DJ Alex Cecil: Clawing His Way To The Top

By Isaiah Negron

Hot DJ Alex Cecil is a prime example of taking a leap of faith and following your passions in life. While growing up on the Upper East Side in New York City, he explored his artistic side, taking up the cello in the 2nd grade. "I was talented at it, but it wasn't the right medium for me," remembers Cecil, who was also very good with numbers and received a perfect score on his math SAT's. At Georgetown University he majored in finance and minored in art, to challenge and expand his mind. After graduating, he worked for Citibank for five years until one day he decided to do something very different.

After playing around with some amateur DJ equipment he bought in Paris he decided to make his first track, Smooth Criminal Mix. "The first track I created made me realize that this was what I wanted to do," said Cecil. "It's my favorite mix; making it was amazing and I fell in love with DJ'ing." Alex went out and purchased professional DJ equipment, an investment made to determine if he was ready to turn his life upside down. "I may be impulsive, but I can still be practical," jokes Cecil. "I'd come home from work and stay up until 4am DJ'ing by myself. I began to like it even more." Supported by his family and friends, Cecil quit his job at Citibank on June 6th 2012 and within one week he had moved downtown and gotten a tattoo on his bicep, the wild claw mark he uses as his DJ logo. "I wanted to use something that was original yet animalistic. It fits my personality," Cecil explains. "Most people don't find a passion. I didn't think I was going to either until I started to DJ."

Diving in headfirst, Cecil scored his first DJ gig last September at NYC's Southside Room in Little Italy. Since then he has headlined at some of the city's edgiest clubs including The Bowery Hotel, Mister H., Yotel, Webster Hall, Rosewood and SkyBar in L.A. This summer, he will spin at the new Sienna Restaurant & Ultralounge and Pink Elephant in East Hampton. "I'm barely a year in and I'm headlining at places where other DJ's have been playing for 15 years. It's a rush every time," says Cecil. From new disco to house music, Cecil's eclectic mixes have continued to entice all types people to dance and fist pump the night away. One of his goals is to play, concert style, for thousands of people who will be partying to his mixes. Confident and determined to succeed Cecil says, "I want to be huge. And whether you hate me or love me, it doesn't matter. When I DJ, you're going to have fun." •

Siennahamptons.com
DJalexcecil.com