A popular DJ on the rise now has a weekly residency: DJ Haus Kat! [Cover photo: Anthony Leo]
Thotyssey: Hello DJ, thanks for chatting with us today! How has your October been?
DJ Haus Kat: This fall has been the busiest I’ve ever experienced. I’ve had lots of projects and events brewing simultaneously, so that’s been exciting. It’s been a real test in trying to keep a balance between work and play.
A lot of folks who don’t know better assume that a nightlife gig is both of those things! I guess in a way it is, but DJing requires so much preparation and constant decision-making, right?
DJing is a communal effort. As a DJ, you have to be observant and read a room in a flash. Most of the decisions I make from track to track really come from the crowd’s energy being fed back to me.
I play all of my sets live with no real prep, only a few stepping stones (meaning there are a few tracks I know that I want to play in the duration of my set). That gives me more power in maneuvering across genres and BPMs as the night progresses.
When you have full control over the night, what do your sets generally sound like as far as genres, artists etc.?
Most of my sets comprise of old house (which is where the name “haus kat” comes from), techno, pop, r&b, and more recently lots of trance.
Where are you from, and what kind of music were you growing up with and being influenced by?
I’m from LA! I grew up listening to all kinds of music. My dad is a huge music nerd who always tried to expand my palate; he put me onto ska, classic rock, jam bands, punk.. you name it. I always had an affinity to pop and r&b though, given what we were listening to the radio most days.
Speaking of pop, are you gonna read Britney’s book?
Oh babe, I’m already on it. The level of reading that Michelle Williams has served deserves a medal! But the book itself is brutal and shocking, to say the least.
Yes, and I’m living for the audio clips that have been shared! So how did you become a DJ and a New Yorker?
I moved to NY about nine years ago, and started “DJing” a bunch of parties two years into having lived here–I was making playlists for big companies and small shops. I was meeting new people that liked my taste and wanted me to provide tunes at parties, so that’s kind of how it all started.
And then how did you find yourself amongst the demons of nightlife?
Lol! I became good friends with a few drag queens, just from going out pretty often. They would invite me to play regular drag shows all over Brooklyn. I was getting paid very little, but it didn’t matter because I just wanted to play – I still do.
Have you had an all time favorite gig yet?
I love playing “Friction Fridays” at Hush and of course “BitchFest” with La Zavaleta at C’mon Everybody.
You have a new Hush venture about to premiere: DJing “Vedettes,” a Wednesday weekly show with Missleidy Rodriguez and La Zavaleta! What more can you tell us about this show?
You can only expect the unexpected. Both Missleidy and Zava are phenomenal performers (arguably some of the best in nightlife at the moment).
Agreed! Where else can we find you in the near future?
I’m consistently playing all over. I’m a bit of a chameleon in that way, which I like. I’m working on a new analogue party project (happy to say I’ve started learning to play with records), and a few mixes.
Very exciting! Okay lastly: what’s your best advice for a new DJ in town who wants to make it Big in the City?
Put in the work, and hold respect for the people around you!
Thanks, Kat!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for DJ Haus Kat’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram.
Thotyssey 