I love doing retail stores. My only instruction was to play xmas music and some pop music. So its late in the holiday season and a lot of folks are tired of hearing Mariah Carey Christmas songs. Sprinkling some Christmas songs, I would have like 2 to 4 per hour but the rest of my playlist was full of pop music from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. One of the highlights of the night was this lady was dancing and she would encourage other people who were walking by to dance with her. And no she was not one of my employees but I did love her energy. I did give out 4 of my business cards and I ran out so that a good thing. I looked into getting a digital business card so all my info can be shared with a tap of a card.

I was able to pack up pretty quickly then headed up to Reseda for a school holiday party. Children were not present so the adults were allowed to play. It was a private party at a residence. We were outside so it was a bit cold but the party goers did not feel it since they were too busy dancing. I can honestly so we covered a wide array of music. We played a lot of fun 80s, then moved up to 90s pop then even went to 90s house which I never play but it was appreciated. Later we covered 2010s jams like Calvin Harris and Pitbull. We also did a lot of Spanish music to keep the fun going.  

In the bay, we do many holiday parties. In these parties they serve food then do some games then the dancing begins. This past Saturday we were in Capital Club. It’s a beautiful venue in the heart of downtown San Jose. It is a unique venue that stays on the 17th floor. One of the bonuses, once you need to take a break from dancing is to go to the balcony area to see the views outside. The corporate event was a nice event that provided a great playlist. They asked for the classic Christmas songs and a little bit of everything else. We like getting list like that so we can touch a little bit of everything like 70s, 80s, 90s and the 2000s. It’s a beautiful thing to have that wide array to choose from and you just have to read the crowd.

A few days later we were back at it again at the Double Tree Hotel. This event was a bigger event since the guest list was at 300 people. We made sure we brought our normal set up and the big boy speakers. We did have a little less guidance with the playlist. They wanted Christmas music then some the the popular dance music with some Spanish mixed in. Again it was another opportunity to read the crowd and give folks what they wanted. We were also open to take instant requests. Its all about making the folks happy at their events.

If you don't have a good mix of Latin songs when you're throwing a Spanish party in LA, your party will be homogenous and blend with every other Spanish party. Rather than seeming like a curated experience with the help of your bilingual emcee, your party will feel like you simply put on a Spotify playlist and press play. Don't let that be the case. Choose some of these popular — and less well-known songs to make your party a memorable experience.

'Congo Mulence' by Machito

Allow guests to mingle with this sultry Latin jazz number. This song sets the mood and can be used during the portion of your Los Angeles party where guests are entering, making their introduction, or grabbing drinks before hitting the dance floor.

'Lo Que Paso Paso' by Daddy Yankee

Now, invite your guests to the dance floor. This Reggaeton song has become an instant classic because of its fascinating composition and electric beat while still being a brilliant reflection of Daddy Yankee's Puerto Rican vibes.

'Tributo al Niño Rivera' by Afro-Cuban All Stars

Think of your Spanish party in LA like a decadently layered dessert or fun Starbucks drink, with every bite — or sip — tantalizing your tastebuds.

Although you may have started with some cool Brazilian jazz, it's time to spark some serious dance moves with this Cuban salsa tune. The most elegant arrangement of instruments including the flute and tres, make this the perfect song to dance and listen to, providing six minutes of pure bliss.

'Mujer Celosa' by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico

This song doesn't need an introduction as it's arguably one of the best songs to emerge from the premier group in Puerto Rican salsa. Guests will enjoy dancing to this track.

'Procura' by Chichi Peralta

Keep the dance mood going with this high-energy Dominican song that has an intoxicating fusion of tropical sounds — a staple for any Spanish party.

'Woman del Callao' by Juan Luis Guerra

A true Spanish party isn't complete unless you play music from Latin music legend Juan Luis Guerra. This merengue song will ensure the dancing continues unabated. You may even be able to twist your DJ's arm to get a slick remix to the song accompanied by an enticing introduction from your bilingual emcee.

'Guallando' by Fulanito

Another merengue song, Gullando is a classic Spanish party song with an intoxicating uptempo beat, only enhanced by the enchanting accordion in the background.

'Antes de Perderte' by Duki

In the right mix, this Latin urban song can help keep the party going, reinvigorating guests with its electric beat and rhythmic tempo. It also helps that the song has become popular, so bound to be enjoyed and appreciated by partygoers. Your bilingual emcee will also do a great job introducing this 2022 hit.

'Otro Atardecer' by Bad Bunny & The Marias

Bring the vibes down again with this Bad Bunny hit that shows his versatility as an artist.

Consider this an outro to get guests to talk, catch up, or wind down before heading home.

Now is also the time for your bilingual emcee to make his or her final announcements, before inviting guests to slow down from the fast pace.

  Our first round we were in a gym rocking the silent disco. For the second round we were out by the steps by the mission. We were outside playing for the masses. The first time around we were playing on one channel and this time around we were notified we can do multiple channels. All we needed was another transmitter to send it to the headphones.

In the first channel we were playing more the the current music (even did a small Bollywood set) (always got to be prepared to play anything)  and on channel two we were playing more for the folks who like old school. We had our djs lined up next to each other mixing.

  Silent disco is the coolest thing since you can have multiple djs right next to each other and the music won’t conflict with each other. If we wanted to we could have 3 djs playing right next to each other. The set up of the silent disco took a few minutes. And another cool thing was the people were not even close and they can receive the music in their headphones.

It was neat to see the different color headphones in the dark. The color determined what channel the folks were listening to.

Love playing at Santa Clara University! We were playing for multiple ages and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Thank you Santa Clara for setting up a fun event for everyone.

We were able to play at a retail store in Brea. It was very easy to set up since they had their own booth. I have done stores before but this one had to be the biggest. There were a few things I learned. I learned we do not need to be so loud. We had one speaker facing one direction and the other speaker faced the other direction. It was also Spanish Heritage Month so we included more Spanish in our playlist. When I got there they told me they wanted pop such like Beyonce and Timberlake. I used that as my baseline and decided to go way open format.

When you play at a retail store, it is best to play music that everyone knows unless you are doing some underground house music. I would try to play one to two versus of a song and then mix in another song. My goal was to have no dead air. Songs were either mixed in or a new beat dropped once a song finished if it went that far.

One of the songs that got everyone moving was by Bad Bunny. It has to be his biggest hit. I tried to keep it as latin as possible. I played a lot of Selena and Pitbull and added Marc Anthony. Most of my list was pop songs that everyone knew.

I started 15 minutes before schedule and finished 5 hours and 15 minutes later. It did not feel like 5 hours and it was 5 hours of enjoyment. I can truly say it was an open format set that ranged from Calvin Harris, Katy Perry to Selena and to the Temptations.

It was a joy to play for many types of people and look forward to doing it again. Please call Black and White Affair dj for your retail dj needs.

I recently did a multicultural wedding of a Mexican bride with a white groom. How can you make everyone happy? Do you do 50 percent Spanish and the other half English? You cannot really say I want a certain percentage of kind of music for any event because it is unpredictable.

This is what I do: I play 2 to 3 songs of one language and get a read of the crowd. If they are really getting into then you keep on feeding them. But at the same time you do not want to get too long on one type of music. Then you can throw in a Spanish Banger. The good thing about Spanish Music is that there is a lot of cross over that White folks are familiar with the type of music. I feel you can get away with playing more Spanish music. You can play some salsa and then switch it up with Merengue then you can do some reggaeton then you can go into some English Hip hop.

Going back to our last English/Spanish wedding, I found we played like 70 percent of Spanish and it was a success. Could we have played more English? Yes, we could have but as a dj you have to read the crowd and give them what they want.

When it comes to finding the right dj, then you found Black and White Affair (www.bwadj.com) to get your Spanish Latin Party to next level. We are not a dj service but we are a dj experience.

How to Find a Bilingual DJ for Your Wedding or Event

Your bilingual DJ should be both a talented DJ and a fluent speaker with a strong understanding of Latin culture. To help find this sort of DJ, there are three things you need to consider.

Assess If Your DJ is Fluent in Spanish

Your wedding DJ will most likely act as an emcee, introducing guests and making announcements. Speech is going to be critical to the performance. Therefore, you need to ascertain their fluency, as this will determine if they can convey emotional depth, warmth, and professionalism.

But your DJ shouldn't only be fluent in Spanish. He or she should also be able to translate in instances where they may need to make a statement in both English and Spanish.

Extensive Knowledge of Music Genres

Here's where you can make a clear distinction between the kind of DJ you would like at your wedding. Your DJ should know every genre of music — particularly Latin music — that would fit seamlessly into your playlist. While some DJs may be fluent in Spanish, they may not have as much depth in Latin music genres, limiting your DJ's ability to make a captivating playlist unique to your taste and vision for your wedding.

Reviews from Others Who've Hired Them for a Bilingual Event

Your wedding SHOULD NOT be the first bilingual event a DJ is hosting. Because while it may seem easy for someone bilingual, there's more to creating a playlist and emceeing an event than understanding Spanish. To avoid embarrassment or hiccups, ask your bilingual DJ about any bilingual or Latin events they've hosted before.

What to Look for in a Bilingual Wedding DJ

Beyond the aforementioned aspects to consider when finding a bilingual wedding DJ, you should also be sure you find out whether your

A Bilingual Wedding DJ Must Understands Your Culture

A bilingual DJ can either sound professional or tacky. If someone doesn't understand Latin culture, they are going to be tacky and distasteful. With an understanding of culture, a DJ can make appropriate music choices for different traditions within the ceremony so they hold their importance.

A Bilingual Wedding DJ Must Have Emcee Experience

To keep your wedding guests entertained, a DJ should have experience emceeing weddings or Latin events in both English and Spanish, which means they can easily transition between both languages and has the quick-thinking capabilities to translate speech.

A Bilingual Wedding DJ Must Have Plenty of Experience DJing at Latin Events

This has been mentioned before, but the experience is one thing couples can overlook when hiring a bilingual DJ. They may find a Spanish-speaking DJ or a DJ of Latin heritage and think that's fine. But, unless a DJ has specific experience hosting a bilingual event, your wedding essentially serves as an experiment.

At Black and White Affair DJ Services  (www.bwadj.com) in Los Angeles, you'll find the best bilingual wedding DJ to play all your latin Spanish hits too.