From small acts just happy to be on stage to national tours with 15 buses of costumes, the Syracuse music scene is booming. Local venues both on and off campus provide hubs for head bangers, ravers and jammers alike. One act about the blow the lid wide open is DJ NoMis with this smash EP ‘Back To You’
Exposed Vocals Score 7.9/10
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
I grew up in Suffern, NY and I’m currently a sophomore at Syracuse University, studying Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises. I always felt very passionate about music ever since I was 11 years old, and my father always encouraged me to follow my dreams, go the extra mile with everything I do, and be humble for everything I’ve already achieved. Nothing gives me a stronger sense of joy than working with artists, producing original content and helping others succeed; it’s the greatest feeling in the world.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Sure; don’t be afraid to approach bigger artists, stations or venues with your music and goals. You’re going to be facing rejection here and there, whether your content is great or not. Your growth and development will take lots of time, but if you stay dedicated to your craft and focused on what you want to do with your life, the end results are totally worth it.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Plenty of them! Every now and then, I’ll forget the lyrics to some of my own songs, and I lose my focus on what I’m supposed to be saying; I throw myself off. Normally, whenever this happens, I just start freestyling and keep going, even if it has nothing to do with the song itself. Some people actually find it humorous, impressive and funny all at once… no one’s expecting completely different lyrics from what they’re used to.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Currently, I do not tour, as I’m a full-time student at Syracuse. However, after I graduate or gain more momentum in the music industry, this will change.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
I do not have any planned studio upgrades for the near-future, but I’d like to purchase/rent a professional recording studio for 2020 Sound, my independent record label, a few years from now. Right now, I use an Audio-Technica ATH-2020USB+ with a sound isolator and pop filter to record my vocals. For production, I use an Alesis VI61 midi controller, FL Studio 12.5 (alongside other mastering plug-ins) and Audacity to record (I’ll soon be transitioning to Adobe Audition). To listen and create these works, I use Shure SRH940s as studio reference headphones and Alesis Elevate 5s as studio monitors. Finally, I use a Lenovo Y700 laptop to make all this possible.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
It’s all about expanding your network; you need to approach all these different people yourself about promoting your works. Word-of-mouth and social media are some of the most effective means of having your music heard. Sometimes, you’ll need to financially invest in this promotion. If you network with enough people about having your works published, or even be approached by others, it’s going to go so much farther than just uploading it and staying quiet.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
I’d love to perform with a variety of artists; it could be Michael Jackson, DJ Khaled, Drake, etc… anyone with a major impact in the music industry would be amazing. For the venue, I feel like performing the New Year’s Eve Show at Time Square would be great, because so many people would be watching us perform such a show that you wouldn’t be able to experience elsewhere. Furthermore, with the combined tastes of music throughout us artists, we’d create an experience that wouldn’t be anything like a standalone concert.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
I recently dropped my Back To You EP on February 23rd, alongside 2 teaser songs on SoundCloud. It’s available on all streaming/purchasing platforms. I’m not sure when I’d like to release another major project, so stay tuned for updates.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t doing music, I would be learning how to manage/run a multitude of different companies. However, I’m already doing this anyway, and do have plans to approach a variety of businesses. This would occur in the far-future, as my primary focus is currently developing 2020 Sound, creating a fanbase and self-improvement/education towards my career.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?
Fans should look forward to many more projects, alongside collaborations with more well-known artists. If there’s also a lot of demand, I will throw and perform my own concerts as well.
Exposed Vocals: Any Shout-outs?
Shout-outs to Dan Kee, Danielle Marie, Ari Lauchenaur, Geriel and Danny Kornblum for performing on my latest EP! Special shoutout to Josh Gustin as well for assisting with the vocal engineering for the song “Feel It Again.”
You can buy and stream music by DJ NoMis below:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/51I9G0izbeWwAMz1cuOlM6
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/back-to-you/1347877305
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/music/album/DJ_NoMis_Back_to_You?id=Bo55fpk6xe4tpitazkcp7zxqhny
Website: https://www.thedjnomis.com/
