From military to management to music, South Carolina native DJ Paul Leasure has been making great things happen in more ways than one.
Thotyssey: Hi, Paul! Thanks for talking with us tonight!
Paul Leasure: Hey Jim, congratulations on your Get Out Award last night.
Yes, for our podcast Thotlight, thank you! It’s a great honor. And I see you’ve had quite the hustle this December!
I’ve been super busy this season, in the best way. In addition to my regular gigs, I just DJ’ed a Mariah concert after party this past Saturday. I’m a huge Mariah fan, so it was a dream come true for me.
How long have you been DJing now?
Since 1997! I was 20 years old. I was in the Air Force, and we used to go to these Thursday night parties at a neighboring college. One week, the DJ canceled last minute and I jumped in. I did such a good job that they asked me to take over. I started out using CDs and cassette tapes, lol.
After the military, I worked at a recording studio for ten years and I DJ’ed on the side. Then I went into nightlife, where I eventually started managing the gay bars in Hell’s Kitchen. I did management for ten years, but I always missed being a DJ. I recently went back to it full-time about two years ago. I feel very grateful, because I got really busy very quickly… and I’ve never been happier. It’s true what they say: if you do what you love, you’ll never have to work.
Interesting! So you were managing at Rise Bar and The Spot, where you do most of your DJing today?
Yeah. I was DJ’ing full time at Evolve Bar (formally Oscar Wilde) on the UES, when I got a job offer managing at Therapy in HK. So I was there for four years, a year at Boxers, and about five years at Rise. After a decade of nightlife management, I was burnt out and desperately looking for something different. I kept telling people how much I missed being a DJ, but I never really thought I would get back into it. Then one day. David Serrano asked me to cover him. I was super nervous, but I did it and had such so much fun that I decided to pursue it full-time once again. It was the best decision ever, and I’ve never looked back.
These days, what do you like to play at venues when the choice is entirely up to you? And what music do you like to listen to when you’re not DJing?
I love a good remix! Lol. I feel like people can listen to album versions at home, or on the train. When you go out to a bar, the music should be elevated in some way. It should be something familiar, but different. I like to keep it vocal, and I love playing all the divas. I tend to run the gamut from hip-hop and reggaeton, to club/dance remixes. I love finding dance mixes of older songs. Anything that will ignite the audience’s nostalgia. That’s how I put them under my spell, lol. My sweet spot is a packed dance floor on a Friday / Saturday night. It’s where I shine.
At home, I’m very much the opposite. I listen to a lot of jazz and slow jams like Sade. Relaxing music.
Does your “manager” brain and your “DJ” brain work the same way when you’re in the booth? Like, are you hyper-aware that all the patrons are happy and that everything is working around you, or do you have to tune some of that out and get lost in the music a bit?
Finding a balance between those two personalities was difficult in the beginning, but now I definitely think more like a DJ than a manager. Although, I still scan the room from my booth with manager eyes, lol. All of that training definitely helps me to read the crowd and direct the music accordingly. I know all of the inner workings of a club, so I know what management (and the staff) wants from me. If I make the audience happy, then the bar makes money. I’m hyper-aware of that. I often think of myself as a conductor of an orchestra. I’m not just playing music, I’m controlling the energy in the room. I’m just using music as a tool to accomplish the mood that I want to set.
I enjoyed what you had to say in a recent Gay City News article about the enduring legacy of Beyonce’s Renaissance. So then, what are your thoughts on Nicky Minaj’s recent Pink Friday 2? It seems to be getting a tepid reception at best… does this speak to Nicki’s waning popularity or a sign of the times in general, or is it just a polarizing album?
On a whole, it’s not my favorite album. Her vocals don’t feel as fiery as they normally do, and some of the tracks feel slow, or sad. However, there are three or four bangers on there that I can play out. So as a DJ I consider that a win, lol! She should have just picked five or six songs and released an EP. I think she’s still very popular though, and her fan base has only grown and strengthened over time.
What’s coming up for you, gigs-wise?
This coming Saturday, I’m doing a brunch with Brita Filter and Kizha Carr at Burger & Lobster.
On Sunday, I’m doing another Mariah party during happy hour, then I’m going straight to her concert at MSG… I also have tickets to see Madonna this week!
Next week, I’m going to start concentrating on DJ’ing the New Years Eve party at Rise. No rest for the weary, but I plan to sleep a lot on January 1st, lol.
Anything else?
I have regular gigs five days a week, and then a few more holiday events coming up, so I’m just trying to get through December right now, lol. In January I hope to regroup and refocus and take my career to the next level. My goal is to start playing clubs and large venues in 2024. Dance music has always been my passion and the center of my creativity, so I hope to explore more of that next year. I’m also working on developing more of an online and social media presence. So if you have any advice for me, let me know!
Just keep posting shirtless pics, lolol! Last question: what do you want for Christmas / the holidays?
A 2024 calendar featuring “The Men of Blanche’s Boudoir.” I can hear her in my head: “it’s a caaaalendar!” “I’m surprised you were able to walk in October!” I could be here all day reciting Golden Girls jokes. Lol!
There are much worse ways to spend a day! Thanks Paul, and Happy Holidays!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for DJ Paul Leasure’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Thotyssey 