Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Garner.
Hi Aaron, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I played trombone growing up through middle and high school, and I was also into athletics — I wrestled in high school and continued for one year in college.
After leaving college, I started bartending, a career I stuck with for 10+ years, four of which I spent managing a bar. That experience gave me a deep appreciation for the craft cocktail scene. While bartending, I stayed heavily connected to the house music scene — going to shows and EDM festivals
About three years ago, I decided to pick up a DJ board, and I fell in love with the craft. It gave me a new way to channel my creative side through a different kind of instrument. I started out DJing EDM and house music, since that scene was already familiar to me, which made it easier to grasp. Not long after, I branched into hip-hop and open format, since I’ve always loved all genres of music. I would go to work at 3PM, get out at 1 Am, go home and dj until 5 or 6 AM. Wake up at 9AM , gym, and repeat
How I got to where I am today comes down to consistency, believing in myself, not giving up, and surrounding myself with like-minded people. That last part matters most — the right people hold you accountable, push you past your limits, and support you at the same time.
I recently made the leap into being a full-time Artist, but my background in bar management has genuinely helped open doors and create opportunities for gigs along the way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m a very optimistic person, so whenever I’m faced with challenges, I try to focus on the positives. Overall, it has not been a smooth road, but that hasn’t affected my mood — if anything, it’s made me grind even harder.
One of my biggest struggles has been being overlooked. People don’t see what happens behind closed doors — the hours spent DJing until six in the morning, endless time in the studio, researching music theory, or digging for new music. There have been countless times I’ve reached out to venues over and over, only to get left on read and ignored entirely. Not being heard has probably been the most discouraging part of this journey. But it taught me that no one owes me anything — if I want something, I have to go get it myself. Show up to venues, support other artists, meet owners, introduce myself, shake hands, make friends.
Another challenge has honestly been getting in my own head. The more I learned about producing, songwriting, and making music, the more I realized how much I didn’t know — and that can mess with you. You start questioning whether you’re actually good enough, even as you’re improving. It took me a while to accept that it’s okay to just always be a sponge, always be learning, and that doesn’t mean you’re behind — it means you’re growing. On top of that, comparison really is the thief of joy, especially with social media constantly putting other DJs and artists in front of you. Learning not to compare my journey to theirs, and just stay focused on my own path, has been one of the harder mental battles along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a full-time artist and DJ, producing EDM and tech house. Some of my biggest inspirations are Green Velvet, Beltran, and Chris Lake. I’m known across two scenes — I DJ open format as well as EDM, which means I’ve built connections with a wide range of musicians and artists along the way.
What I’m most proud of is simply being in music full time. If you’d tell me three years ago that I’d end up here, I wouldn’t have believed you. I get to make my living as a creator, giving people a good time while doing what I love. Music has carried me through some tough times in my own life, so being able to turn around and do that for other people — inspire them, guide them through their own hard moments — means a lot to me.
What sets me apart is that I’m one of the most down-to-earth people you’ll come across. What you see is what you get. I also genuinely love teaching and leading — I’ve always ended up in leadership roles at every restaurant job I’ve had, and that’s carried straight into my music career. I don’t mind taking the hard path myself, because it means I can turn around and hand people the shortcut I had to discover the long way.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Yes, I’ve taken plenty of risks, and honestly, I think risk is just part of chasing something real. One of the biggest ones came from my restaurant career — I spent my whole adult life in that industry, and the real money was always on weekends, which happened to be the same nights residencies and club DJs work.
At the time, I was only getting bookings here and there, maybe once a month at most. Mostly, I was just DJing at my house for my own enjoyment — nothing serious, just for fun. My boss noticed I was getting better and knew I wanted to invest more in my music career, so he offered to switch my schedule to lunch shifts, Monday through Friday, so I’d have my weekends free to DJ.
I was hesitant. In the music industry, you build your own schedule — no bookings, no pay. And lunch shifts paid a lot less than weekend shifts. I’d always had steady income, so giving that up was scary. But I took the risk anyway, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.
The same week my schedule changed, I landed two bookings. That momentum kept building, and bookings kept coming. It grew my career and my confidence — I finally realized I was capable of doing this as a real artist, not just a hobby. I just needed that push. If I’d never taken that risk, I honestly don’t know where I’d be right now — probably still just a bedroom DJ.
At the end of the day, taking risks is necessary if you actually want to grow. Nothing changes if you stay comfortable. You have to believe in yourself enough to bet on your own potential, even when it’s scary — because that belief is usually what carries you through to the other side.
Pricing:
- Always Willing to Negotiate
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dj_ayeeg/?hl=en
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@DJAYEEG
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/nnWwWxoDtgeQWiuI8v
