This week I’m chatting with Melody and Maggie, the faces behind Virginia’s coolest DJ duo Femme Fatales Vinyl Club. Both longtime record collectors, they bonded over a love of physical media and similar life experiences, eventually swapping at home listening parties to spin vinyl at local venues around Roanoke.
In our conversation, Melody and Maggie share more about their musical roots, offer a few tips for wannabe DJs and reveal their most cherished records.
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
Mel: My name is Melody Faith Mundaca, I’m a musician, writer, and DJ from Chicago now living in Virginia, shaped by a love of music. I mostly spin sounds from the ’70s through the ’90s, creating sets for people of all walks of life to find release, unity, healing, and connection on the dancefloor.
Mags: Feral Aquarius Appalachian woman wrapped in a mod-psychedelic-rock and roll package.
What sparked your interest in collecting records?
Mel: My dad worked at a record store, collected vinyl, and was a DJ in Chicago the ‘80s so that energy naturally passed down through me. I grew up always surrounded by music via physical media thanks to my siblings and parents always playing it around me very early on and in my twenties I started building my own vinyl collection, and the rest is history.
Mags: My parents had a record collection and a stereo system that I grew up around, which I was always playing with. Once I started making money as a teenager, I began collecting and never looked back.
What is it about vinyl that you love most?
Mel: Vinyl feels like living art, especially used records that carry stories from the hands and moments they’ve passed through. I’m drawn to that history and the raw, imperfect beauty of its sound, something that I think is truly felt more than it’s able to be described in words.
Mags: Having a tangible connection to music and all its history.
When did you start DJ’ing, and what got you behind the decks?
Mel: I started DJ’ing in 2020 on a small Pioneer DDJ controller, teaching myself digitally while always feeling pulled toward vinyl. After moving to VA, I returned with intention, learning on Technics, playing local venues, and co-founding Femme Fatales Vinyl Club where I now spin regularly with Maggie.
Mags: I started DJ’ing in 2018 for a monthly art pop-up I co-founded in New Orleans. The venue had turntables and I would bring my records to set the tone for each event, figuring it out as I went. I was completely hooked and started playing gigs around the city.
Tell us more about Femme Fatales Vinyl Club!
We connected over shared life paths, time spent in different cities, musical family backgrounds, and a mutual passion for collecting records and a wide range of genres. What began as frequent meet ups that consisted of listening to records, sharing stories, and discovering overlapping circles and similarities eventually evolved into a creative partnership, and by the end of summer 2025 we officially formed an all-female DJ duo. Since then performing together across Roanoke and surrounding towns, with dreams of bringing our sound to more cities and countries around the world while also sharing music and honouring the roots and origins of the sounds they love with others. Femme Fatales Vinyl Club celebrates vinyl culture, community, and femme energy, with a clear intention of uplifting and holding space for women, LGBTQIA+ folks, BIPOC, and beyond.
What advice would you give someone wanting to try vinyl DJ’ing?
Mel: If you love music and have a good ear, you’re already on the right path, just focus on truly listening and understanding your tracks. Let everything else come with time and practice, keeping joy and the love of music at the center of it all.
Mags: Don’t spend money on all the fancy equipment when you’re starting out. Buy used equipment to see if it’s for you, learn your craft, and build confidence; then level up! It’s okay to have a Frankenstein setup at first.
What’s the most prized record in your collection?
Mel: ‘Ray Herbeck & His Music With Romance Orchestra’ from the 1940s, featuring my grandfather Hal’s vocals. I never met him, but hearing his voice feels like a direct connection to my past and a living piece of my musical lineage.
Mags: Probably my original pressing of Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood’s “Nancy & Lee”. It’s the one record that constantly stays in my crate for gigs. I also have a lot of rare punk/post punk 45s from the 70s that I’ve been collecting my whole life.
Follow Melody and Mags over on Instagram: @melodyfaithmundaca / @modpodgemags
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