SUTTER MUSIC

📸 Photo par Moonrise photography When a couple reaches out to me to accompany them on their wedding day, my priority is to craft a deeply personalized musical experience. In this article, I’m sharing my five-step method — an approach that helps me understand each couple’s musical world, design a tailor-made atmosphere true to their story, and deliver it with the artistic touch that makes all the difference on the big day. Step 1: Understanding Their Everyday Musical Taste From our very first conversation, I ask the couple to share their favorite playlists with me. Whether they listen on Spotify, Apple Music, or Deezer, I want to know which songs soundtrack their mornings, afternoons, or evenings. These aren’t necessarily dance tracks — but they help me dive into their universe and truly understand what moves them. Step 2: Building a Custom Wedding Playlist Next, I guide the couple in creating a playlist specifically for their wedding celebration. We include the songs that matter to them — tracks that bring memories, get everyone dancing, and reflect their personality.Within that selection, we also create a “must-play” list: ten to fifteen essential songs they absolutely want to hear during the night. Step 3: The Art of Live DJing This is where the magic happens. I always explain that the DJ set is never  pre-programmed. I choose the perfect moment to play each must-play track based on the energy in the room.Being a DJ is like assembling a puzzle in real time — adapting every track to the vibe of the crowd, reading the room, responding to the dance floor, and adding my artistic signature to shape a truly unique experience. Step 4: Planning the Key Moments A few weeks before the big day, I schedule a final meeting with the couple to define all the major moments of the evening: the first dance, emotional highlights, speeches, or special entries.We usually finalize these details one to three weeks before the wedding. Once everything is set, the rest is about letting the emotion flow and turning the celebration into an unforgettable memory. Step 5: The “Blacklist” — Avoiding the Wrong Notes Finally, there’s one more step I consider essential: creating what I call the “blacklist,” or the “no-play list.” I always tell my couples that identifying songs they don’t  want to hear is just as important as selecting their favorites.Even if 90% of the guests love a song, the couple may wish to avoid it — and that’s perfectly valid. So we list those tracks to prevent any wrong notes and ensure the entire musical direction aligns fully with their vision. Johann Sutter

For over seventy years, music media has continued to evolve, shaping the way we listen to and share music. From vinyl to streaming platforms, each generation has its memories, sometimes tinged with nostalgia. But today, streaming is emerging as a major revolution. Is this the future for DJs?   A profession transformed by technology   When I started my DJ career, CDs dominated the music scene. You could buy albums or singles at record stores or even big box stores. However, I always had a special affection for vinyl. It was more than just a medium: it was a collector's item, an essential tool for any DJ. In the 90s, 2000s, knowing how to mix on vinyl was a sign of belonging to the community. With the arrival of high-performance CD players, especially those from Pioneer DJ, the world of clubbing has entered a new era. Today, the evolution continues with streaming platforms, and although I remain attached to vinyl, I am convinced that it is essential to live with the times.   The impact of streaming on the DJ profession   Streaming has changed the game. With platforms like Tidal or Beatport Streaming, it is now possible to respond to a last-minute request, listen to a track in real time, and even integrate it into Rekordbox DJ to mix it instantly. These tools provide incredible flexibility, while offering optimal sound quality, provided you have a stable connection.   However, this technology raises questions. Artist compensation remains insufficient on some platforms, and using services like Spotify in a public setting is illegal. Personally, I started using Spotify for private parties, but I quickly turned to more suitable solutions, like Tidal and Beatport, which are more respectful of creators' rights.   Evolving with the times, without denying your roots   For some old-school DJs, this transition to streaming is difficult to accept. However, these tools should not be seen as a threat, but as an opportunity. They allow us to broaden our musical horizons, add streams to the artists we broadcast, and adapt to an ever more demanding audience.   Of course, there are still challenges. Rights management companies need to work with platforms to ensure fairer compensation for artists. But as DJs, we have a role to play: using these technologies responsibly and continuing to promote music in all its forms, including vinyl.   Conclusion: A revolution in progress   So, is DJ streaming the future? Yes, probably. But it should be used as a tool, not an end in itself. We DJs have a responsibility to embrace these developments while preserving the essence of our craft: sharing music with passion and respect.

It’s a question we often get asked or sometimes not even asked at all. People just walk up with their phone in hand: "Can you play this, please? It’s my favourite song!" So let’s talk about it.Because every DJ, at some point or another, has had to deal with “the request.” Who does this really concern? Let’s be honest: no one is going to walk up to David Guetta, Carl Cox, or DJ Snake to ask them to play their favourite track. At that level, the DJ is booked for their selection, their style, their musical universe.They create the atmosphere, not the other way around. But in the world of resident DJs, private events, or popular parties, it’s a whole different story. In these settings, song requests are part of the game and sometimes, they can be a real challenge. The DJ’s perspective Let’s be clear: most DJs are happy to take requests as long as they’re made with tact, and they actually make sense in the moment. A professional DJ never plays songs randomly. Even if a set isn’t 100% planned ahead of time, it follows a direction, a mood, a storyline. We observe the dancefloor, we feel the energy, we build a vibe. We know where we want to go, and sometimes even which track we want to use to blow the roof off. A well-placed request can enrich the set, help the DJ understand the crowd better, and create a real connection.But on the flip side, a flood of disconnected requests every five minutes can totally break the rhythm, destabilize the DJ, and kill the dancefloor vibe. It’s like whipping up a perfect mayonnaise for two hours… and someone walks in and throws in the wrong ingredient. What people often don’t see Imagine a party with 100 guests. Each person has their own musical taste.If everyone insisted on hearing their current favourite song, it would be pure chaos. A DJ’s job especially a generalist is to bring people together with a consistent musical journey, juggling styles, generations, crowd favourites and hidden gems. And when it’s a private event, like a wedding, the DJ might have already worked with the couple in advance to define a specific musical direction   Sometimes with very clear instructions: Don’t play this song, skip that artist… simply because the bride and groom don’t like them or don’t want to hear those sounds on their big day. So yes sometimes your song isn’t played… Not because the DJ is being difficult, but because it just doesn’t fit the moment, the energy, or the rest of the crowd. A gentle reminder A DJ even one who’s not “famous”, is there out of pure love for music. They’ve spent years digging for tracks, listening to thousands of songs, living through great nights and difficult ones. All to make you feel something. So yes, you might hear a track you’ve never heard before. No, you might not be able to sing along or do your TikTok dance to it. But sometimes, that’s exactly where the magic is: In discovery, surprise, and the unexpected. To wrap it up… Trust your DJ. If you’ve got a request, be cool, smile, and be respectful. And if the DJ isn’t in the mood? Maybe it just wasn’t the right night. But most importantly : Dance, enjoy, look up, put your phone away, and live the moment.