Droppin' The Bass: A Glimpse Into The Life Of A DJ In Malaysia

Closer to home, Malaysia has its very own renowned DJs too.

Meet DJ Victor Trixter, DJ Kuma, and Arabyrd; each with their unique styles and sound but they all share the same aim: to entertain and communicate with the crowd through their craft that is their music.

We spoke to them to know more about the behind the scenes of the colourful journey they went through to be the prominent DJs they are today.

Meet Your DJs

Having been involved in the industry earlier than many do, Victor Chan had always been the youngest one around. He was also the most active, sober and cheekiest of them all too.

“Instead of giving myself a stage name, I thought I’d ask the people who knew me best,” he told Rojak Daily. Without much hesitation, the name Trixter came about – a name that was apt for his personality.

“I like my real name as well so I decided to combine both together and Victor Trixter was born.”

According to Victor, he plays “anything that has a groove in it” but mostly, house music.

Kuma is a professional dance music DJ. He can be found performing at clubs and festivals all around the Asian region as well as in Europe during a certain time of the year.

From Kuala Lumpur to Ibiza to Berlin to Tokyo, this is the man who has been entrusted by many to entertain.

He usually plays tech house and techno – a subgenre of house music.

Arafah, or Arabyrd as she is better known as, comes from a family with a musical background. Her parents were both in the music industry for as long as she could remember.

“It’s only natural for me to go into music," said the 32-year-old.

When asked whether she only plays a certain type of music, her reply was: “Yes. Good music”.

Fun fact: She is the other half of Twinkies KL!

The Beginning Of The Journey

It never crossed Victor’s mind that his inquisitiveness would lead him to the path of his career.

Young and curious he was but he was certain about one thing: “I was passionate about music”.

His involvement in the world of DJing started when he was just 15 years old.

He has since gone on to become a professional DJ, regularly performing at Elysium Terrace + Bar, Mantra and Le Noir. He has also regularly been invited to play abroad.

Speaking of the positive transition, the humble lad joked, “I guess that's what happens when you don't study hard in school – it forces you to create talent out of yourself."

Like Victor, Kuma was initially in it just for the fun of it.

“It all began for me some 16 years ago when I just wanted to learn how to mix two songs together at a club that my friend was working at, just for fun”, he recalled.

Eventually, it became a launching pad for his career as a DJ. The rest, as they say, is history for this chap.

He is currently a resident DJ at Le Noir KL. He is also a regional resident for the JUNGLE EXPERIENCE festival, a massive monthly underground House & Techno music festival in Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand where he plays once every three months to a crowd that ranges from 3,000 to 8,000 people.

As for Arabyrd, her path to becoming a DJ was entirely different from those of Victor and Kuma.

She was already making waves as a rapper and songwriter. However, she soon discovered DJing.

“I wanted to try to figure out how it works,” she told us.

What initially was an event of curiosity eventually became the stepping stone to her success today: “I love playing my own music. I like making people dance," said Arabyrd.

Now, she is a resident DJ at The Vault KL. Occasionally, she also plays at a few other clubs in Bangsar and random gigs all over the globe.

It's Not A Walk In The Park

Challenges come in many forms. In this industry, one of the hardest parts is to establish a name for one’s self; a reputation, if you will.

Victor revealed that when he was starting out, many club and bar owners would think twice to give him, a college kid then, the opportunity to perform at their place.

Even when some did, “there were times that I don't get paid for what was promised, even if it's only a small amount”.

However, the challenges did not deter him from pursuing his interest.

Kuma had his fair share of such hurdles too.

“I had to work very hard and I still work very hard. I have to do everything by myself; endless self-promoting, getting my mixes out there to the clubs and promoters. It’s a never-ending uphill task”, he said.

“I wish that it could get easier but it only gets harder and you have to keep going, one obstacle after another.”

He further told Rojak Daily that today’s DJing (industry) is changing: "You have to be very good in social media, attend as many events – even if it’s not music-related to meet people and get noticed, and you have to be in sync with the current ever-changing DJ gears and technology.

"You also need to be producing your own music. Traditional DJing alone is not enough. You have to be an artist with multiple releases and brand yourself”.

It sure does sound like a lot of work!

Arabyrd did not have it easy either, as she told us that for her, trust was the biggest issue.

Her image as an electronic artist ‘scared’ many because it was a genre that was not widely accepted then.

“Whenever I tried to approach organisers or tried to get DJ gigs, we had that trust issue. They’d say: 'You’re an electronic DJ. It’s going to be hard. People here love a different type of music'.

"That was my biggest challenge; to keep on pushing and to have the big belief in my music to be where I am today. There was a lot of rejection”, she reminisced.

Thankfully, this bold girl persevered.

“To me, if I’m a girl from Kuching and I can understand this type of music, any other person can.” And she is absolutely right.

Family Support

Remember those strict career choices dictated by many Asian parents for their children? It is said that you either become a doctor, lawyer or an engineer, if not, you're a disgrace to the family. Well, that does not apply to the encouraging parents of these three DJs.

“My mum actually paid for my tuition because she knew academic wasn’t for me. It took a lot of convincing as I didn't have a good record when it comes to picking up new hobbies. My parents have been very supportive since then, and they even come for my gigs sometimes,” Victor explained.

To him, having the support is crucial.

“It makes you feel invincible and if you ever fail, you'll have someone to pick you back up and that's family.”

Kuma is also lucky to have a family who is very supportive of his career choice. In fact, it was his parents who bought him his gizmos when he first started out.

“My mom and dad bought me a pair of technics turntable with a complete audio set when I was first started learning to be a DJ,” he recalled.

Like both Victor and Kuma, Arabyrd told us that she would not be who she is today without the support from her parents.

“My parents are very supportive of what I do. As long as I stay focused and determined and can make a living, they are okay with it”, says Arabyrd.

Well, it does help that her parents have been in the music industry themselves!

What Makes A Good DJ?

When we asked them what seperates an OK DJ from a good DJ, all the three of them agreed that a good DJ is one who is able to read the crowd.

“A good DJ is able to read every person that's standing in the room, or at least try to – anything from body language to what brings them out to the bars. A good DJ should be able to predict what's going to happen before dropping every single track.

"Last but not least, you should be able to communicate with the crowd with your music,” that is the way Victor puts it.

Arabyrd’s definition of a good DJ is simply one "who brings good vibe, understands the crowd and makes the room light up”.

Similarly, Kuma’s description of the subject is one who keeps the crowd entertained and knows how to handle the night in any situation.

“A good DJ is pretty average but a great DJ is rare,” he said.

The Competition In The Local Industry

When asked about the competition in the local scene, all of them have a positive outlook on the matter.

Victor had this to say: “Being a DJ is more than just playing one song to another. DJing is a form of art. That means everyone is unique in their own ways. Everyone is an artist so you can only learn from each other and not be competing.”

However, to stay relevant, being complacent is a major NO-NO, Victor warned.

“A new talent is born each day, you can never slow down and you can never stay in the comfort zone – no matter how long you've been doing this for," stated the 27-year-old.

As for Kuma, he views competition as something healthy because “it pushes you to achieve more.”

Kuma admits that things are easier on those who are higher up on the food chain compared to someone who is just starting out. However, there is always hope for the newcomers for "the scene is always growing and there will always be new DJs.”

Arabyrd stands firmly by her principle that one should stay in his/her own lane. Competition exists in any industry.

“It’s just how you manage it," she said.

From having to track down the limited vinyl stores available in the country to having almost everything accessible at one’s fingertips, the industry has definitely gone through some major changes.

“As long as you do what you do, don’t let anything else get to you – anything outside of your own head or outside of your own practice, career, skills. Anything that does not concern you should not bother you. I don’t think competition should bother anyone.”

The Celebrity Status

Day by day, the number of fans and followers of this industry continues to grow. With that, it is not a surprise that some DJs are perceived by the public as celebrities.

DJs are now deemed as famous figures because, in Kuma’s words, “The popularity has created this hype.”

However, he does not consider himself as one. Victor feels the same.

“I can't speak on behalf of others but I'm definitely not one. Music speaks, if you keep doing what you believe in, people will follow where the music goes and not because of whom you are," Victor said.

Arabyrd figured that as a DJ, “the celebrity status is inevitable.” She did admit, however, that it is nice to be appreciated.

“I’ve had people come up to me, telling me to keep playing good music. It’s nice.”

At the end of the day, it is up to the person on how he/she deals with it. She views it as a non-issue “… as long as you don't let it get to your head, as long as you stay grounded.”

The Common Misconception About DJs

No matter what you do, you just cannot escape the wrath of those who love to typecast. There is no exception for the DJs. More often than not, stereotypes are simply generalisations. It is not fair to tar everyone with the same brush.

Kuma finds himself having to deal with the sceptics who believe that the future is bleak for DJs for there are still those who are doubtful about the prospects of being a DJ.

“They will say that there is no future. Or they will ask something stupid like, 'Till how old you are going to just be a DJ?'"

Victor brought up another issue.

“Most people think DJs can't lead a healthy lifestyle. They somehow relate us to drinking, smoking, and women just because we work in that environment.”

He is simply not in that category. Victor is in fact, a fitness enthusiast who spends his hours of daylight training at the F45 Training studio.

“I'm not a smoker, I drink occasionally and I like to stay focused when I'm DJing,” he said.

It is worth to note that Arabyrd is in the same category too. Not only is she a gym junkie, she is also a yoga instructor and an avid golfer! How about that, huh?

Of the common misconceptions, she feels that many have the perception that being a DJ is an easy job when in fact, it is not as simple as it looks.

“There is a lot of prep that goes into a DJ set. I don’t think it’s fair for anyone to judge anybody in any field.”

Let this sink in first: “You are the single person that people depend on to hold a crowd.”

Still think it’s easy? Think again.

“Unless you are a big enough producer or DJ where everyone goes in because of you, of who you are – but that takes a lot of work as well – for you to come out with music, to market yourself, to stay relevant is already so much work put into it.

"But when you are a DJ that they hire for events, put yourself in my shoes, put yourself in a box and all you have is music – and you have, say, 200 people in front of you. You don’t know what type of music they like, how old they are, what kind of day they’ve had, what they have on right after or before you performing but the responsibility of keeping these people in that room is yours,” explained Arabyrd.

So, Does Being A DJ Suffice To Earn A Living?

According to Victor, “Compared to a lot of our neighbouring countries, DJs actually get paid reasonably here in Malaysia”.

Put in some extra effort and you’d be able to live a comfortable life, he added.

“To give you an idea: if a DJ is hardworking and getting a consistent two gigs a week, they can earn more than a junior banker who works seven to eight hours a day, and they only need to work 32 hours a month.

"And then you have private/corporate events where one can charge three to four times more than regular gigs depending on their experience and demand,” he revealed.

Kuma had a pretty similar answer too. He said: “It actually depends on the status of the DJ – how much they get paid a gig or per show. The average minimum for an hour can be anything from RM150 to RM400. Some can earn RM500 a night, mostly in cash for two hours to three hours.

“So, multiply that by a few days, it’s quite a good amount to sustain an easy living lifestyle. You don’t need to wait till the end of the month for salary,” he added.

However, bear in mind that before you decide to drop everything and turn to DJing to earn a living, you need to be aware that there’s a lot that comes with it.

Arabyrd stressed that not only must you work on the music part but also on the PR aspect of it. It simply is not just about playing music and having the ‘DJ’ title put in front of your name.

“You need to build a brand for yourself,” she said. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself to drown.

A Word Of Advice

They have made it big in their field. So, it would be wise to take their words. Here’s what they have to say to those who seek to succeed in the industry.

“If you want to do something, do it with love. Never give up on your dreams just because someone does not agree with you, they might just end up following your footsteps,” DJ Victor Trixter said.

DJ Kuma wants aspiring DJs to "be yourself and enjoy what you’re doing.”

“Know what you want, get proper training, always be open to advice and don’t let anyone dictate what you play," Arabyrd said.