Getting Back in the DJ Booth: DJ Tay James Talks Touring With Justin Bieber Again, ‘Full Circle’ Moment with ‘Essence’ Remix & Why ‘DJs Are the Best A&Rs’
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As clubs have been reopening and shows have been resuming across the country after a year-and-a-half long COVID-19 pandemic pause on the live music industry, Billboard is asking and touring DJs about their experience fading between spinning at home to performing back outside.
Taylor James went from not knowing much about pop music to working alongside Justin Bieber. In the mid-to-late-’00s, James and his friend ran a popular music blog in college, where the two dropped mixtapes and wrote articles proving they had their fingers on the pulse of what was hot in the industry — but at the time, he says he mostly listened to “jazz, certainly hip-hop and R&B,” and “didn’t really understand” pop as a concept.
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One day, however, his blog featured a story about a young singer James had discovered singing and playing guitar on the street on YouTube, predicting that the teenager would become the “next pop star.” Two months after graduating from Hampton University in 2009, James discovered that the 15-year-old boy he christened with that title on his blog needed a touring DJ – and he’s been filling in those shoes ever since.
“They flew me out to Tulsa, Oklahoma for his second show, my first show,” the Baltimore, Md. native recalls. “I met Bieber at the airport, we put a setlist together and we just clicked right away. The show went great, he was happy, I was happy, they were happy, and that’s how it started.”
Bieber’s longtime touring DJ and A&R has spun at the top clubs in the U.S., including his Vegas residency at Zouk Nightclub, and has “been around the world three times” while currently on his fourth orbit thanks to the ongoing 2022 Justice World Tour. Even though he’s long past his blog days, James proves he’s still tapped into the hottest sounds, from bringing the Biebs further into the world of Afrobeats with the remix of Wizkid’s “Essence,” featuring Tems, to teasing soon-to-be Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits like “Peaches,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon, by playing them at private parties.
Billboard caught up with Tay James right before he embarked on the European leg of the Justice jaunt about fading between DJing and A&Ring for the pop superstar, Drake shining light on the Baltimore club sound James grew up on, and what tunes he likes to get the party started with.
Pre-pandemic, where were you spinning usually?
I was doing Highlight Room, I was spinning at Nightingale, I was spinning at 1Oak. In general, 1Oak East and West, I was doing LIV in Miami, I was DJing in New York. I was going overseas. Houston, Dallas, a little bit of Vegas.
The last party I did before the pandemic started was with Pop Smoke in London at Tape. It’s crazy. He was [such a] cool, down-to-earth kid. He was willing to learn and soak up as much information as he could. I met him by himself, not even one security guard, at a studio in London. He had no DJ. “Hey, you wanna DJ for me?” “Yeah!” Sheck Wes had him perform at Tape. It was just cool. That was my last party, it was in December.
What music were you listening to a lot during quarantine?
I was listening to a lot of pop music because I was working on pop music. When the pandemic first happened I was able to focus on being an A&R. I didn’t do any livestreams or anything like that. I just wanted to be an A&R and work on this project. It was like a new role I was being pushed in, [so] I wanted to make sure I was doing my best job.
In April 2021, you were appointed as JB’s official A&R after 12 years of being his touring DJ. What are the biggest similarities and differences of your two roles within Team JB?
Well for me, I like it — ‘cause since I’m connected to a lot of different DJs around the world, I kind of know what’s hot around the world. I know what sounds are being used, which genres are the most popular in different parts of the world. DJs are the best A&Rs because they know what music the people are listening to. They know how to make people dance, how to change the room. They know what people are listening to on a regular basis. If you can take that talent and translate it for artists, that’s where I feel like artists will do well. A lot of artists out right now don’t really have a DJ, if you look at the top ones especially in the pop world.
How have your roots/upbringing shaped the music you like to listen to and play live?
My father had the biggest record collection I’ve ever seen in my life. And he used to make mixtapes for his friends. And my brother kind of taught me the basics of DJing — like how to blend two records together. I was sneaking into clubs when I was 12, 13, trying to be a DJ. There was no YouTube back in the day, so for you to actually know how to DJ, you had to watch someone and shadow them.
Baltimore is really big for the Baltimore club sound, so that was a huge part of my childhood. [I was also experimenting with] jazz, certainly hip-hop and R&B, didn’t really know about pop music at all. Old-school s–t like Maxwell, Marvin Gaye, anything my dad was listening to. Diddy was the man. Biggie is my favorite rapper to this day, like any other East Coaster.
Did you perform at any virtual events during quarantine?
With Bieber, we did Tiny Desk. We did Journals live on TikTok, which is crazy.
What was the first live music event after quarantine that you attended as a fan?
I think it was Coachella, even though that was like a year later. Doja Cat was so good, she’s a superstar. Daniel Caesar, Bieber hopped out for that. Saw The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia, that was dope. I didn’t really go to any other live events because we were so busy doing our own shit.
What was the first live music event after quarantine that you performed at as a DJ?
I remember we started throwing those We the Band parties, and that’s kind of how I got back into DJing. Because at one point, I thought maybe me being an A&R is where I’m transitioning to because all DJing kind of stopped. And I was getting ready to be content with that. And then I ended up DJing a private party and I’m like, “Oh, I still love this. I can’t give this up.” As the world started to open back up, a lot of my bookings started to come back in strong. And then that with the music I was working on, it was kind of all intertwined. That’s how I was able to get my Vegas residency.
What’s the vibe you like to curate for those?
Even during the pandemic and post-pandemic, we just wanted to create a community. I felt like people now, when you go to a party or go to the club, you want to be comfortable in that environment. And that’s what we started doing with these events: It was invite only, RSVP through an email, you’d get the invite, they’re COVID tested outside, come in and go and have an experience. You don’t know who’s gonna pull up. You don’t know who’s gonna be there, who’s gonna perform. When the world opened up, we were able to do more and to the point now where I just DJ my own parties. If I want to DJ, I’ll just throw my own party.
Are there any songs you were listening to/spinning at home that you were excited to play for a live audience?
When we did the “Essence” remix, it was during the shutdown. That was one of my favorite records during that time. I was listening to it nonstop, and then going on vacation and coming up with the remix while we were on vacation; it was one of a kind. That’s when everything comes full circle: As a DJ, I get put onto a record, I love the record, I play the record at my parties — and then it’s like, “Hey, I have an idea. Let’s do a remix.” That’s how it all comes full circle.
Did you have any worries that certain songs or albums might be considered “too old” because it came out during the pandemic?
Not with that record — because at the time, when that record really peaked, the world opened back up.
What are some of the newer songs or albums that you’ve been hyped to play?
I really like this Drake album. I like it because it has elements of Baltimore club, I really like Black Coffee. I like when artists do something that makes them vulnerable. I like when they can try new ideas and it’s not their regular sound. I love Brent Faiyaz’s new project. I love Griselda, I’m good friends with Westside Gunn. Yebba, love Yebba, she’s great. In Afrobeats, love Wizkid, Omah Lay. Khruangbin.
What are you looking forward to during your future sets/Where do you wanna perform next?
Next year, I’m going overseas. I’m excited for traveling to Europe and going back to Australia, South Africa. I do a lot of DJing in Asia, like Japan, Jakarta.
You and the rest of We the Band traveled the first half of the year with JB for the North American leg of the Justice Tour. What was the biggest adjustment for you when it came to going back on the road?
I was so used to being on the road that when we finally got a break break, it was like, “All right, cool, I gotta get going back on the road.” I feel like now being older – I started touring at 22 and I’m 35 now – it’s just like riding a bike. Just making sure you have your airlines’ SkyMiles, you pack properly, pack the right bag, have all your travel necessities – passport, TSA PreCheck, all of that – to make sure you just move smoothly. I love traveling, I love seeing the world, … and I love DJing, I love touching people, I love making people dance. It’s really the most addictive drug, it’s doing something and seeing how you change people.
[But] my first gig right after the pandemic, it was in Houston. I could tell like, “Man, I gotta knock this rust off.” I was nervous, not nervous, but I just had to get back into the swing of this. So once I did that party, I hit my homeboys that owned the club and I was like, “Hey, I need you to book me just so I can knock some of this dust off.” When I started doing that and Vegas is when I started to get back into the swing of things.
What record are you most proud of A&Ring, and why?
I would say “Peaches.” I wouldn’t say I directly A&Red “Stay,” but I connected Justin to The Kid LAROI and I put them together, and that ended up going into the making of “Unstable” and then making “Stay.” I just want to say I’m a part of the DNA of for sure “Peaches,” I love “Ghost,” I love “Essence,” I love certain records for the story behind the record. “Peaches” has a story behind it. We were listening to this song in our private parties and we knew this was going to be something. Say I’m doing a private party with Justin, we might play new music for that crowd and see what people like.
Which songs/records/genres have been making a huge splash this summer, in your opinion? And who or what should music lovers be paying attention to that might not be getting a whole lot of buzz right now, but could potentially pop off later?
In the reggaetón world, that kid Rauw Alejandro. Next level. He’s like Chris Brown of reggaetón. By the way, I love the Bad Bunny album, probably one of the best albums that came out. It’s crazy. D-Block Europe, I love D-Block Europe. Dope. [Amapiano] is the new sound, it’s a vibe, it makes you feel good. I like listening to stuff like that. It’s different, new.
Check out Tay James’ playlist for Billboard below.
