Feb 7

Feb 7 DJ Holographic - deephouse.com podcast #015

This week we're featuring Detroit's own DJ Holographic, aka Ariel Corley. She's a regular in the Detroit scene, delivering her special blend of deep house, classic tracks, and some of the harder house sounds Detroit music fans know and love.

Hi Ariel. Thank you for putting this mix together for us. To start with, tell us about how you got your start in DJing and music.

My mom and dad would introduce me to all types of music while raising me that I’ve grown to love. Sade, Luther Vandross, Michael Franks, Dave Matthews Band, and Michael Jackson were common musicians that I would hear in my mom's car. My dad would listen to similar music like my mom probably because they grew up as neighbors in Detroit, however my dad used to DJ before he had me which helped create my eclectic taste such as Nirvana, Frankie Knuckles, Marvin Gaye and my favorite song Jamaican funk by Tom B. The melodies of the songs that I hear hold so many memories for me and you can feel it in the music that I play. I started DJing around 2010 this would be half a year after working my first club job at Necto in Ann Arbor. Necto use to be called The Nectarine Ballroom and Jeff Mills aka the Wizard, was a resident back in the day. I worked there only at the coat check, not as a DJ, but imagine watching and hearing international DJs such as Colette or J Phlip slay the dancefloor. I didn’t pick up DJing to become famous, rich, or have bragging rights I did it for my own curiosity of how far the rabbit hole I can go into music. Eventually I did stop working at Necto as coat check but played at a weekly there and open up for a few national DJs, including Steven Sacks.

Where do you draw your musical inspiration from?

Since I remember a lot of the music my parents listen to I would have to really say they are where I get most of inspiration music from. My friends that I have made over the years including my best friend Blair that taught me how to DJ. He also taught me a lot about Jungle and D&B, since a lot of the history had to do with the music I first started DJing was Dubstep. I’ve taken advantage of the opportunity that the internet has given me by listening to artist all around the world and being able to talk to them directly with a touch of a button.

You live and play in Detroit, one of the most influential cities in music history. What do you think makes the scene there so special?

Detroit is so unique because of the people and their history tied to one another. We can talk about Motown, Underground Resistance, Electrifying Mojo, Death, or any musical influences in the world I bet it can be tied to Detroit some how. I live in the city of living legends that are humble and willing to teach others their knowledge such as Al Ester, John Collins, Stacey Hotwaxx, and anyone from Detroit Techno Militia.

Who are your favorite artists right now?

My favorite artist right now is the hardest question you can really ask a DJ! Some big names in the industry right now that I enjoy the music they produce I also enjoy their mixing, Black Madonna, Collette, Al Ester, Oliver Dollar, Moodymann and Mat.Joe. Also some local Metro Detroiters that I can dance to their mixes 50 times and never get tired of are Pilar, Pontchartrain, Just Alexander, Scudder, Ghita Sisters, Twin Cousins, Ben Scott and D-Wynn.