Email:neill@outloudculture.com
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Internationally renowned for delivering feel-good, genre-transcendent experiences to industry-leading music festivals, fashion brands, nightclubs, media outlets, members clubs, hotels and private events, Samantha Michelle is an electrifying tour de force of her own meticulous craft and creation. She’s opened for music legends including the likes of Duran Duran, Nile Rodgers, Mark Ronson, LCD Soundsystem, Miley Cyrus, DJ Ruckus, and Bachman Turner Overdrive, and headlined shows with audiences in the thousands.
By happenstance, her DJ career kicked off one unforgettable night at London’s Groucho Club. A decade onward, this happy accident has materialized into a full-time focus as she continues to fill dance floors around the world. Toronto-born and London-bred, Samantha now splits her time between New York and Los Angeles, and vanguards a versatile sound that has taken her from Burning Man to Beverly Hills, the South of France to the Swiss Alps.
Can you share a memorable experience from your early days as a DJ, particularly how your career took off after that night at London’s Groucho Club?
After this wild night at the Groucho, friends who heard about that party kept asking me to DJ and I was definitely resistant to the idea, it wasn’t something I wanted. But then as soon as I started messing with the equipment and playing out consistently; it started with spinning back-to-back with a gal pal who showed me my way around CDJs, I began to feel like maybe there was something here for me. But it took a good couple of years where DJ’g was just this sort of side hustle before it took center stage in my life.
With such an impressive list of performances for various high-profile brands and events, how do you adapt your music to suit such diverse audiences and settings?
I never preset anything so every set is different and crafted live in the moment. I read the vibe and the energy and I create a soundscape for it. I also pay attention to the personalities and the details; for example, some of the brands I work with like the skew on the poppier side of things whereas others prefer a more esoteric or tastemaker sort of sound. The same is absolutely true on the nightlife side; there are venues where it’s strictly tech house, tribal house, afrobeats and others where they want top40 or Latin jams, and course everything in between! You gotta know who you’re playing for and what’s going to pop ‘em off.
You’ve opened for renowned artists like Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers. How do you approach creating a setlist that complements the headlining act while maintaining your unique style?
My instincts, mood and personal preferences are always my guiding lights but definitely if I’m opening for a major act, I’ll skew my sound, genre-wise in a realm that’s adjacent. It’s still a Samantha Michelle experience – surprising, joyous, fun, variegated – but it warms the audience up for what, or who, is to come. I just opened for Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers again at the Scotiabank arena in Toronto; it was a super sentimental show for me because of the space (where I grew up going to the hockey games) so I played house remixes of tracks that felt like home to me, Shania’s “Man I feel Like a Woman,” Ram Jam’s “Black Betty” alongside some more contemporary sounds, remixes of the likes of Fred Again, Gorillaz, Lana Del Rey. So overall the set was on the same sonic scale of accessibility as the headlining acts, and nodded to the electronic synth sounds of Duran Duran and the disco groove of Nile Rodgers but was definitely also its own Samantha-thing.
From music festivals to private events, you’ve played in various types of venues. How do you adjust your performance to cater to the atmosphere of each location?
I read the room. You just have to feel it out and trust your instincts.
Being known for delivering feel-good experiences, could you elaborate on the factors you consider when curating a set that resonates emotionally with your audience?
Honestly, I can’t put words around it. It’s an intuitive experience entirely. Having done this – played music for people – for nearly a decade, I have an innate process when it comes to curating and timing sound that I can’t describe.
Your career has taken you to different parts of the world. How has exposure to various cultures influenced your music and performance style?
Being a creative, I think, is about paying attention and being open to influence and inspiration. So, what I see and hear informs how my own art and expression evolved. I just spent some time in Ibiza and totally fell for the Balearic vibe which is absolutely its own unique thing. I just produced an end of summer event in NYC, Capri-Ski, which was all Italo disco vibes, all female DJs and absolutely a loving nod to my time on that magical Italian island.
As a DJ who has headlined shows with thousands in the audience, how do you manage the energy and engagement to keep the crowd enthralled throughout your sets?
My sets are harmonious but never monotonous. I’m always fusing genre and switching it up. I enjoy mixing together the unexpected.
Your journey involves a mix of cities like London, New York, and Los Angeles. How do these different environments contribute to your creative process and musical evolution?
My love and respect for soul music, that comes from England. The Brits have always had top notch taste and a hungry appetite for rhythm and blues. Time in LA always brings more contemporary and classic r&b and hip hop into my mix. Disco will always feel right in New York. Absolutely my sound is an expression of me, and I am an amalgamation of all and where I’ve been.
You’ve performed for a wide range of media outlets and brands. How do you balance your personal artistic expression with the expectations of these corporate collaborations?
I’m very lucky, my clients trust me to do my thing. The sonic needs for one event or another certainly vary, but I read the energy and create the vibe, and I enjoy getting to do that in all sorts of different contexts.
With the music industry constantly evolving, how do you stay up to date with trends while maintaining a timeless quality in your sound and performances?
I try not to overthink it. Course I’m aware of what’s current in my industry but I know playing what I love makes me good at what I do so I try to lean into that.
Samantha Michelle — Instagram
