Last updated on Nov. 25, 2025 at 10:10 p.m.
Walking past the campus bars on almost any given night, passersby can hear mixes of songs streaming out from inside. But who creates these blends of beats that elevate the Champaign-Urbana nightlife?
Inside the bar, DJs set the vibe with the mixes they assemble. Known for its lively nightlife culture, the University’s campus bars provide these emerging artists with opportunities to play their tracks for the large crowds out for a fun night.
The pressure of being the base for an exciting night pushes DJs such as Kiano Movagh, senior in Media, and Paola Diaz, senior in LAS, to follow the cues of the crowd.
“Every time, after I mix a song or transition, I’m making sure I’m looking at the crowd,” Movagh said. “I’m making sure people enjoyed that, or if they didn’t enjoy that, then I have to switch into a different genre or play something like a guaranteed song that is going to get a good crowd reaction.”
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This connection between artists and their audience is what inspired Movagh and Diaz to explore DJing.
Diaz began experimenting with DJing in her junior year of high school, posting sets to SoundCloud. However, Diaz explains that the rise in her passion for DJing stems from watching Boiler Room, a platform that broadcasts DJ sets from around the world. Boiler Room’s sets are unique because the DJ booths are on the dance floor rather than atop a platform, like most shows. The closeness forms a deeper bond between the DJ and the crowd.
“There wasn’t a barrier between artists and listeners,” Diaz said. “The listener was in the scene and part of the music, as well. I just thought it was really cool, so I bought a board and … just never stopped.”
Eventually, she started mixing for live audiences through her sorority’s events at the University. She was invited to compete in a bar battle — a trial run to see levels of engagement — at Joe’s Brewery. After, she gained a solid position as a bar DJ.
Movagh moved through a similar pattern of initially DJing for his fraternity at the University to get to the spot he’s in now. He used his position working at The Red Lion to advance to playing for a larger, more diverse crowd as a DJ for the bar. He also DJs shows at The Canopy Club and in Chicago.
Bars welcome people with a variety of different aesthetics and music tastes. The DJs themselves have individual takes when mixing tracks. Finding the balance between a DJ’s unique sound and the audience’s needs can make the craft rewarding.
“Obviously, you want people to stay and dance and have a good time,” Diaz said. “I kind of think of it as a game — picking what song someone would like, or a group of people would like.”
Bars get their appeal not just through the drinks they serve, but also through the environment they can create. Choices like lighting, decor and music all play a part in providing a space for people to come out and have fun.
Emilija Nikitovic, junior in Business, discusses how songs in DJ sets don’t always meet her expectations, making it hard to be fully immersed in the lively bar setting. She shared that songs in a DJ set don’t always make or break her night, but it can be frustrating.
“I always find a way to have fun, but they do sometimes put me in a sour mood,” Nikitovic said.
Positions at campus bars such as Joe’s Brewery, The Red Lion and Kams are established through Greek life connections. This results in a workforce, including DJs, geared towards Greek life demographics. DJ sets meant to appeal to the majority of bar crowds reflect this, playing music they know receives a positive response at Greek events.
Nikitovic recognizes this system, but thinks there should be more opportunities for diversity in bar DJs.
“I feel that we should open DJ spaces to more people and groups of people,” Nikitovic said.
Diaz has noticed a lack of female DJs at the University, not really knowing many girl DJs until entering the scene herself. She says, however, that her coworkers at Joe’s Brewery remain open and supportive despite it being a largely male space.
“My coworkers, at Joe’s at least, are very open,” Diaz said. “They treat me like one of them. I would definitely say sometimes I don’t have someone like maybe they do, to ask certain questions, but they have always been there.”
Diaz’s future in DJing is unclear. She plans to get a full-time job while DJing on the side. She mentions many members of her family come from a musical background and that some are DJs like herself. They have become a source of inspiration for her as she thinks about how she wants to incorporate music into her life after school.
Movagh plans to return to shows in Chicago next summer. His goal is to eventually insert himself in the music community by producing music of his own.
Movagh urges those who go to the bar to be more mindful of the efforts that bolster the bar environment, claiming more happens behind the scenes than audiences can see.
“There is a skill and a craft there that people just don’t really realize or see all the time,” Movagh said. “I think people should notice that more often.”
