FINDING YOUR TEMPO + TOUCHING THE SOUL WITH DJ TEZRAH

128 BPM: twice the rate of your resting heartbeat. The number is etched in DJ Tezrah’s memory bank. Her rise to star status on the local music circuit was methodic and hard-earned. Now, syncing with the tempo of a crowd, keeping fans in euphoria, and knowing when to deliver the occasional shock come naturally. Our conversation with her is a masterclass in the art of DJing and pacing your life.

Bespoke Notes: How would you describe your essence as a DJ?

DJ Tezrah: Eclectic, exotic, organized chaos. 

Bespoke Notes: What does tempo mean to you?

DJ Tezrah: What comes to my mind is the beats per minute of a song. That guides my setlist. I will gradually increase the tempo as the night goes on, drop it all of a sudden, cut it in half, and then increase it again. Tempo means there’s consistency there. You have to organize your songs in a way that makes sense for the tempo to flow.

You have to read the crowd. I look at the crowd to see who's bobbing along to the song, who's going crazy, and who's enjoying themselves, and then feed off that energy.

I'll drastically change the tempo if I need to add a dramatic shock. Sometimes, I want the audience to think, “We didn't expect that, but it sounds awesome; it's fresh and new.” Sometimes, I play at a wedding, and the crowd doesn't respond as well as I thought. Then, I shift entirely to another genre or song.

If you're on a specific tempo and your crowd is on the same tempo and wavelength, it's a really good feeling. Connecting with your audience is the most important thing.

Bespoke Notes: How do you maintain focus and enthusiasm when everything is out of sync during a gig?

DJ Tezrah: One of the ways to find enthusiasm is to fake it till you make it. Sometimes you have to do that. Sometimes, I have to compartmentalize if I have a bad day and have to DJ an event that night. That happens to everyone. I get out of any funk by thinking about how grateful I am to be able to play music for a living. I also reflect on my previous experiences, especially when I thought I crushed a gig; I bring that confidence into the present moment.

Bespoke Notes: Are there tempos you gravitate to as an audiophile?

DJ Tezrah: There are a few specific tempos in the music that I gravitate to. The standard House and EDM tempo is 128 BPM, beats per minute. It's twice the rate of your resting heartbeat. It comes from the body.

The feeling you get from House music is high energy. It's interesting because many genres of House and/or electronic dance music exist. I loved the harder dubstep and the lots of noise when I was younger. Now, I'm getting into minimal sounds, like Deep House.

I also like Disco House, which is slower and groovier, at around 122 BPM. The hip-hop songs and reggaeton Latin beats I like are around 100 BPM. I can name songs with 100 BPM off the top of my head, like “Get Low” by Lil Jon and “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira. 

I go through different phases. I love all sorts of music. 95% of people would say the same thing. That's the great thing about music. It's universal. You don't have to know the lyrics to a song, and you can still like it.

While playing for the French Embassy, I had to research French music, which I'd never played before, except for Stromae or Christine and the Queens. That's the basis of what I knew. Then, I discovered all these bands and grew to enjoy French music.

Bespoke Notes: Do the same rules apply to achieving the right tempo in your life?

DJ Tezrah: Finding tempo in your life comes with experience. When I first started DJing, I tried to get every gig and network a lot. Now that I've built a good business, I don't need to advertise or network at every event. It's always good to do that, but I'm not going out of my way. Now, I enjoy quality over quantity. I'm very grateful that I can do that. In 2024, My theme is to work smarter, not harder. Making time for myself is a priority, especially after June, which is a crazy month because of all the pride gigs. You get burnt out if you don't take time for yourself. If I don't take time for myself, I can lose my passion for music; that's something I never really want to have happen because I love music so much.

Bespoke Notes: Are you always thinking about music?

DJ Tezrah: I can’t turn off my work brain, even when traveling. If there's music playing in the background, I'm listening. In Paris, I thought, “I can use this experience if I play at the French Embassy again—to know what songs they're listening to.” While traveling through Amsterdam, I noticed they played techno from the 2000s and 2010s. It's interesting to see the trends in different cities. 

Bespoke Notes: What advice would you give aspiring DJs?

DJ Tezrah: Reach out to the people you admire in that field. If there's a local artist, go out and support them. If you show up consistently, approach them, and ask questions about how they got their start, that's really useful information. That’s what I did when I first started DJing.

Bespoke Notes: What role has community played in your success?

DJ Tezrah: There's a large LGBT community here, which sets DC apart from many other cities. I gravitated towards the queer women's community; they were very supportive of my DJing. The first party that I consistently DJ’d was called Glitter, which started as a fundraiser led by queer women. Then, they started a monthly party. My skill level was very basic compared to now, but it was a start, and they were encouraging. That was 11 years ago. I've gotten a lot of support from that community, and I give back by putting on different events. It’s an awesome feeling to put on an event and see everyone enjoy themselves. 

I wouldn't have been as successful as I am had it not been for community and support. Because, being an artist, you get a specific external validation. In that sense, I like to consider any artist a conduit of culture. It reflects your community and what they like because your success depends on the community. If you're at an art show and people are gravitating to and relating to your art piece, there's a reason why. You've touched something in their soul. There's some emotional connection. The stronger the emotional connection, the more success you will have.

Follow DJ Tezrah on Instagram @djtezrah.