This week, I’m talking to Brooklyn-based DJ Jayda Abello. Whether she’s playing at a low-key dive bar or buzzy brand event, Jayda’s sets stitch together punk, disco, hip-hop, and whatever else moves the room. We caught up to talk about collecting, community, and why nothing beats the magic of spinning vinyl.
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I’m an Aquarius, record collector, and full time DJ based in Brooklyn, New York! I love traveling and I spend a lot of the year flying out for events in Tampa Bay, Florida where I have a lot of great clients and friends. I love DJ’ing all kinds of events like private parties and brand activations but I’m also just as at home rocking a punk set on 45rpm at a grimy dive bar or playing some heady trip hop in a darkened speakeasy.
What sparked your interest in collecting records?
Growing up in the punk scene, a killer record collection was always a status symbol among my group of friends. The way I saw it, the more songs you knew, the cooler you were. So my desire to grow a covetable collection really grew from a quest for coolness.
What is it about vinyl that you love most?
What’s not to love? I love the tangibility, the collectibility, even the friendly competitiveness between collectors across the globe. The smug sense of satisfaction you get from owning a grail, it’s all in good fun. I love the way they look in my apartment. I love that I can flip through my collection and see the countless different eras and versions of myself that added albums to the stacks through the years. I love being able to buy a record directly from the artist at a show or from their Bandcamp page, it feels good knowing it’s still possible to directly support and impact the people who make the music we love. Another thing I really value is being able to listen to music without any kind of surveillance technology gathering data on me.
When did you start DJ’ing, and what got you behind the decks?
I got into DJ’ing in a pretty natural way—loving music and playing records for friends at my apartment late into the night after the bars closed. Then, eventually, I started playing in the bars. I turned it into a career after the pandemic when I realized I was over having a traditional job, after working as a bartender for over a decade. I still love the nightlife, but I’m a bit of an introvert; so I really like how DJ’ing gets me out of the house and into a lively social setting, but I’m still in my own little zone in behind the decks.
“A great way to get into DJ’ing with vinyl would be to look for an Open Decks night being hosted in your area”
What can we expect from one of your sets?
I’m known for playing a super fun and diverse set that bounces around and taps on all eras and genres. You can expect to hear new wave paired up against golden era boom bap hip-hop tracks, freestyle, boogie, disco, post punk, and pop bops all blended up in a way that’s delightfully unexpected. I love playing lesser known tracks mixed in with singalong faves that keep the energy up.
What advice would you give someone wanting to try vinyl DJ’ing?
A lot of people who have only played digital DJ sets seem to get really intimidated by vinyl, so first I would tell them it’s not as scary as you think! I would say focus on being a great selector first—just play good music and keep the energy where it needs to be, then focus on nailing those smooth transitions. One thing that can keep a lot of people from DJ’ing with vinyl is not being able to get any time on a proper turntable set up; it’s expensive to buy a DJ set up and not everyone even has the square footage in their home to devote to that. I think a great way to get into DJ’ing with vinyl would be to look for an Open Decks night being hosted in your area. Sign up, introduce yourself to the event organisers, play your little 15 minute set, and just vibe out and connect with other aspiring vinyl DJs. It’s very low pressure and I’ve seen a lot of people get started that way.
What’s the most prized record in your collection, and is there a story behind it?
It’s hard to say which records are my most prized, but a copy of Joy Division’s Still, which was part of a run that were specifically made to be given to employees of Factory Records as a company Christmas gift, and an original pressing of [Iggy and the Stooges’] Raw Power with a beautifully intact hype sticker come to mind. I bought both of those on the same day when I went on a $1,000 shopping spree at Bananas Records in St. Petersburg, Florida back in 2021. I’d never spent that much money on a single trip to the record store before, and was actually able to because I had been the winner of one of those sweepstakes you see on Instagram where you tag a bunch of friends to enter to win. I had tagged my burner account and somehow actually won, so that was really amazing and I was able to get a lot of great records that day.
What’s your go-to crate digging spot?
Definitely Bananas Records in St. Petersburg, Florida! They have a retail shop and two separate vinyl warehouses that are any crate digger’s dream.
Check out Jayda on Instagram.
