DJs of Lebanon: Jixo & Danz Take Over Dubai

“In music the passions enjoy themselves.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

The Lebanese are renowned for their many talents, and music is definitely one of them. With so many outstanding DJs in the country, we thought we’d shine a spotlight to highlight some of the best talents in the field by launching the DJs of Lebanon. It’s a way to thank them for providing the soundtrack to some of the best nights of our lives and keep the beats going and going and going.

Lebanese Duo Jixo and Danz are among the many expats that moved to Dubai for “day jobs” but by night these awesome guys are DJs that are seriously heating up the nightlife scene in the UAE with their events and permanent gigs at the likes of Blue Marlin Ibiza, plus international affairs. Check out our interview with the musical pair:

How did each of you begin your DJing careers?

It all started when we first decided to buy the pioneer CDJ 100 back in 2002, since we both have the same passion for music. A year later we started spinning in small gigs in Beirut till the time we decided to move to Dubai for job opportunities and everything has gone well since then.

Who and what are the inspirations for your music?

We get exposed to various genres and styles of music due to the fact that Dubai is hosting top quality international DJs on a weekly basis. It’s a good source of inspiration, especially when we get the chance to perform alongside these big names.

How would you define your genre of music?

Nowadays there is no ONE specific genre of music. We can simply say it is a combination of disco, deep, groovy house and can goes up to tech or definitely techno. It all depends on where and when we are performing.

Where can we listen to you play?

You can catch us spinning at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE on Fridays and/or Saturdays. District Lounge DIFC is also another night spot we spin at, in addition to various local events.

What was your favorite event or show you ever played and why?

Every event or venue has its own unique vibe, but the first thing that comes in our mind was our gig in Ibiza last summer, in addition to the Blue Marlin Ibiza Formula 1 event in Abu Dhabi. It was good a feeling to be performing while watching the race 🙂

Do you have any albums or are you working on one?

We always wanted to start producing, however our day jobs are taking a lot of our time and till now we didn’t manage to finalize what we have already started. We should be working on some tracks in the second half of this year.

What brought you to Dubai?

We both work in the media industry, we got a nice opportunity in two well reputable media house companies.

What’s the difference between the clubbing scenes in Dubai and Lebanon?

The scene in Lebanon started earlier and at some point it was the number 1 destination in the region with no doubt. Unfortunately the unstable situation didn’t help much to keep this momentum going. However the positive vibe will always be there!

The Dubai scene is getting really mature. We can really see the difference today after being in the UAE for 5 years. The cosmopolitan side of the city is making it really special and the ongoing weekly events are just making people appreciate  the music more and more.

Do either of you have any other projects going on right now, other than DJing?

Yes, we both work in the media industry in two different media house companies. Danz as a digital account manager & Jixo as an outdoor account manager.

Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

5 years is a long way but all we can say is that things are on the right track ! We already played in a few countries such as Malaysia, Greece and Ibiza. More opportunities are to come but our main priority will always be our “real” day time job.

What’s the most difficult part about being a DJ?

Being up-to-date and constantly looking for fresh sound.

What’s the best part of being a DJ?

The DJ is the only one to know what’s coming next… seriously now, the best part is seeing a responsive crowd!

Do you have hobbies? Can you tell us more about those?

Football, Darts, pool table and list goes on 🙂

Where can we follow your news and updates? Do you have a fanpage?

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jixo-Danz/168201566544533?ref=hl

Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/jixo-danz

What are your favorite tunes on your iPods right now?

Too difficult to answer this one, every genre has its own mood and timing.

How would you describe Lebanon in one sentence?

The city that never sleeps.

How would you describe Dubai in one sentence?

A very convenient and interesting city to live in.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you to all the people who supported us throughout these years. Without music life would be a mistake 🙂