Welcome back to the-inspired.com! We love stories where dreams turn to reality. Stories which help us realize that if you really want something, you have to go get it. The world won't be meeting you half way. Hard work is required. So is patience. So is hope. And belief. But in this new journey, regardless of the final outcome, you find yourself in the process. You tap into the authentic you.
In the end, that's the remix we're all looking for.
Introducing the very talented DJ Boss Ross.
You see, a few years ago, he didn't exist, or he did, but only as an idea. And now DJ Boss Ross, aka Hayden Ross, is creating new sets and playing live guest spots with ten's of thousands of listeners tuning in weekly from around the world.
More importantly, DJ Boss Ross is doing something he truly loves. He's focused on a goal, set a plan in place, and is now chiselling at it, each week. He's finding his FLOW, feeding his soul, and creating beautiful music in the process. And the world is taking notice. All of this wasn't easy. But it was totally worth it.
The hard truth is, for many of us, we live the life that we choose. Yes things happen to us that may be out of our control. But it's what we do next that matters most. We make decisions that impact our ability to do what we love. To be happy. To feel fulfilled. To find and allow us to work on understanding, unlocking, and unleashing our purpose. To find ways of doing less of what we have to, and more of what we love, each and every day.
In understanding that some of the best real life stories, come with simple life lessons, I introduce to you the story of DJ Boss Ross.
This interview is about DJ Boss Ross, but this story is really about you. About understanding what it is that drives you, moves you, and makes you feel excited to get up each morning.
This is a story about going from 'thinking' to 'doing' and how one man made it happen.
So with out further delay...here's our interview, and know that where ever you are today in your journey, you have a choice in what you do next.
The-Inspired Interview with DJ Boss Ross!
We're here with another interview with one of the new and up and coming talents and DJ's on Soundcloud.com and MixCloud.com and other sites in the Deep House music scene. A year back a I asked DJ Boss Ross, aka Hayden Ross, if I could interview him for the-inspired.com because I'd been following his music and watching his steady rise.
From a few dozen listens to now, in the tens of thousands, his mixes are hypnotic, nostalgic, and new. So how did it all happen for DJ Boss Ross, and what can we learn from his story? Let's find out...
1. Who is DJ BossRoss? What kind of music does he play, what does he specialize in, where can we find him, and where do most of his fans reside? Any stats on subscribers or how
DJ Boss Ross: I’m a busy professional, father of two beautiful girls, and recently an internationally renowned DJ! In all seriousness, I’m just a guy who found a much needed outlet for his creativity and it has changed my life for the better.
I am known for playing Deep Vocal House, Indie Dance & NuDisco. These genres are very very popular overseas, and interestingly, my largest fan base on SoundCloud is in Egypt, followed by Russia and then USA. On MixCloud my mixes achieve chart positions, which are the top 50 for each genre.
About 6 months ago I got involved with a UK streaming radio station Beach Radio www.beach-radio.co.uk and I’ve become a Resident DJ there Saturday Nights 2-4am UK (6-8pm Vancouver) where i play a more Club/Dance/Tech-House set, and then back on brand for Deep House Sundays 5-6pm UK (8-9am Vancouver). I’m also listed as one of the top 100 DJs in Russia on the biggest Russian house music streaming site bananastreet.ru, which I have done several radio and exclusive mixes for.
2. Taking a step back, tell us about yourself, your day job, and what was the driving force, the catalyst that helped you become DJ BossRoss?
DJ Boss Ross: I’ve enjoyed a successful career as a Real Estate Broker/REALTOR for the past 15 years, which I also have a big passion for. I find it very rewarding to help people with some of the biggest financial decisions they will make, and ensuring the process is smooth, alleviating their stress and ultimately making them super happy with their purchase or sale.
As for the music, I grew up on old school rap, hard rock, metal and the grunge scene. My music tastes did not change from when I was in my late teens to my late 30’s. On the heels of a divorce, on my 40th birthday, I found and fell in love with deep house music while on a soul searching solo cycling trip across Europe.
The music fuelled my trip, riding 120-130km/day through the most beautiful scenery, pedalling to the beat. I particularly connected with deep house, indie dance & nu disco, and have subsequently expanded my tastes into many different genres. Music makes me happy, and getting to share it with others means the world to me. I hope that I can do for others what happened to me on that trip and thereafter.
3. What's your proudest achievement in the music you make? And what's something that surprised you in taking this journey?
DJ Boss Ross: What’s most surprising is the friends from around the world that I have made through all of this. Connecting with other DJ’s who play similar styles of music, helping each other out - it has opened so many doors for me, and I have made friendships that I can see lasting for a long time.
I’ve connected with a lot of the producers who’s tracks I play and have developed relationships there as well. It’s funny, many of the artists that inspired me to get into this have now become my peers.
There’s a really good community vibe if you are comfortable reaching out. I’m proud to have earned the respect of others in the industry, as well as the following I am developing, and look forward to seeing what the future has in store.
It feels like more than a hobby for sure. Let’s call it an unpaid side hustle!
4. How do you schedule time to work on your music? How long does it take to make a mix? What methods do you use to decide what music to include?
DJ Boss Ross: Most of my mixes these days are live recordings of my radio sets, so the mixes themselves only take one or two hours to make as allotted by the set times, but there is so much that goes into each one behind the scenes.
As important as the mixing itself, if not more, is the music selection. I’m always digging for new music - following artists, labels, etc. There’s an art to finding the tracks that will fit together nicely in your set.
For me, each set has to have a ‘story’, taking the listener on a journey through the music. There’s also a lot of prep work that goes into each set which can take as long, if not longer, than playing/recording.
I dial in all my cue points so I know exactly when and where I’m mixing in/out and making sure that the transitions are all butter smooth. The idea is not only to match the beat/tempo but also to match the rhythm as you transition from one track to the next, so the listener can’t tell where one begins and one ends.
5. What's the one piece of advice you can give others that have a passion for something, but haven't started on it yet?
DJ Boss Ross: What I’ve learned is that having an outlet for your creativity is such an important thing.
We all have our careers, some 9-5, some entrepreneurial 24/7, and we hammer away at them all day. We also have our personal and family and commitments, as well as fun.
But a creative outlet keeps us motivated as well as being entertained in our downtime. And is so much better than just sitting on the couch, which is what I would do before, exhausted from the day.
6. What's next for DJ BossRoss?
DJ Boss Ross: What I’d really love to do is get into the production side of things.
I’m constantly deconstructing tracks in my head. I can see how it all fits together, and imagine different variations.
I also have to get myself out there on more platforms. YouTube is the big one, and becoming established on there will take me from hundreds of thousands of plays to millions.
I’m going to have to learn how to make videos as well!
If you missed the links above and you'd like to checkout DJ Boss Ross' music you can check him out here: Soundcloud.com and MixCloud.com and by the sounds of it youtube is coming soon!
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