The word ‘Zen’ in the English vocabulary is defined as a state of being peaceful and calm. If you’ve interacted with Zen The DJ, his personality definitely aligns with this name. Zen has a conciliating presence that is laid back and easy going. Once he turns on his Macbook Pro, opens Serato DJ and powers up his Pioneer DJ SZ2 turntables, he transforms into a different musical animal and all tranquility goes out the window.
Zen The DJ is undoubtedly one of the top disc jockeys in the idyllic island of Barbados, and his consistent ability to decimate a crowd has not gone unnoticed by the Bajan masses. It’s no wonder that promoters like Jordan English cemented Zen The DJ as a resident at one of the hottest weekly events in Barbados – Outdoor Bim. The self -proclaimed ‘Sound Scientist’ has an incredible ability to play fluently across genres at different tempos, all while engaging crowds with his captivating voice and energy.
Hot 95.3fm is the stomping ground where Zen developed his core fan base and the scintillating mixes he disseminates over the airwaves have captivated the hearts of many Bajans. Unfortunately, many radio DJs struggle to make the transition from playing in a studio environment to playing in a crowd. Zen will tell you – a Bajan audience, especially one full of millennials, is not an easy one to please. Week in, week out – Zen The DJ proves why consistency and commitment to craft will always beat hype and raw talent. He is a man who has worked assiduously at honing his craft and the Christ Church native is reaping the rewards of his artistic discipline.
CARIB VOXX: What age did you fall in love with the craft of being a DJ, and what was the first program/turntables you owned?
Zen: “I loved music itself from before I was even born! My mother told me about days when I jumped about while she was pregnant and listening to music. The love for DJing came when I was around 13, though. I started taking it seriously at 18 after meeting Estelle’s (the singer for “American Boy”) DJ who showed me how to use vinyl turntables. The first actual DJ set I owned, though, was a Numark Mixtrack Pro 1.”
CARIB VOXX: How do you feel about the emergence of Bajan dancehall music, and do you think it helps to foster cultural integration in the region seeing that Bajans were traditionally known for bashment soca music?
Zen: “Dancehall music is on a whole new wave. I think eventually it will have its own niche market in the industry. For now though, things are a bit slow in terms of party response to new music; but outside of that, it’s going great. It has already made cultural integration occur in Trinidad. I do believe Jamaica and the rest of the islands will catch on eventually and create some amazing collaborations moving forward.”
CARIB VOXX: If you could put together a super collaboration with one Bajan dancehall artist and one Jamaican dancehall artist that has never been done, who would you choose?
Zen: “I’d like to see a collaboration with Saddis and Skillibeng.”
CARIB VOXX: What’s it like working with Jordan English, and what do you think it is about Outdoor Bim that’s seeing the event become such a staple in Bajan weekend nightlife?
Zen: “Jordan English has been my bro from BCC (Barbados Community College) days. We both had school radio shows revolving around entertainment and believe it or not, Jordan was hosting or part of events for a pretty long time. ‘Outdoor’ has grown so much since it first started! I’m at the point where I’m not just the house DJ for the event, but I get involved in the planning and more. It’s becoming a staple event now because ‘Outdoor’ is always vibes. Always a new theme, new faces, surprise guests and giveaways too.”
