DJ Marley
Pronouns: He / him / his
Experience: Twenty years as a DJ, ten years performing at weddings
Hobbies: Retro video games, spending time outdoors (birdwatching, hiking), and watching way too many science videos on YouTube
Interesting Facts: I DJed a wedding in Istanbul, and I’m featured on a kids’ hip-hop album that won a Grammy for Best Children’s Album
Favorite Music Genre: At a wedding, I love playing 70s and 80s funk (Prince, Parliament, James Brown). When I play clubs, it’s electronic music from independent and up-and-coming producers like Jasper Tygner, Cameo Blush and others.
Songs for the Dance Floor: I have a go-to sequence of “Calabria 2008” and Sean Paul’s “Temperature” that usually goes off!
Current Listening: Music of the moment: Loukeman, Boards of Canada, Two Shell, Lone. Podcast of the moment: Sean Carroll’s Mindscape
Favorite Wedding Moment: The dance party! When all of the stress and planning melts away and people let loose.
DJ Marley
Hey y’all! My name is Marley and I’m a full-time music producer and DJ based in Asheville, NC.
I fell in love with DJing at an early age. When I was 15 years old, I saw a five-person turntable crew called the Beat Junkies perform live in my hometown of Charlotte, NC. The sound of a turntable “band” performing as an ensemble was the most exciting and futuristic thing I had ever heard. I saved my summer job money to buy a turntable setup, and two years later I won a statewide hip-hop DJ battle at 17.
That early success opened a path that has led to countless adventures and memories as a DJ and music producer, including touring internationally with my original music, sharing stages with some of my heroes and performing at events like Coachella and Moogfest. My journey into wedding DJing started organically when more and more friends asked me to perform at their weddings. When I first started, I wouldn’t even get on the mic (I only cared about the music)! But over the years, I gradually built my skillset to incorporate all of the elements that make a "complete" wedding DJ, including hosting, expertise in equipment and setup, and knowledge of event management and flow. I am still a “music-first” wedding DJ and I care deeply about providing outstanding experiences for couples.