Bringing Latin Roots to the EDM Scene: DJ Just John
The room pulsed with energy as the crowd let go, moving as one to the rhythm. Even the tight floor space couldn’t contain the excitement, The Mix Lounge was jumping with every beat drop. Newcomer Just John set the tone with a high-energy, hour-long set that gave everyone the perfect start to Halloween night. Just when it felt like he’d hit his last track, he dropped another banger, and that’s when we knew the night was only getting started. But before the chants, the cheers, and dance moves took over, we caught up with Just John to talk about his journey into DJ’ing and how he’s carving out his sound.
From being in charge of the aux cord at family parties to learning how to mix tracks on his own, he started exploring his creative side and diving into an art only a few truly understand. Watching him perform, you can hear traces of Dos Flakos and 2Deep in his sound, that Latin culture mixed with high energy, and instinctive crowd control. But like every artist, he has his own story to tell.
Captured by Angela Cano at The Mix Lounge, October 31, 2025
After years of listening, watching, and observing the local scene, he began to notice something was missing: Latin culture. Bridging his Latin roots with modern EDM, Just John wants to bring house music to Latin-oriented events, offering a unique sound to the music scene.
I thought, what better way to see what he envisions for himself than to ask about something every performer dreams of? Most artists have a dream venue, but Just John’s answer surprised me, and gave me a clearer sense of who he is.
“I don’t have a dream venue. I have a dream show, opening for Tainy.”
Clearly, it wasn’t ticket sales or streams that drive Just John, it’s building a space where the people can feel the music. He went on:
“Music can make or break any environment,” he said. “Seeing everyone get lost in the music, having fun, bringing back nostalgic memories, that’s what it’s all about.”
Of course, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. He opened up about his struggles with anxiety, explaining how music became both a coping mechanism and one of his greatest sources of inspiration.
“When I mix, it quiets my mind. Music brings a thousand memories, like a photograph, a moment captured in time, and I feel like music brings that same value.”
Beyond personal challenges, there’s also the grind most people don’t see. DJ’ing isn’t just playing tracks on the weekends, it’s hours of searching, listening, and curating.
“I’m always searching for different sounds, spending hours trying to find remixes or anything that feels new,” he said. “You can spend 60 hours digging through music just to build one hour’s worth of a set. It can be challenging.”
But performing his first official gig and feeling the support of his community showed that all those hours were worth it. I saw it on Friday night when The Mix chanted his name, bringing exactly what he promised: nostalgia, Latin culture, and a memorable night. He’s not afraid to bring something new to the DJ scene, and that’s what makes him unique, leaving a lasting impression on every crowd.
At the end of the night, he’s still that same kid from the family parties, only now, the crowd’s a little bigger, the lights shine a little brighter, but he’s still Just John.
And if you ask him what’s next? He’s got his sights set high: playing a Bad Bunny night at the House of Independents, a dream collab with Major Lazer, and a whole lotta festivals. Judging by Friday night, it doesn’t feel too far off.
