StellaR: “I don't have a bias to any style. I just love to make people dance.”

In the past four years, StellaR has played at some of the biggest parties in the US, from Ultra Music Festival to residencies at Nikki Beach Cabo, Paul Oakenfold's Perfecto at Rain, Artisan Afterhours, and Haze Nightclub in Las Vegas.

Born David Garcia, StellaR has loved the EDM scene since he was 13 years old. Growing up in LA, he was inspired by legends like Kimball Collins, Donald Glaude and DJ Dan. “I used to do Vegas trips with them and go to Utopia before it was Empire Ballroom. At the time Utopia and Club Ice were the only big electronic dance music clubs in Vegas. Now you can't even find a club playing hip-hop it seems,” he says.

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Everything changed when Paul Oakenfold launched his Perfecto residency at club Rain in the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas three years ago. “It was literally just over a year ago that EDM blew up here,” says StellaR, who moved to Sin City six years ago. “You couldn't go to a club on a Friday night and hear strictly EDM. Now every single night you hear dance music at every club.”

Opening and closing for Paul Oakenfold twice a month gave him the opportunity to play at every major nightclub in Las Vegas. It also opened doors to his current residency at Haze Nightclub in the Aria Hotel. “My residency at Haze has been amazing. I'm so grateful for how much they have supported and helped with the marketing of my brand across the US,” says StellaR.

Haze has supported StellaR with everything from billboards, merchandise, and online marketing efforts to promote his Vegas residency and touring across the US. They sent him to Miami with hundreds of glasses, stickers and other promotional material to hand out to his fans during Winter Music Conference and Ultra Music Festival. “It was awesome. The stage at Ultra was great and it was my latest set time there yet,” explains StellaR, who has played UMF every year since 2009. He played Haze Las Vegas and almost missed his flight to Miami going straight from the club to the airport. “My layover was delayed so I got to Ultra at 8 p.m., 30 minutes before my set time. I just played in the same shirt I wore to Haze!” 

Having his friends, family and fans from Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Diego in attendance made his experience in Miami that much more memorable. “It makes you want to put on a better show and perform with greater energy when you see familiar faces,” says StellaR. In Miami he also released his latest EP titled Vegas to Miami. The EP features collaborations with his long time mentor and best friend, Von Ukuf, who is on StellaR's Calamity of Noise Record Label. “Von Ukuf is a master engineer,” explained StellaR. “He's really helped me in my productions over the years. Producing can be a very tedious process and he's been nothing but patient and helpful with me.” 

StellaR also released his single “Porn and Chicken” this month titled after his residency at the Evil Olive in Chicago. “There's no party like Porn and Chicken in the United States. This Monday event  is filled with absolute debauchery so I decided to produce a track after it.” Besides producing a new collaboration EP with Donald Glaude this month and holding down his numerous residencies all over the US, StellaR has a full plate for the rest of the year. He is playing in Brazil in August, Ibiza in July, the Heineken Dome at Coachella next Sunday, the Oasis after party in Indio next Saturday, headlining the Yost Theater in Santa Ana this Saturday and headlining Haze nightclub for the first time this Friday.  

StellaR is especially excited to finally headline Haze twice a month, and to headline the Yost this weekend. “I have a lot friends caravanning from Vegas, San Diego, the Inland Empire and all over Southern California for this gig,” he says. “I'm so thankful for all the support I have gotten from my family, friends and fans over the years. It's an honor to have everyone especially in the EDM community believe in me since the beginning of my career.”

StellaR, who has some way or another been involved in the EDM industry for 15 years has witnessed the evolution of electronic dance music firsthand. This experience shows in his sets and productions as he has evolved into a DJ that can produce and play anything from house, techno, electro, minimal and progressive. “I don't have a bias to any style,” he says. “I just love to make people dance.”

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