The first time we became aware of Vestia, she was warming up a crowd for rapper Saweetie's pop-ip set in Downtown L.A. At the time, she was going by Alysen James, but 2024 has seen her enjoy a rebrand. A metamorphosis, if you will. It's the latest chapter in what has been an interesting journey for the DJ.
"Music has always been second nature to me," Vestia says. "I was that friend who got handed the aux cord because I just knew what to play. Growing up with a background in dance and a mom who had an incredibly diverse taste in music, selecting the right song always felt instinctive. During my senior year of high school, a friend of mine, Aaron, had just finished at Scratch Academy, and I convinced him to teach me what he knew. That’s when I fell in love with DJing. I later honed my craft at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. For about five years, DJing was a side hustle while I balanced being a personal assistant and managing a restaurant. Interestingly, it wasn’t until after COVID that my career really took off. I found myself sharing stages with some of the biggest DJs in the city, which led to playing major events, working with celebrity clients, and touring globally."
Vestia says that her sound today is a reflection of the genres that have shaped her over time.
"When I started, I mainly played Top 40, Hip Hop, R&B, and Pop, but my personal tastes have always spanned a wide range—from deep house to disco, rock, funk, dancehall, and techno," she says. "Now, I thrive in Open Format, where I can take the crowd on a dynamic journey, blending genres in ways that feel fresh and unexpected. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with Amapiano and Afrohouse, and those styles have become a strong influence in my evolving sound."
The DJ is really excited about her latest release—an Amapiano edit of ‘Make It 'til the Morning’ by PartyNextDoor.
"I’ve always loved the original track, so creating something I could bring into my DJ sets felt natural," she says. "It’s available on my YouTube and SoundCloud. My next big event will be an artist showcase with Amazon Music, featuring performances from ASAP Ferg, Kenyon Dixon, Toosii, and Sevdaliza."
As for gear: "Right now, my go-to controller is the Rev 7, though I do use CDJs regularly," she says. "At heart, I’m a controller girl. I’ve been a Serato user for over a decade and have loved watching it evolve. The Serato Stems feature is a game-changer for blending genres, which I do often. Recently, I’ve started producing in Serato Studio as well, and the transition has been seamless since it feels similar to Serato DJ Pro, making it easy for me to navigate as someone who’s self-taught."
Looking ahead, Vestia has plenty planned for the coming months.
"2024 marks a transformative year for me as I rebrand from Alysen James to Vestia," she says. "Vestia will represent the more artistic side of the DJ world, with a stronger focus on world music and a fusion of all the genres I’ve grown up with and love. For the rest of the year, I’m dedicating a lot of energy to my YouTube channel, YouTube/VestiaSound, where I’ll be sharing a range of mixes and original music. I really wanted to create a platform where anyone anywhere at anytime can enjoy one of my sonic love stories. Exciting things are ahead—stay tuned!"
