Meet the DJ

Jenna Palmer

From studying and bar work… to discovering her passion for DJing… to playing poolside parties and starring in her own TV show, DJ Jenna Palmer’s career is one complete with surprises, successes and a whole load of hard work!

Unlike most DJs, Jenna Palmer didn’t decide to become a DJ. Instead, she fell into the profession, realizing very quickly that she’d found her passion in life – even if it was by accident! Since then, she’s never looked back, taking on opportunity after opportunity without so much of a backwards glance.

A ‘true Las Vegas native’, Jenna was born and raised in the City of Lights, attending both grade school and college, and eventually graduating from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Science and Business Administration in Marketing. Four years before her graduation, however, she found herself DJing in a nightclub where she already worked – and her life changed forever!

“Back in 2003 I was hired at a nightclub as their entertainment coordinator,” explained Jenna. “One day the music director was short for DJs for a daytime corporate event and asked if I could provide the music for them. At that time I did not know anything about DJing, but I knew music. He taught me how to work the equipment, just enough to get through the party, and afterwards said if I was interested in really learning how to DJ he would teach me. Needless to say, I said yes!”

This was a game-changing moment for Jenna – someone who loved music but had never considered going behind the decks to provide entertainment for others. This fundamental passion for music has remained the key driving force behind her work, despite admitting that she has become fascinated with the entertainment side of DJing.

“My initial love for the craft began with the music! However, it didn’t take long after to become obsessed with the entertainment aspect,” she reiterated. “I was blessed to be surrounded by great local DJs: John Kamahele, DJ Exodus, DJ Toma, DJ Dilemma, Duane King and the entire E320 Entertainment crew, just to name a few… Watching them all play and move their crowds was very inspirational.”

These days, Jenna is the one getting the crowds moving. As an open format DJ she mostly takes bookings for clubs, pool parties and corporate events, as well as holding down residencies at the Flamingo Go Pool, Encore and Wynn European Pool. While Jenna is happy to travel far and wide when required, her work mostly takes place across the West Coast. And undertaking such a wide range of bookings has certainly garnered some memorable moments for the DJ! But which one is the most unforgettable?

“Out of them all, I will say it was an outdoor/rooftop club. The crowd was just ready to party, and we did! The place was packed…” Jenna tells us. “This night in particular they were just in party mode – I could have played Frank Sinatra and they would have still ‘raged’. The vibe was just on point at the end of the night when we were getting to close and I was giving them their ‘last call’ speech. The entire crowd was chanting ‘Go DJ, that’s my DJ!’ and it was so loud it echoed! It was a surreal feeling; one of my best nights!”

Far from playing Frank Sinatra, Jenna loves to spin a slightly more modern style of music! Though we don’t doubt that her love of music spreads across the genres and decades, house is her genre of choice, particularly the subgenres of tech and deep house: “the sound and feel is just sexy to me but at the same time it’s moving,” she says. Some of Jenna’s favorites "go to" tracks – at least for the time being – are ‘Samir’s Scorpion Hands’ (JD Live Bootleg), ‘Dangerous’ (JD Live Edit) and ‘All Day’ (Club Killers Festival Trap Remix) – three tracks that really get the dance-floor pumped!

While these songs and genres are some of her most beloved, Jenna’s sets are never quite as straight forward as using the same predictable tracks. She likes to explore new stuff and risk playing tracks the crowd may not already know – something that she feels sets her apart from some of the competition. “My sets are never pre-set,” says Jenna. “I pride myself on knowing what music I have and making sure I am always up to date. I like to not only play the hits but, more than anything, I enjoy being able to drop a fresh track and educate people’s robot ears.”

Of course, when she isn’t busy ‘educating people’s robot ears’, Jenna enjoys a busy social life outside of her DJ work. But she’s also involved with local charities, offering her DJing services as a donation for their events and fundraisers.

“When I am not DJing I enjoy spending time with my family, going to dinner with my friends, and traveling for leisure. But I also enjoy sharing my time with local charities,” she says. “My favorite is the Joy Prom in Las Vegas, a full-scale prom for teenagers and adult individuals with cognitive and physical impairments. This last year I had the opportunity to donate to this event by DJing the Prom. I never get nervous for a gig, but this one got me! I just wanted to make sure that these teenagers and adults had the best experience ever.”

While Jenna has made plenty of connections with local charities over the years, she’s also made a good few professional relationships too. One, however, stands out from the others in a rather special way.

“Four and half years ago I got booked for a corporate gig. As I walked into the venue I saw another DJ setting up. I immediately called the coordinator to see what was going on and, to my surprise, they had accidentally double booked,” Jenna explains. “Instead of just leaving I decided to stay and split the shift. I agreed to perform the first half and the other DJ said he would take over and close. So, after two hours of playing I was ready to switch over, but his computer crashed and wouldn’t restart. I ended up playing the entire event! As a thank you, the other DJ decided to treat me to dinner. To this day I am grateful to call him my partner in life.”

From falling into the DJ profession during college to playing some of the hottest pool parties and clubs on the West Coast, not to mention meeting her life partner through DJing – so far it’s been an eventful, action-packed career for Jenna. But despite her busy DJing schedule, charity work and social life, she’s also managed to venture into the realms of TV work, launching her own show.

“I am currently in the works of shopping a reality TV show called ‘Beauty and The Beats’,” says Jenna. “It’s a show about three female DJs giggin’ it up in crazy Las Vegas – and, of course, all the drama that comes with that! It will be interesting and fun at the same time… [readers] will have to follow me on social media to keep updated!” [See link and website below.]

A DJ who’s always on the lookout for new opportunities, harnessing the same levels of energy and passion now as she did when she started out a decade ago, Jenna Palmer shows little sign of stopping! Does she have any advice for all those aspiring DJs out there?

“My advice is this: Don’t worry so much about how many people know you, just as long as the right people do,” Jenna offers, emphasizing the importance of being sociable. “Oh, and never stop practicing!”

For more information on DJ Jenna Palmer or to connect with her on social media, follow the links below.

Website: http://www.beautyandthebeats.vegas/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djjennapalmer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/djjennapalmer
Instagram: @jennapalmerlv

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