Marcos Orta, also known as DJ Marez, lives a double life. ‘Up and coming’ is one way to describe this U0 McGill commerce student. “That obnoxious guy who takes command of the music during parties”—his own words—is another. Lucky for us, a quick listen to his SoundCloud station proves that he does it well.
“I entered a competition to open a set at the Brrrrr! Music Festival in Toronto,” he tells the Tribune. “I saw it as an opportunity to not only gain recognition, but to also have fun by doing what I do best. The rules were simple: whoever gets the most votes wins. In other words, it was a popularity contest. After spamming the [expletive] out of my friends on Facebook, I ended up in 10th place—out of over 100 submissions.”
Orta has been living out his passion and spinning with professional equipment for just over two years now. His main motivations are his enjoyment for imposing his music on others, and, he jokes, the “swag, ladies, etc.”
He is a member of Blackout Productions—a new label founded by Justin Macaskill, another McGill student. As well, Orta is a member of the SSMU DJs Guild. He has done various sets at McGill for Bar des Arts (BdA), The McGill Med-P/Dent-P Student’s Association (MDSA), and the McGill International Student’s Network (MISN). “It’s always a pleasure to spin for my McGillians,” Orta says.
While he wouldn’t call it a career yet, Orta claims he’s been “inundated with gigs” since his arrival in Montreal. He’s correct to assume that the parties here are “non-stop,” which would explain why he has played as many sets here, over the course of six months, as he did in Ottawa over a year and a half.
“I plan to make deejaying a substantial part of my future,” says Orta, “not so much in a club setting, but in a more international sense; in prominent festivals around the world.” In order to achieve this, he has started producing house music.
He describes his songs as profound, yet energetic. He has too many inspirations to name one, ranging from Axwell to Coldplay and from Ludovico Einaudi to Lana Del Rey. Music, in his opinion, has to be inspirational, and must hold meaning.
“Music should be able to bring out your deepest sentiments—something no other force can achieve. That’s why you’ll never hear me playing Nicki Minaj.”
Instead, he prefers to play electro and progressive house—“despite the countless requests for top 40.” While he may come across as adamant or assertive, Orta maintains that he’s just trying to build an identity. “It’s on a whole other level, [trying] to get people to understand your tunes, to move to your music.”
While a lot of students may try their hands at deejaying in university, the art takes more skill than merely hitting the pause/play button, or transitioning from one song to another. It is easier said than done, in his opinion, and far too many people undermine or under-appreciate the “art of deejaying.”
“A DJ, or rather, a successful DJ, has to have a high level of creativity, a natural or meticulously trained ear, the ability to mix in key, the capability to beat match, and an appropriate taste for effects—all while keeping the vibe going.”
His advice for other aspiring DJs, then is to remain dedicated, diligent, and persistent. “There will be times of great discouragement, times that will test how much heart you have for the decks. If ever the dance floor is empty, and you feel like you’ve done everything in your power, including dropping Gangnam Style, don’t panic. Sometimes, it’s just a dead crowd regardless of what’s playing. Keep your head up, keep it real, and keep it fresh.”
