The Backroom

DJs with Day Jobs: J.N.R.

J.N.R. is a central figure in NYC's club ecosystem and a committed advocate for femmes on the dancefloor. She's also a software engineer. This is how those two worlds coexist.

OGD

24 Mar 2026 • 10 min read

DJs with Day Jobs offers intimate profiles of DJs whose unexpected day jobs reveal the hidden labor that holds the culture together. Each installment dives into who they are both on and off the decks, revealing how they earn their livelihood, what drives them creatively, and how they balance the two. At the end of each profile, you’ll find the full interview, giving you an even closer look at the people behind the music.

For our first spotlight, I am excited to highlight J.N.R. Many know her as a key presence in NYC’s club ecosystem with a deep commitment to uplifting femmes of all genders. In this profile, you'll learn more about her musical evolution as well as her parallel career in tech.

I’m incredibly grateful for the time, thoughtfulness, and openness she brought to sharing her story.

About J.N.R.

London-born, Atlanta-raised, and Brooklyn-based, J.N.R. grounds her obsession with discovering new sounds in 15 years of classical training and a deep reverence for club culture. Her evolution as a DJ moves fluidly across the UK dance continuum: from early sets steeped in classic house and speed garage to her recent explorations of ’90s/’00s UK progressive, tech house, classic UKG, breaks, and the wider UK bass spectrum.

These sounds tie back to the formative influences that shaped her: discovering Maxinquaye in a college dorm, playing What Is Love? on repeat in childhood, being floored by Dummy as a teen, hearing Airbag for the first time at 14, or stealing her stepdad's iPod in 2006 and stumbling upon Four Tet. As a lifelong listener, she carries this near-archival depth of inspiration into her curation, resulting in sets that are refined yet full of movement.

J.N.R. has performed at at a number of notable venues in BK and beyond, including Elsewhere, Lot Radio, SILO, Mood Ring, and Bossa Nova Civic Club. Beyond the booth, J.N.R. is a dedicated organizer and cultural builder. She runs OnlyFemmes, a platform and party series uplifting femme DJs of all genders through events designed to foster visibility, connection, and mutual support. She also contributes behind the scenes as an organizer for the fast-growing Village Hidden in Vinyl and blueshift parties, helping shape spaces where emerging sounds and artists can thrive. She curates lineups, supports up-and-coming artists, and prioritizes dancer-focused experiences.

Her work in these spaces has been especially impactful within the historically male-dominated UKG scene where her femme-forward “Dub Sirens” series has become both a point of representation and a catalyst for change. One attendee once told her that, as a gender-fluid femme, they had never felt fully comfortable in UKG spaces until attending one of her nights. She carries this feedback with her as a reminder of what intentional curation can do.

About her Day Job

By day, J.N.R. works as a product manager at a major tech company, overseeing the strategic direction of its marketing website, leading experimentation, and collaborating across design and engineering to elevate the user experience. Her path into product management began in copywriting and content, eventually moving through creative production and project management before she made an intentional shift into product six years ago. Though she jokes that the 9–5 is a “necessary evil,” the role has sharpened her professional instincts and expanded her capacity as a communicator.

Those skills spill directly into her role as an organizer, where the barrier between disciplines is porous. Collaboration with designers has sharpened her eye for promo materials and the organizational systems she relies on in product translate directly into streamlined logistics for parties and events. Just as importantly, the soft skills she’s honed in tech have become invaluable in community‑oriented work: listening deeply, communicating clearly, and supporting the people around her.

With a remote‑first role and a team largely based on the West Coast (mercifully eliminating early‑morning meetings) she’s able to pursue nightlife with intention, saying yes only to the opportunities that align with her values and the communities she cares most about. As she looks ahead, J.N.R.’s goals are rooted in depth rather than scale: playing longer and all‑vinyl sets, continuing to perform for engaged crowds, and booking artists who resonate with her sensibilities. She’s developing a DJ practice that is both deliberate and resonant.

In her roles as DJ, organizer, and product manager she moves with clarity, empathy, and intention. Encountering J.N.R. in any of these spaces means meeting someone who is fully engaged, whether she’s curating a lineup, running an A/B testing program, or guiding the energy of a room from behind the decks. As she continues to deepen her footprint in New York’s nightlife, it's clear she’s creating enduring spaces where artists feel supported, dancers feel held, and the culture she loves can thrive.

Selected Works

Rhythm Rails #57 (Vinyl Night) - J.N.R. takes listeners down the tracks with a Old School UKG mix on a train in London.

Sisters in Sound Showcase: Fátima, baby g, J.N.R. ‪@TheLotRadio‬

Living Room 001 - Vinyl Mix w/ J.N.R.: An all-vinyl exploration across the (mostly) UK progressive, tech house, and deep house spectrum - heavy on the dreamy suspension, warm bass, 90s optimism, and rhythm. Recorded live from J.N.R.'s living room in Bedstuy, Brooklyn.

The Full Interview

On DJing:

Describe your DJ style and evolution as a DJ
- I’d say one of the common threads across all of the genres and moods I enjoy is a strong bass element, whether that’s a kick or a more melodic suspension. Another is melodic groove and/or vocals - in rare cases I’ll go for straight rhythmic tracks but usually I’m drawn toward a melodic, human element. When I first started I was playing a lot more classic house and speed garage out, lately I’ve been digging into 90s/00s UK progressive and tech house, classic UKG, and a broader range of styles within the UK bass spectrum.
Who were your early influences, and who inspires you now?
- I was a classical violinist for many years, so I’m drawn to music with a lot of dimension, with a strong sense of progression and evolution. It’s impossible to list all of my influences (corny I know) but a few seminal moments come to mind right away: listening to Maxinquaye all for the first time in my college dorm; being obsessed with What is Love? in 4th grade; my dad requesting the Dummy CD as a Christmas present when I was 16 (and it blowing my mind); listening to A Grand Don’t Come for Free on the way to and from school with my sister; hearing the opening chords of Airbag at 14; seeing Massive Attack live for the first time; stealing my stepdad’s iPod on vacation in 2006 and randomly picking Four Tet from the list of names. I was also heavily into the indie scene in college at UGA and got to interview touring bands while working for the student newspaper, and was out at shows constantly. There are so many artists pushing boundaries right now - mainstay favorites are Kassian, Avalon Emerson, Human Movement, Christopher Ledger, Flava D, Maruwa, Jeremy Sylvester, THC… the list goes on.
Where do you want your DJing to take you in the next few years?
- Being able to play consistently in NYC to engaged crowds is the main goal for me right now, and to continue deepening and expanding the connections I’m making through music. Getting more opportunities to play longer and/or all-vinyl sets is another, and bringing in artists as a booker that resonate with me.

On Working in Tech:

What is your day job? How did you get into it?
- Currently I’m a product manager for the marketing website of a large tech company, doing strategic planning and running our a/b testing program. My path was a bit circuitous - I started out as a copy writer and content manager. But I always worked in web and made a conscious decision to move into product about 6 years ago after dabbling in creative production and project management in between.
What’s the most surprising part of your work?
- Working a 9-5 is a necessary evil (for me at least), but my job has actually helped me develop a lot of soft skills that have made a positive difference in my personal life. While I’m not necessarily someone who seeks out the spotlight, I have strong opinions and I’m not afraid to share them… the nature of my job has taught me how to be a more active listener, and create opportunities to hear others’ voices vs just assuming everyone feels comfortable putting themselves out there in the same way I do.
Do your coworkers know you’re a DJ? If so, how did they react?
- Most of them know at this point, but it doesn’t get brought up much. They’re all pretty chill about it and are supportive.
Have you ever had a coworker show up at one of your gigs? What was that experience like?
- Not yet! At least a few of them are based in NYC so I’m sure it’s just a matter of time. I did run into one of my coworkers leaving the same Four Tet gig (with Squid Soup) which was a fun surprise.
How do you balance your work life and nightlife? What do you do to maintain that balance and prevent burnout?
- I’m lucky to have a job with really solid work-life balance, and a largely west coast-based team (no 8am meetings thank goodness). At my job, I’ve gotten pretty good at focusing my time and attention on things people care about and avoiding busy work. With DJing, I’ve had to learn to start to say “no” more, and conserve my energy for the opportunities that really feel aligned with the spaces I want to operate in and the communities I want to play for. I’m big on self care and rest, and generally try to be pickier about when I go out these days... I also have incredibly supportive friends who replenish and ground me.
Have skills from your day job ever helped you as a DJ (organization, creativity, tech skills, people skills)?
- 100% - I thought that all promoters were deep in google sheets like me, which is really funny in hindsight. I also have worked really closely with designers and did a design portfolio course when I was moving into product, which has come in handy for promo materials.
Has DJing ever helped you at your day job (confidence, networking, handling stress)?
- For the first ~6 years that I lived in NYC, I was completely career-focused and honestly trying to get wayyy too much validation and fulfillment out of my day job. I think I brought a really intense energy with me that didn’t resonate well and caused me to try and force things to prove my worth and value. Now that I have an immersive, creative hobby again, I’m much more relaxed at my job, and it’s benefitted me a lot professionally.
Do you see your job and DJing as totally separate, or connected?
- I see them as pretty separate - my work is very analytical, and DJing feels like the most intuitive, emotional part of myself. In both I have to be empathetic to be able to succeed, but they occupy very different parts of my brain. I definitely bring more of my professional self into organizing and promotion though.

Regarding Onlyfemmes & blueshift:

What is your goal when planning events?
- I’ve spent many, many hours on the dancefloor at this point, so creating the best experience for the dancers is number one, be that through the music being played or the space we’re inhabiting for the night. A close second is helping artists to create their best work by making them feel as supported and comfortable as possible. If we can create something unique in the process, even better!
How does your individual brand interplay with your groups’ ethos?
- I’d say I’m a presence for the collectives - I’m a resident on our lineups obviously - but I try to let the other artists shine and take up most of the space as far as our social presence goes, and give our guests the best slots at our events etc. Everyone already knows I’m affiliated, so I don’t feel like I need to keep reminding them… I don’t post my DJ events on my collectives’ channels or anything like that. Gigi Rio, who I run blueshift with, operates similarly which has made organizing with her really easy and intuitive.
How do you support local DJs and artists through your events?
- Booking artists, supporting creatives and vendors, and just generally trying to put people on is the main one, I think. I’ve also really enjoyed hosting open decks and helping DJs grow and learn new skills. The best and easiest thing anyone can do is to show up - whenever I can, I try to hit other DJs’ opening slots because I know they can be sparse. It can make a huge difference for someone when they see a friendly face in the crowd (I know it does for me).
Do you feel like your events shape the local scene, or reflect it?
- I’d like to think I’m doing both - shaping the scene by curating events and sounds that are unique, but reflecting the core of our community and the diversity present in it. I’m particularly proud of the Dub Sirens series and creating femme-forward spaces in the UKG scene which is so male-dominated, both on and off the stage.
What’s the best feedback you’ve gotten from someone who attended?
- Someone messaged me once to say that as a gender-fluid femme, they’d never felt fully comfortable showing up as their true self in UKG crowds, and thanking me for starting the series. I’ll never forget that!