San Diego Queens of Nightlife: DJ Red Sonya

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San Diego, we are in the midst of a nightlife boom. New clubs and revamped lounges open nightly, award-winning restaurants and posh hotels reinvent lifestyle monthly, and the nightlife status quo elevates annually.

These simple facts are by no means secrets - we all walked down the same red carpet to relish the grand openings and taste the new flavors of the town. However, what remains a mystery is: Who is behind the scenes making San Diego nightlife a success? Who plans the parties, develops downtown, promotes to the public, and mixes the mind-blowing cocktails?

While a notable group of men is undeniably responsible for much of the hype, San Diego nightlife just wouldn't survive without the Queens of Nightlife. From behind the scenes planning to behind the desk promoting and red carpet pursuing - San Diego's Queens of Nightlife are the fierce female force behind the nocturnal buzz.

Discover a San Diego Queen of Nightlife: DJ Red Sonya.

"Hello?" A groggy voice answers the phone on a Friday morning at 10:30am for a phone interview. No, this Queen of Nightlife is not lazy, just worn-out from energetically spinning records ‘til 2am the night before at the Airport Lounge's Thursday night "Lady Lush."

With wavy, fire-red hair and crystal-blue eyes, DJ Red Sonya has all the elements to get the dance floor bumpin' and booties bouncin' at every San Diego club she graces with her presence.

While women may make up a large portion of club goers, it's still rare to see them on the other side of the turntables. But being a lady in the DJ industry has pushed Red Sonya to promote and practice even harder to overcome any vixen and vinyl stereotypes that may stand in her way.

Q: You provide something fresh and far removed from the Top 40 remixes many are used to hearing at downtown clubs. How would you describe the music you play?

A: I spin a variety of genres, depending on the venue and atmosphere. When I play Lady Lush, I rock the bass-driven tech house jams that makes you shake your rear and wrinkle your nose. I call it the bass face. When I DJ at Harney Sushi, I spin down-tempo, mid-tempo and house beats. I pay attention to the crowd; if I spin an early set at a lounge, I like to play sexy house music that's easy to kick back and listen to. I also just recently started spinning drum and bass and that really gets my heart racing. I have to say I don't even know what top 40 is these days. I collect dance music vinyl from record stores like Cal Sound, United Records, and M-Theory.

Q: How does it feel to be female in a stereotypically male-saturated industry?

A: Good! At first, I felt jealousy from my peers when I first started DJing. I had friends who thought I was only getting booked because I was a girl, which hurt. That pushed me to become an even better DJ. I had to prove myself that I am a good DJ, not just a good girl DJ.

Q: What are some of the events and nights you play in San Diego?

A: I DJ at an event called Lady Lush at the Airport Lounge every Thursday night where we feature all female DJs every week. I spin with co-resident Moody Eva and other guests weekly. It's a fun night out with amazing music, live art, custom visuals, and dancers - and we even have our own spokesperson we call "Lady Lush."


Q: What do you think are the top clubs/lounges/bars in San Diego right now?

A: Some downtown venues that I've enjoyed recently are the House of Blues, Sin Nite Club, Aubergine, and Sidebar. I love the new sound system at the Red Circle. Other off the beaten path venues like The Whistle Stop, Kava Lounge, Casbah, A/C Lounge, and Kadan can have great talent booked as well.

Q: What San Diego neighborhoods are the most up-and-coming?

A: I think University Heights and North Park are on the climb up, mostly because I know a lot of people that live in the surrounding neighborhoods that love to avoid going downtown if they aren't feeling like dressing up or spending a lot of money. My favorite
neighborhood bar is The Lancers. The bar staff is always friendly and on point with service, and the bar is comfy to hang out at.

Q: What is your favorite cocktail? What is your favorite fall/winter cocktail?

A: My year-round favorite drink is always a shot of top shelf tequila. If I'm not DJing, I'm mingling, promoting, and taking pictures, and I need my hands to be free. Always stick with shots!

Q: What is the future of San Diego nightlife? Do we have a chance to join the ranks of LA, NY, and Vegas?

A: I've been to LA, NY and Las Vegas recently and from what I have seen, San Diego's nightlife isn't much different, if not better. There is always the big nightclub night in any big city, and always the sick underground spot. You just have to know when and where it is.

Q: Anything else you'd like your San Diego fans to know?

A: I'm DJing this Saturday, November 24, with Alien Tom at a new spot called U31 on University Ave. It's where Buster Daly's used to be. They expanded and remodeled the place beautifully. It's going to be the new DJ cocktail lounge in North Park, I just know it. It's a fundraiser event called Beats for the Needy, inspired by the fires that just hit a lot of us close to home. Come out and dance for a good cause!