, adopted pseudonyms, or stage names. DJs commonly use audio equipment that can play at least two sources of recorded music simultaneously. This enables them to blend tracks together to create transitions between recordings and develop unique mixes of songs. This can involve aligning

6102-564: The 1960s and 1970s when performers such as U-Roy and King Stitt toasted over the instrumental ( dub music ) versions of popular records. These versions were often released on the flip side to the song's 45 record . This gave the deejays the chance to create on-the-fly lyrics to the music. Big Youth , and I-Roy were famous deejays in Jamaica. Turntablists, also called battle DJs, use turntables and DJ mixer to manipulate recorded sounds to produce new music. In essence, they use DJ equipment as

6215-419: The 1970s, DJs would have to lug heavy direct-drive turntables and crates of records to clubs and shows. In the 1980s, many DJs transitioned to compact cassettes . In the 1990s and 2000s, many DJs switched to using digital audio such as CDs and MP3 files. As technological advances made it practical to store large collections of digital music files on a laptop computer, DJ software was developed so DJs could use

6328-431: The DJ software typically outputs unmixed signals from the music files to an external hardware DJ mixer . Some DJ mixers have integrated USB sound cards that allow DJ software to connect directly to the mixer without requiring a separate sound card. A DJ software can be used to mix audio files on the computer instead of a separate hardware mixer. When mixing on a computer, DJs often use a DJ controller device that mimics

6441-456: The Las Vegas Hilton and won “Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year” for several years. Kristine W was recognized by the city of Las Vegas for her record-breaking number of shows, which led to June 28 being officially designated as Kristine W Day by the state of Nevada. Those performances led to her first record deal and subsequent debut single, “ Feel What You Want ”, marking the singer's first of 17 #1s on

6554-619: The Northwest after competing in jazz choir ensembles as an improvisational soloist. At age 16, she won a state talent show singing the Donna Summer song, “Last Dance” . This led her to enter pageants, which she excelled at. After winning the titles of Miss Tri-Cities and Miss Washington , Kristine competed in the Miss America pageant, where she won a preliminary swimsuit and NFT award. Her winnings were designated for education, so she enrolled at

6667-642: The Rise FM station. Kristine's sophomore album, Stronger , was released in 2000 and received commercial and critical acclaim; both of the album's official singles – including the title track – reached #1 on Billboard Dance Club Songs, and “Lovin’ You” was featured in an episode of the Showtime television series Queer As Folk . Stylistically, Kristine W expanded on the dance and house music influences prevalent on her first album, this time incorporating more adult contemporary , R&B , and pop influences. About

6780-552: The TR-808 would be widely adopted by hip hop DJs, with 808 sounds remaining central to hip-hop music ever since. The Roland TB-303 , a bass synthesizer released in 1981, had a similar impact on electronic dance music genres such as techno and house music , along with Roland's TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. Kristine W After competing in Miss America, Kristine W moved to Las Vegas , where she regularly performed at

6893-458: The album was Kristine's rendition of the Donna Summer song, "Sometimes Like Butterflies", the second time she has paid homage to her childhood idol. The album itself gained popularity both in and outside of the club scene, reaching number 19 on Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums and number 14 on Billboard Heatseekers , while the tracks "So Close to Me" and "Everything That I Got" (Bimbo Jones Peak Hour Club Mix) peaked at numbers 2 and 4 on

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7006-450: The album's lyrical themes, Kristine has said, “ Stronger came about when my grandmother was ailing and when I had my first baby... watching life come into the world and watching life go out was traumatic at the time; I had to be strong for my baby and for my grandmother.” Following the release of Stronger , Kristine W began exhibiting unusual physical symptoms, for which she sought medical advice. No medical abnormalities were detected at

7119-423: The artist covered the song originally performed by American rock band The Romantics , was also released in 2011. 2012 marked the release of Kristine W's two-part album New and Number Ones . This was a unique release in that it featured all-new remixes of some of her biggest hits prior to that point, including by Grammy Award -winning DJ StoneBridge as well as seven entirely original songs. Also featured on

7232-470: The beats of the music sources so their rhythms and tempos do not clash when played together and enable a smooth transition from one song to another. DJs often use specialized DJ mixers , small audio mixers with crossfader and cue functions to blend or transition from one song to another. Mixers are also used to pre-listen to sources of recorded music in headphones and adjust upcoming tracks to mix with currently playing music. DJ software can be used with

7345-429: The belt-drive motor can be damaged by this type of manipulation. Some DJs, most commonly those who play hip hop music, go beyond merely mixing records and use turntables as musical instruments for scratching , beat juggling , and other turntablism techniques. CDJs / media players are high-quality digital media players made for DJing. They often have large jog wheels and pitch controls to allow DJs to manipulate

7458-537: The burden of proof entirely on women and to [unreasonably] blame them for their supposedly inadequate socialization, their lack of aspiration, and their want of masculine values. An equally challenging question is why and how boys have come to love things technical, how boys have historically been socialized as technophiles. Lucy Green has focused on gender in relation to musical performers and creators, and specifically on educational frameworks as they relate to both. She suggests that women's alienation from "areas that have

7571-593: The crossfader provides only the channel A sound source. The far right side provides only the channel B sound source (e.g., record player number 2). Positions in between the two extremes provide different mixes of the two channels. Some DJs use a computer with DJ software and a DJ controller instead of an analog DJ mixer to mix music, although DJ software can be used in conjunction with a hardware DJ mixer. DJs generally use higher-quality headphones than those designed for music consumers. DJ headphones have other properties useful for DJs, such as designs that acoustically isolate

7684-621: The end of the break, he cued a second record back to the beginning of the break, which allowed him to extend a relatively short section of music into a "five-minute loop of fury". This innovation had its roots in what Herc called "The Merry-Go-Round", a technique by which the DJ switched from break to break at the height of the party. This technique is specifically called "The Merry-Go-Round" because according to Herc, it takes one "back and forth with no slack." Radio DJs or radio personalities introduce and play music broadcasts on AM , FM , digital or Internet radio stations. In Jamaican music ,

7797-474: The environment of DJ usually tends to be very noisy. Standard headphones have a 3.5mm jack but DJ equipment usually requires ¼ inch jack. Most specialized DJ Headphones have an adapter to switch between a 3.5mm jack and ¼ inch jack. Detachable coiled cables are perfect for DJ Headphones. DJs have changed their equipment as new technologies are introduced. The earliest DJs in pop music, in 1970s discos, used record turntables , vinyl records and audio consoles . In

7910-674: The event split between the two clubs: Ministry of Sound and Cream. Vasquez held shorter-lived residencies at the various clubs in New York including, Exit Nightclub, the highest capacity club space in New York City where he called the Saturday to Sunday sets "Earth," Discothèque, Sound Factory (so-named by Richard Grant who retained legal rights to the name) and opened in a new space located in Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. In addition to his work as

8023-518: The first time, and I thought, 'I'm going to live.’” The album Fly Again was released in 2003 and was a commercial and critical success, reaching #12 on Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums . Two of the album’s four singles, “Some Lovin’” and “Save My Soul” , reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart immediately following the album's release. The other two singles, “The Wonder of It All” and “ Fly Again ”, reached #1 following

8136-410: The gay community has been a huge blessing. God knew I needed an army of soldiers to get my message of love, hope, faith and tolerance out to the world and He bound us together." Kristine W said she first realized she had such a big gay following during a 1997 New York performance for NYC DJ Junior Vasquez . “I remember going into the club and nobody knew who I was. I think they were all expecting

8249-471: The genre known as dub music . They experimented with tape-based composition ; emphasized repetitive rhythmic structures (often stripped of their harmonic elements); electronically manipulated spatiality; sonically manipulated pre-recorded musical materials from mass media; and remixed music among other innovative techniques. It is widely known that the Jamaican dancehall culture has had and continues to have

8362-655: The label was The Boss , a single that reached #1 on Billboard. On this release, Kristine covers the Diana Ross song from which the album is named, accompanied by a host of remixes spanning several genres of dance music. About the album, Kristine says, “My idols growing up in Washington state were Donna Summer and Diana Ross . I just loved them and was always singing their songs and studying them. When I decided to start my own record label in January of 2008, I knew "The Boss" would be

8475-419: The layout of two turntables plus a DJ mixer to control the software rather than the computer keyboard & touchpad on a laptop, or the touchscreen on a tablet computer or smartphone . Many DJ controllers have an integrated sound card with 4 output channels (2 stereo pairs) that allow the DJ to use headphones to preview music before playing it on the main output. Several techniques are used by DJs as

8588-677: The local LGBT community. Kristine W also has a series of upcoming performances in celebration of Pride Month and Pride Summer, including at the 2019 Queens Pride Parade and Festival in New York, and the OC Pride Festival in California . While Kristine W was regularly performing at the Hilton in Las Vegas , her friend, actress Julie Michaels (best known for her role opposite of Patrick Swayze in Road House ), played Kristine's music on set during

8701-475: The low percentage of women DJs and turntablists may stem from the overall men's domination of the entire hip hop music industry. Most of the top rappers, MCs, DJs, record producers and music executives are men. There are a small number of high-profile women, but they are rare. In 2007, Mark Katz's article "Men, Women, and Turntables: Gender and the DJ Battle", stated that "very few women [do turntablism] battle[s];

8814-462: The making of that movie. This led to Kristine W's “Do You Really Want Me” to be included in the movie's soundtrack. In addition, movie director Adrian Lyne saw one of Kristine's performances. He was such a fan of her set that it ultimately led to Kristine W's appearance in the film Indecent Proposal (starring Robert Redford and Demi Moore ), in which Kristine sang her song “EZ Come EZ Go”. Kristine W's 1994 debut single “ Feel What You Want ”

8927-437: The market, and thus made his live sets even more distinctive to his following. In 1994, Vasquez released his notably biggest single "Get Your Hands Off My Man". At this time he was also associated with The House of Xtravaganza, a ballroom "house" which enjoyed prominence in New York City at this time. In the early 1990s, Vasquez released his single "X", which sampled Danny Xtravaganza say the word "extravaganza!" (the voice sample

9040-569: The mass marketing of home phonographs in the late 19th century. British radio disc jockey Jimmy Savile hosted his first live dance party in 1943 using a single turntable and a makeshift sound system. Four years later, Savile began using two turntables welded together to form a single DJ console. In 1947, the Whisky à Gogo opened in Paris as the first discotheque . In 1959, one of the first discos in Germany,

9153-581: The material for her first album, The Perfect Beat , self-released in 1994. It was in Las Vegas that Kristine found success headlining her own show at the Las Vegas Hilton , winning the “Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year” award for several years. After the Hilton tore down their 200-seat live venue and replaced it with a 500-seat nightclub in 1995, Kristine continued to perform for 2 to 3 shows per night, leading

9266-402: The matter has been a topic of conversation among hip-hop DJs for years." In 2010, Rebekah Farrugia said "the male-centricity of electronic dance music (EDM) culture" contributes to "a marginalisation of women in these [EDM] spaces." While turntablism and broader DJ practices should not be conflated, Katz suggests use or lack of use of the turntable broadly by women across genres and disciplines

9379-614: The most suitable recordings, also known as "reading the crowd". DJ Kool Herc , Grandmaster Flash , and Afrika Bambaataa were members of a block party at South Bronx from 1973 onwards. Kool Herc played records such as James Brown's " Give It Up or Turnit a Loose ", Jimmy Castor's " It's Just Begun ", Booker T. & the M.G.'s' " Melting Pot ", Incredible Bongo Band's " Bongo Rock " and " Apache ", and UK rock band Babe Ruth's " The Mexican ". With Bronx clubs struggling with street gangs, uptown DJs catering to an older disco crowd with different aspirations, and commercial radio also catering to

9492-490: The motor would continue to spin at the correct RPM even if the DJ wiggled the record back and forth on the platter. In 1980, Japanese company Roland released the TR-808 , an analog rhythm/drum machine , which has unique artificial sounds, such as its booming bass and sharp snare , and a metronome -like rhythm . Yellow Magic Orchestra 's use of the instrument in 1980 influenced hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, after which

9605-541: The musical magic in the studio, on the dancefloor, licensing deals and in other new projects and ventures for 2020 and beyond. Finally on June 28, 2021, after nearly 40 years in the music business, Vasquez was inducted as a voting member into the Recording Academy(GRAMMYS). Vasquez had a public falling-out with Madonna in 1996, after the release of an unauthorized single titled " If Madonna Calls ". The original version that Vasquez plays at nightclubs contains what

9718-454: The nation, including those dedicated to fighting AIDS and other HIV-related illnesses. She is longtime friends with famed drag performer and musician RuPaul , and co-wrote the song "Just a Little In and Out" on his 2004 album Red Hot . Kristine W has performed numerous times at RuPaul's annual DragCon , and in 2024 appeared as a guest judge on season 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars . Kristine W reflected: "My relationship with

9831-460: The perfect first single to put out. I was taking control—being "The Boss" of my music, sink or swim—and I put all I had into that single and those remixes. It was so well received globally that I was really a bit taken back by it.” That same year, Kristine released " Never ", a single from her then-upcoming album , featuring a variety of remixes. Following "The Boss" and "Never", Kristine W released The Power of Music in 2009. The album produced

9944-418: The place of turntables or be used together with turntables. Many CDJs can now play digital music files from USB flash drives or SD cards in addition to CDs. With the spread of portable laptops, tablets , and smartphone computers, DJs began using software together with specialized sound cards and DJ controller hardware. DJ software can be used in conjunction with a hardware DJ mixer or be used instead of

10057-576: The planet. I wove a lot of things that I was feeling into that song.” Following the release of the single and subsequent interviews, many interviewers "butchered" Kristine Weitz' last name; it was therefore suggested by the president of the label she was signed to that she should instead go by Kristine W. Culturally, “ Feel What You Want ” became hugely popular in the LGBT community and in gay dance clubs. “That became their mantra. ‘Feel what you want it to be, what you want it to feel’ became this massive gay anthem, and I didn't even know that it was. So, that

10170-483: The platter, as with scratching techniques. Hip hop DJs began using the Technics SL-1200s as musical instruments to manipulate records with turntablism techniques such as scratching and beat juggling rather than merely mixing records. These techniques were developed in the 1970s by DJ Kool Herc , Grand Wizard Theodore , and Afrika Bambaataa , as they experimented with Technics direct-drive decks, finding that

10283-400: The playback of digital files for beatmatching similar to how DJs manipulate vinyl records on turntables. CDJs often have features such as loops and waveform displays similar to DJ software. Originally designed to play music from compact discs, they now can play digital music files stored on USB flash drives and SD cards . Some CDJs can also connect to a computer running DJ software to act as

10396-433: The same features found on larger mixers (faders, equalization knobs, gain knobs, effects units , etc.), DJ mixers have a feature that is usually only found on DJ mixers: the crossfader . The crossfader is a type of fader that is mounted horizontally. DJs used the crossfader to mix two or more sound sources. The midpoint of the crossfader's travel is a 50/50 mix of the two channels (on a two-channel mixer). The far left side of

10509-404: The sound cards built into consumer-grade computer motherboards. Special vinyl records (or CDs/digital files played with CDJs ) can be used with DJ software to play digital music files with DJ software as if they were pressed onto vinyl, allowing turntablism techniques to be used with digital files. These vinyl records do not have music recordings pressed onto them. Instead, they are pressed with

10622-487: The sounds of the headphones from the outside environment (hard shell headphones), flexible headbands and pivot joints to allow DJs to listen to one side of the headphones while turning the other headphone away (so they can monitor the mix in the club), and replaceable cables. Replaceable cables enable DJs to buy new cables if a cable becomes frayed, worn, or damaged, or if a cable is accidentally cut. Closed-back headphones are highly recommended for DJs to block outside noise as

10735-457: The state of Nevada. During her residency, the president of British label Champion Records heard Kristine W perform at the Hilton, which lead to the label signing the artist. She consequently traveled to London , a move Kristine has called “a leap of faith”, where she recorded her very first single “ Feel What You Want ” in a day. Released in 1994, her debut single quickly became a hit, receiving worldwide acclaim and becoming her first #1 on

10848-405: The subsequent release of remixes for each. “I’ll Be Your Light”, another song from Stronger , just missed #1, peaking at #2 on Billboard Dance Club Songs. Each of the album’s singles, except for the title track, also charted on Dance/Mix Show Airplay . In 2005, Kristine W performed a duet with notable soul diva Patti LaBelle , which was included on LaBelle's Classic Moments album. The song

10961-544: The time. However, during a performance in Japan, Kristine experienced persistent bleeding, to the point where friends urged her to again see a doctor, who ordered a blood test. The results came back on Mother's Day of 2001, revealing that the mother of two then-toddlers had Acute Myeloid Leukemia . Kristine was given 30% chance of living and she spent the next year in the UCLA Medical Center. She recounts, “I remember when I

11074-659: The title "DJ" as part of their names (e.g., DJ Jazzy Jeff , DJ Qbert , DJ Shadow and DJ Yoda ). Professional DJs often specialize in a specific genre of music, such as techno , house or hip hop music. DJs typically have extensive knowledge about the music they specialize in. Many DJs are avid music collectors of vintage, rare or obscure tracks and records. Club DJs, commonly referred to as DJs in general, play music at musical events, such as parties at music venues or bars, clubs, music festivals, corporate and private events. Typically, club DJs mix music recordings from two or more sources using different mixing techniques to produce

11187-435: The track to the desired starting location, and align the two tracks' beats in traditional situations where auto-sync technology is not being used. This process ensures that the selected song will mix well with the currently playing music. DJs may align the beats of the music sources so their rhythms do not clash when they are played together to help create a smooth transition from one song to another. Other equipment may include

11300-504: The track's overall potential to inspire active twitchin' and twirlin'. Producers Rollo and Rob D. have created a grand disco / house arrangement that allows Kristine to shine like the star she deserves to be.” The success of the album led to Kristine W being named the 1997 “Best New Dance Artist” by Billboard . In later years, the song “Feel What You Want” was included in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories on

11413-491: The tracks. As such, they featured electronic instrumentation, but at much slower BPMs than is commonly heard in dance music. Although the jazz endeavor was far-removed from the four-on-the-floor songs Kristine W is known for, it received critical and commercial acclaim, peaking at number 22 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. In addition, the version of “ Feel What You Want ” from the album peaked at number 22 on

11526-562: The world's most exciting turntablists". Her stage name is a tribute to her mother's favorite Catholic saint, Black Madonna . In 2018, The Blessed Madonna played herself as an in-residence DJ for the video game Grand Theft Auto Online , as part of the After Hours DLC . There are various projects dedicated to the promotion and support of these practices such as Female DJs London. Some artists and collectives go beyond these practices to be more gender inclusive. For example, Discwoman ,

11639-402: Was Kristine's remix album So Close to Me: New & Now , which included works by Junior Vasquez and female disc jockey, DJ Ting. In 2014, Kristine W released a three-part album, Love Come Home . Part 1 featured all new mixes of her 1995 single, "Love Come Home". Parts 2 and 3 featured additional remixes, and Part 2 also included new remixes of “Everything That I Got”. The three-part release

11752-493: Was a club hit, with “Love Come Home” and “Everything That I Got” both reaching #4 on Billboard Dance Club Songs, with the former also charting on Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs at #26. The Kristine W single Out There dropped in 2016, accompanied by an additional host of remixes (including those of the disco genre) on the album titled Out There: Remixed . The single reached #3 on Billboard. Kristine W Chart History The following year, Kristine W's dance-pop single Stars

11865-482: Was a cover of Kristine own's “Land of the Living”. In 2007, Kristine W was featured on a song by artist Tony Moran titled “Walk Away”, which peaked at #1 on Billboard Dance Club Songs . A remix album for the track, titled Walk Away – Remixed & Remastered was released in 2010. In January 2008, Kristine W formed her own record label, called Fly Again Music, which she currently owns and operates. Her first release on

11978-508: Was a surprise. And it was really a cool surprise, because I got this fan base that was amazingly fun and supportive.” “Feel What You Want” was subsequently featured on her 1996 debut album , Land of the Living , which spawned numerous other #1 dance hits for Kristine; “One More Try” and the title track from the album both reached #1 on Billboard Dance Club Songs. “Land of the Living” had particular importance to those afflicted with AIDS and

12091-573: Was born in Pasco, Washington , where she and her three siblings were raised by her mother, a jazz singer and guitarist who went by the name Donna Lee. Kristine W expressed an interest in music at a very young age. Her grandmother was a classically trained violinist and pianist who taught Kristine how to play the piano. At age 9, Kristine also began playing the saxophone, and it was from her mother that Kristine developed an interest in jazz. Growing up, Kristine would regularly perform in church and for seniors at

12204-515: Was chosen as the album's third single in 1997 because, Kristine says, “It was right at the time when AIDS had stopped becoming a death sentence.” Billboard named “One More Try” its Single of the Week, and it was written in Billboard Magazine , “The long-anticipated follow-up to the massive ‘Feel What U Want’ is a true rarity in dance music. It makes a pensive and poignant lyrical point without clouding

12317-408: Was in the hospital at UCLA being treated. I told myself, ‘Okay, when you wrote [ Land of the Living ], you meant it. And now you’ve got to live it. This is for real. This isn’t about words or music—this is about you not being on the planet anymore.” Kristine had a stem cell transplant on September 11, 2001 . Regarding the 9/11 terror attacks , Kristine recalls witnessing the second plane hitting

12430-641: Was ostensibly coined by radio gossip commentator Walter Winchell in 1935 to describe the radio work of Martin Block . The phrase first appeared in print in a 1941 Variety magazine. Originally, the word "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to phonograph or gramophone records and was used to describe radio personalities who introduced them on the air. "DJ" is used as an all-encompassing term to describe someone who mixes recorded music from any source, including vinyl records , cassettes , CDs, or digital audio files stored on USB stick or laptop. DJs typically perform for

12543-596: Was released, peaking at #1 on Billboard dance and becoming the artist's 17th #1 to date. She co-wrote the song with rock and hip-hop producer/mix engineer Nikka Bling. Mixes by four different artists accompanied the single's release, including the Vegas Strong Candlelight Mix, in which all percussion was notably excluded. Toward the end of 2017, a remix album for Stars was released, titled Stars: A Galaxy of Remixes , featuring additional works by Freejak, alongside other producers. Recently, Kristine W said in

12656-636: Was taken from Danny Xtravaganza's 1990 single "Love the Life You Live"). After the Sound Factory was closed in February 1995, Vasquez held residencies at the Tunnel (1995–1996), and at ArenA (held at the Palladium) (1996–1997) where his suspended booth was custom designed by designers Dolce & Gabbana . In 1997, he returned to the former site of the original Sound Factory, now called Twilo . Remodeled to include

12769-455: Was unplugged very briefly before being reattached and the band put a three-photo set of the incident on their MySpace page. After a 2013 Disclosure concert, the duo was criticized for pretending to live mix to a playback of a pre-recorded track. Disclosure's Guy Lawrence said they did not deliberately intend to mislead their audience, and cited miming by other DJs such as David Guetta . Playing recorded music for dancing and parties rose with

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