Waves of Musical Connections
REFLECTING ON THE EMOTIONAL POWER OF MUSIC FROM THE EYES OF A DJ.
I was sitting in the backseat of an Uber that had just picked me up from the Orlando airport with only three hours of sleep; but I was wide awake and excited because I was on my way to the hotel to meet up with my family for a vacation at Walt Disney World! Then it happened: I heard it… Jon Secada’s melodious voice singing “Just Another Day” — I, I don’t wanna say it, I don’t wanna find another way to make it through the day without you…
I jumped up in my seat as far as the seatbelt would let me and shouted to the driver, “Can you please turn that up!?” He laughed and did so willingly. The driver, who happened to be a Cuban-American like the singer, was also a fan. I couldn’t believe my ears: It was one of our “family songs” and it’s not a song that comes on the radio frequently. How cool is that for a feel-good experience? I’m on my way to meet my family and one of our family songs comes on the radio! The driver then pulled up a personal Jon Secada playlist on his phone and we jammed to some more Secada songs the rest of the way.
Now it’s your turn: Think about a moment a song came on the car radio, or popped up in your Spotify playlist, or you heard playing in a store where you were shopping. Instantly you were taken to a moment in your life or reminded of someone. How did it make you feel? It could have been uplifting, or maybe a somber experience, depending on what memory was being evoked.
As a DJ, it brings me joy to have an influence on people with the power of music. On a cruise ship, most guests are on board for a vacation or to celebrate. They want to escape their daily lives, put the worries back home behind them, and practice being in the present. I love that I get to be a part of enhancing their shipboard experience when I sail onboard as a Guest DJ Entertainer.
There was one particular moment that will be forever ingrained in my memory. It was an early pre-dinner dance set, and it was also formal night, so guests were dressed to impress. There is always a special air on the ship when it’s formal night. The energy is vibrant and full of love and the smiles are bigger as people are anticipating a wonderful night ahead. As I was looking through my music, I wanted to select songs that reflected the evening and help set the tone. I was led to “Moon River” by Andy Williams. I wasn’t sure why; it wasn’t something I would normally start a set with, but I went ahead and played it.
A minute later, one of the guests, Carol, who I had gotten to know and really like, came around the corner teary-eyed and said, “Dayna you have no idea what you just did for me. You made my night.” She then explained to me that her husband had passed and this was a song of theirs. She had said a prayer to him to show her a sign that he was with her that night. Then she heard me play “Moon River.” I gave her a big, comforting hug and just held her while tears streamed down both of our faces. I told her that something from within my heart moved me to play it, and how glad I was that she had come to share with me the special meaning the song had for her. I have tears in my eyes as I am writing this now! It was such a memorable music experience — for me, as well as for her — and a blessing that I was “selected” as the one who gave her the sign she needed through music.
The power that music has on human beings truly amazes me. It is a universal language that connects people and is understood by all. Songs do so much for us: They bring back memories, influence our moods, heal brokenness, lift spirits, provide comfort, help us celebrate special moments, and are even used in therapy. Music impacts our bodies in such a deep way that when we hear our favorite music or song we experience a “good vibration,” which is the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with feelings such as euphoria, bliss and motivation.
You may not have had an experience exactly like the “Moon River” moment I just described above, but I have no doubt you will make musical connections with your audience if you are a DJ or with someone you meet that will touch them deeply. You may not know until afterward, or you may never even know about it at all; but you can be sure that what you play will touch someone in your audience — and sometimes it will be on a deeper, more-than-superficial level. As DJs, we’re always generating waves of musical connections! As humans, music connects our waves of existence.
this article was originally published in Mobile Beat Magazine.
