For DJ Dern, music has always been about connection. From growing up surrounded by the sounds of his close-knit Jamaican community to energizing dance floors across the Vineyard, he has built a career around reading the room and creating deeply personal celebrations. For this month’s “Three Questions With” section of The Grapevine, we caught up with the founder of Vineyard Spin to learn what inspired his journey, what he’s loving about the 2026 wedding season, and the advice he offers local couples planning their big day.
What inspired you to become a DJ and event MC?
I grew up in Jamaica in a small community on the North Coast called Runaway Bay, in a neighborhood called Mt. Edgecombe. The houses in Mt. Edgecombe are all close together, and it’s on a hillside overlooking the ocean, so daily life was extremely social. Playing dominoes, going to the shop, seeing friends, talking, and in the background there is always music playing from the shops and houses. My dad had a large sound system on the veranda of our house, so I grew up playing music on that—blasting it so everyone in the neighborhood could hear. I was actually pretty shy, so DJing was initially a way for me to communicate and get attention without having to talk! Later on, when I was a teenager, I would participate in “sound clash” — which is where DJs compete with one another in order to win over the audience. Sound clash is addicting and it’s what helped me define my style and learn how to beat match and how to work with the energy of a crowd. When I moved to New Orleans in 2012 I began spinning for a sound system and booking gigs there, DJing at festivals and clubs. My DJing has evolved since then. I’ve learned how to approach it as a business, and how to work with corporate and wedding clients, but the roots of it are in Jamaica, and in my community, and how I grew up.
What trend have you noticed and loved within your work for the 2026 season?
This year my clients have not been afraid to do their own thing musically and be very up-front about what they want and don’t want. It seems like people are not interested in following trends and are leaning into whatever they enjoy and trusting that I can make it work musically. Last weekend I DJ’d a wedding where the couple was Dominican and Moroccan, and music was a huge part of both of their cultures. They decided they wanted to do a dance interlude for an hour before dinner. So they were like, “Can you introduce us, flow into an all-out dance party for an hour, calm things down so people can eat, and then bring the energy back up again?” I love being able to say yes to that and create exactly what people are envisioning.
What is one piece of advice you would give to all of your local wedding clients?
There will be a lot of communication and planning in the lead-up to the wedding, so it’s worth taking time to find vendors who you like as people and trust as professionals. Also, the best weddings are not the most “perfect” they’re the most personal. Don’t be afraid to make your wedding whatever you want it to be.
DJ Dern | Vineyard Spin
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