WSJ Tech Live's Nasdaq Cocktails Under the Stars

Most people are lucky if they’re able to do something they love for a living, and in that case, I’m one of the lucky ones. But on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, I had the distinct honor of doing what I love for an event that combined three of the things I enjoy most – technology, food, and comedy – as the conference event DJ for The Wall Street Journal Tech Live Dinner Party and Nasdaq Cocktails Under the Stars.

Hailed as The Wall Street Journal’s “most exclusive technology event,” WSJ Tech Live is a summit of brilliant minds from giants like Intel, Apple, Microsoft, Snap, Disney, and Sequoia, among others. This invitation-only luxury event, held at the incomparable Montage Laguna Beach, includes three days of high-profile thought leadership and provides extravagant experiences for its guests, such as world-class dining and entertainment. Not only did I have the opportunity to be the tech event DJ for WSJ Tech Live organizers, speakers, and guests during Tuesday’s dinner, but I also had the immense pleasure of playing both before and after Reggie Watts, one of my all-time favorite performers, took the stage at the Nasdaq Cocktails Under the Stars portion of the evening.

The dinner menu, impeccably executed with the help of a celebrity chef, served up New Orleans-style street food staples. To complete the NOLA theme, the musical requests reflected a Mardi Gras vibe. Since New Orleans has such a distinctly rich musical history and culture, I curated a playlist comprised of both classics and upbeat tunes from genres like New Orleans Jazz, R&B, Zydeco, and Brass Bands. Some of the best picks from this playlist were “Tu Le Ton Son” by Zydeco All Stars, “Hurricane Season” by Trombone Shorty, “Keep Your Head Up” by Preservation Hall Jazz Band, “Hey Pocky Way” by The Meters, and “Give Me the Night” by Hot 8 Brass Band, just to name a few.

For Nasdaq Cocktails Under the Stars, I was thrilled to be the afterparty DJ for an event featuring Reggie Watts. I’ve always been impressed by his wholly unique talent for comedic and musical improvisation, so sharing a stage with him was nothing short of incredible. Since I was opening and closing for Reggie, I wanted my playlist to complement his energy and enhance the excitement of the event itself. My mix for the evening featured some of my favorite styles of music, such as indie-electronic, electronic funk and soul, R&B, disco, house, and remixed. Top tracks from these sets included “New Gold” by Gorillaz ft. Tame Impala & Bootie Brown, “Alright” (DJ Epik & Disco E Remix) by Janet Jackson, “Cuff It” by Beyonce, “I Can Get Love” by Toro Y Moi, “About Damn Time” (Purple Disco Machine Remix) by Lizzo, and “Get Down On It” (Kool & The Gang Cover) by Block & Crown.  

WSJ Tech Live is the creme de la creme of both Wall Street Journal Events and technology events, and it was my great privilege as an entrepreneur and woman DJ to perform for such an esteemed group of people. I am forever grateful to The Wall Street Journal and the event production team at E2k Events for having me and allowing me to represent Prism DJs at what was truly a dream job for me. This event was certainly one of the most memorable highlights in all of 2022.

Another huge thank you to Nikki Ritcher for the great photos!

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