A3C Hip Hop Festival Blog

Whitney AbstraKt Talks Creating the Perfect DJ Mix and the Importance of Women in the Music Industry

Written by Tyler Mason | Oct 10

Whitney AbstraKt is an American producer and DJ from Woodbridge, Virgina. This is an artist who truly appreciates the many attributes of music, rather than just admiring its benefits. AbstraKt speaks about the importance of honing her craft, and how essential it is for women to be involved in the music industry. Currently, AbstraKt is growing an impressive fanbase by dropping various mixes on Soundcloud. Just yesterday AbstraKt vibed out with many listeners at the X Spaces: A3C Edition Mixer. Here are a few things Abstrakt shared during her conversation with A3C staff. 

 

How do you go about choosing the songs for your mixes?

It really just depends on the event I’m doing, or whatever mood I’m in at the time. But it’s mainly about the crowd, and how I feed off their vibes.

How do you feel about music being a male-dominated industry?

It’s very important to me. It's obvious that women are obviously often overlooked in this industry. However, It’s good to see that Atlanta has a good following of female DJ’s. That much I can appreciate.

When did you first get involved with Dj'ing?

I first started off in high school and did a little mixing. I ended up having a substitute teacher that Dj’d by night. He sort of took me under his wing. Later on, I started playing at the school pep rally’s, and at shows for the step team. So one day my substitute teacher brought his equipment to school, and he let me play off that. It was really dope.

What is your goal for 2015-2016?

My goal is to do more traveling, more production, and just spend more times overseas. I also want to be able to get more into philanthropy work. People take their influence for granted, and I want to be able to make a positive difference.

Tell me about your A3C event and what listeners can expect.

The name of the showcase is called X Spaces. It’s going to be this Friday at 6 pm.
I plan to use a lot of melodic, and heavy bass type mixes. I’m also trying to do a set that’s very up-tempo, and full of high energy.

What genre of music do you prefer to listen to? Prefer to create?

I listen to a lot of artists like Byrson Tiller, and Partynextdoor. I also enjoy different reggae artists. I prefer to make mixes that are close to the genre, Future. It’s like an R&B type of feel with some bounce.

How hard has it been to establish your name as a DJ?

The challenge has really been getting people just to listen to the music. It’s all about who knows you. I honestly just try to spend most of my time putting in hours to hone my craft so I can stand out from the rest.

Is there anything you would like for people to know about Whitney AbstraKt?

I’m really in it for the love of the music. It’s not about being famous, but rather about the appreciation of the art.