Whether DJing parties big or small, local or abroad, Edward Frame is always setting the scene for a sexy, fun, dancey night. [Cover photo: @reganrabanal]
Thotyssey: Hello Edward, thanks for chatting with us today! You were just DJing at The Rosemont recently, how do it go?
Edward Frame: I did do The Rosemont Saturday night, yes! It went well! Always a fun crowd.
What’s your DJ sound like days?
I gravitate more towards tech house and vocal house, for the most part. That’s the sweet spot for me, but I love to experiment with techno and disco house when I get the opportunity to do so!
Where are you from originally, and what sort of music did you grow up with?
I’m from Florida originally, but spent a lot of time growing up with Puerto Rican culture and music in my household. So one thing I love incorporating in my sets is a little bit of Latin tech house flavor.
Of course it already seems like years ago, but you must have felt that love and Pride for Puerto Rican culture in the Bad Bunny halftime show!
Oh absolutely! I’ve always been a fan of Bad Bunny, and this just solidified it, haha!
Where was the first place you DJed in NYC?
The “City of Gods” festival in 2022, for the Burning Man camp The Glamcocks. First place I DJed in LA when I lived there was “Pearl Pool Party” back in 2019 / 2020. I helped co-produce that party from the ground up, and was the resident DJ there that started it all.
What do you feel about the state of nightlife today, from a DJ perspective? Are we in a good place, or are these challenging times?
Nightlife feels like it’s in a pretty interesting place right now. People want to go out again, and you feel a strong hunger for dancing and real connection. At the same time, running events has become tougher. Costs rise. Venues close. Promoters take bigger risks to keep parties going along with the saturation of events nowadays in NYC alone.
From a DJ perspective, one great part sits in how global music feels today. A track made in someone’s bedroom can end up moving a dance floor across the world a few weeks later. New artists reach listeners faster than ever.
Nowadays, Social media pushes DJs to act like content creators while still trying to build a real sound and identity. The DJs who last focus on community, building their own rooms and strong taste instead of chasing trends.
You just have to stand out from the crowd because being a DJ nowadays is also very saturated. I love doing what I do to educate the partygoers on music they are enjoying, but haven’t necessarily ever heard before. I just pride myself on being a storyteller when I play my sets.
Do you like setups where the DJ is front and center and everyone is around him, or do you prefer the traditional setup where the DJ is not centered?
I like both! It just depends on the event. Sometimes it’s nice to be up high and the center of attention in some way, but there’s nothing like being there in the crowd feeling the energy and feeding off of that. I love finding a random person in the crowd that just vibes with me all night, and just really feeding off of that.
Have you had an all-time favorite gig or moment while DJing?
Oh gosh! I’ve had so many! But honestly, some of my favorite moments have been all of my sets at the Eagle NYC. As a resident on their roster, I’ve really been able to hone in on my craft and follow in the footsteps of some incredible DJs who’ve played there before me… and been able to develop a great little following from that consistent gig. I’ve also really just been having such an amazing time at VICE in NYC, a monthly party that me and my partner DJ Le Fiu throw together! We’ve been going strong for over a year, and next month will be our one year anniversary where we’ve booked some great artists for the lineup.
You’ll be back to both of those gigs these next few weeks! First up is The Eagle this Friday night, with DJ Musikdawg.
Oh hell yes! It’s Friday the 13th, and playing Fridays at Eagle means everyone is ready to dance after a long work week. The staff there is incredible, and of course Musikdawg is the best!
And.then VICE returns to Vers on March 20th!
Yes it does! Give us a follow to follow the journey!
You’re spinning a special Webster Hall edition of the long-running M.E.A.T. party on April 25, which will be merged with a new party S.W.E.A.T.!
Super excited about that one… especially being able to play alongside some of my great friends Ryan McClure and Matt Denton who are so amazing! I don’t really know too much about it other than there has been a long-standing party called M.E.A.T. that was catered more towards circuit music for the most part. It seemed as though the brand is splitting off into two parties moving forward, with one of them being called S.W.E.A.T. which is gonna be catered more towards House music. Sounds like a really cool idea, and I’m excited to be part of the launch! Plus, I get to play Webster Hall, which is an iconic venue… so it’s a two for one for me!
What else is coming up for you?
Other upcoming events: DS Tequila in Chicago on 4/12; SouthBeach Cub in Houston on 4/18; Bunker in DC on 4/24; The Abbey in WeHo on 5/1; and The Eagle NYC again on 5/15.
And finally: what’s your best advice for a baby DJ who wants to make it big in NYC?
Honestly, my biggest advice is to get out into the scene and be part of it. Go to parties. Support other DJs. Meet promoters. Build real relationships. New York runs a lot on community — and people remember who shows up and contributes to the culture, not only who posts online.
Also, focus on developing your own taste and sound. There are a lot of DJs and a lot of events in this city, so the ones who stand out bring something that feels like them instead of chasing whatever track is trending.
And most important: be patient. New York takes time, and the DJs who last treat the whole process like a long game and keep improving every time they play.
Thanks, Edward!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Edward Frame’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Instagram and LinkTree.
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