Maya In Mind

BEFORE THE EVENT

We'll go over your timeline, headcount, venue, and the energy you want at each point in the night. You can send a must-play list, a do-not-play list, or both — I'd rather know than guess. If certain songs are tied to specific moments, we lock those in ahead of time.

ON THE DAY

I arrive at least an hour before start time to set up and soundcheck, dressed appropriately for the event. Setup is quiet and stays out of your guests' way. If you have a coordinator or venue contact, I check in with them so we're working from the same timeline.

THE SET

Open format, mixed live. I usually start lower-energy while people arrive and eat, build through the middle, and peak toward the end — then adjust in real time based on what the room is actually doing. Hip hop and R&B are my base, with throwbacks, Top 40, Latin, Afrobeats, and house worked in depending on the crowd.

Requests are welcome. I'll fit them in where they work rather than breaking the flow to play them immediately.

Clean edits on request — standard for corporate events and anywhere kids are present.

No dead air. Music runs continuously from the time I start until the time you tell me to stop.

EQUIPMENT

I bring my own DJ controller, laptop, and headphones, plus backup cables and a backup music source in case anything fails. Sound system and lighting are provided by the venue or client. If you're not sure what your venue already has, tell me and I'll help you work out what you need before you book.

BOOKING

Typical booking is 2-4 hours. Longer sets and overtime can be arranged in advance.

I'm Maya — I DJ as Maya In Mind. I grew up in Los Angeles, moved to New York, and I'm based in Brooklyn now.

Music came first, but dance came with it. I competed growing up and spent years in studios around Hollywood and the Valley — ballet one week, a hip hop class the next, chasing that feeling of letting a song take over and move through you. At one point I spent months going studio to studio across LA, interviewing dancers about why they loved it. What stuck with me was how differently everyone moved to the same eight counts. Same record, twenty bodies, twenty answers.

That's still how I think about a room. I've spent far more hours on a dance floor than behind a booth, and it taught me the part I care most about now — not which songs people know, but the sequence. Why one record lands after another. Why a room leans in at one moment and drifts at the next.

My roots are hip hop and R&B. Depending on the room I'll pull in throwbacks, Top 40, Latin, Afrobeats, and house. I mix live rather than running a prepared playlist, so if the floor tells me something different than I planned, I follow it.

I'm newer behind the booth than I am to this music, and I'd rather say that plainly than dress it up. I play on a controller and I'm saving toward a full club setup, and these will be among my first bookings through this platform. What that means for you: I'll over-prepare, show up earlier than I need to, and take your night more seriously than the fee requires — because every event I play right now is one I'm building a reputation on.

If you're planning something and you want someone who'll actually think about it, tell me what you have in mind.

WHAT I NEED FROM THE VENUE OR CLIENT

Sound system — I bring a DJ controller, not speakers. The venue or client provides the PA. Any house system or powered speaker setup with an open stereo input works. My controller outputs on RCA and I carry RCA-to-1/4" and RCA-to-XLR adapters, so most systems connect without a problem. If you're renting, a pair of powered 12" or 15" speakers covers a room of 100 or fewer.

Power — one grounded standard outlet within about 10 feet of the DJ position. I bring my own power strip and extension cord.

Table — a sturdy table at least 4 feet wide. Standing height is ideal; a standard 6-foot banquet table works fine. This is the most commonly forgotten item, so it's worth confirming with your venue.

Space — roughly 6 by 4 feet, ideally with a clear view of the dance floor so I can read the room.

SETUP AND TIMING

I need 45 minutes to an hour before guests arrive for setup and soundcheck, and about 30 minutes afterward for teardown. Please let me know about load-in access ahead of time — stairs, elevators, or a long carry from parking all affect how early I arrive.

OUTDOOR EVENTS

Equipment needs to be under cover and out of direct sun and rain: a tent, awning, or covered patio. Worth checking whether your location has a noise ordinance or sound curfew, since that determines when the music has to stop.

LIGHTING

I don't provide lighting. If you want dance floor lighting it can be rented separately and I'm glad to point you toward options. I do need enough light at the DJ table to see my equipment.

OTHER

Internet required.

If you're unsure about any of this, send me details or photos of your space and I'll tell you what you'll need.