Having shared the stage with the underground elite and pop stars like Mark Ronson and Will.I.Am, Valida is constantly on the cutting edge yet still able to embrace the mainstream. Dubbed by LA.com as “one of the most important figures in L.A.’s nightlife scene,” Valida’s steady rise comes from her uncanny ability to seamlessly blend a variety of music styles that include disco, house, indie, hip-hop, b-more/electro, and some classic 80s, soul, and pop tracks thrown in for good measure. Since purchasing her first set of turntables in 1998, Valida has rocked audiences worldwide. From Winter Music Conference in Miami, Mystique and Formula 1 parties in Kuala Lumpur, Budoir in Dubai, Nuphoria event in Tokyo, Candela Party in Puerto Rico, Organic Party in Mexico, Barbados and her native Bosnia. In 2003, she was featured on Los Angeles’ own 89.9 KCRW as part of Chocolate City’s Unsung Heroes program hosted by Garth Trinidad. (all that AND she plays her fair share of weddings for us at The Flashdance!!!)

When on her home turf, Valida can be spotted commanding select Thursday nights at the Rooftop Bar of the Standard Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Officially, she is the talent coordinator for the hotel’s sister property in Hollywood, booking DJs for its lobby and the Purple Lounge where, with her Mad Mondays crew, she holds the fort every Monday night.

valida having a blast & mixing records like a champ! pt. 2 from the flashdance on Vimeo.

need more?

check out her video, check out the bio, and stay tuned for more mixes, videos, etc from dj smiles davis. smiles has really been blowing up this year so when we got a chance to work with her we jumped at the opportunity! having played for stevie wonder, erykah badu, and alongside the likes of party rockers z-trip & mix master mike to indie darlings mayer hawthorne & fools gold (to name a few) we thought she was more than qualified before we even saw her spin (and then we saw what she could do, and talked with her about music and we were sold!) she plays a great mix of old and new party jams that fit right in with the flashdance aesthetic, and she also brings a huge catalog of old soul, latin, afrobeat, brazilian, dub, reggae, & other deep-rooted funk music and gems from around the globe to the table. honestly though, what we are the most excited about is the fact that she wants to play what YOU want her to play! more than anything, she wants to make your party go off and she knows how to do that.

smiles davis from the flashdance on Vimeo.

Starting out as a professional dancer Smiles nurtured her talent as a performer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, she also worked with Lauryn Hill as a movement coach and back up dancer for Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliot. She soon discovered her talents on the wheels of steel and began acquiring early fans for her impeccable music sense. Her transformation from professional dancer to DJ was a natural artistic progression that started when she was injured. Her rehabilitation led her to be a little burnt out on dancing at the ripe, young age of 21 so she naturally turned to her first love, music. She listened to all types of music when she was younger, from Beach Boys to the Beatles and indie rock to electronica. Because she lived a number of places as a child her musical influences are varied and that’s evident with the soulful selections that give her mixes and DJ set such a distinct sound. Smiles motto for creating the perfect blend, “My inspiration is different every time. Sometimes I just beat match and pick a specific set of songs for the mix. I don’t like to force it and other times I just pick whatever sounds good together.” As a DJ she always tries to make sure that she observes the crowd at any place before she gets on the turntables. Smiles explains, “I watch the people before I start my set. I experiment with what works and I like to change up the energy. Being able to get a good response out of people should be the ultimate goal of a DJ.” Her style of playing always elicits a great response from people and she wants to make sure that she always makes a memorable impression with her listeners. More than just a party DJ, Smiles is able to translate emotions and feelings into her mixes, which is a talent in and of itself. So get ready to see a lot more of this amazing DJ with the big personality and the effervescent smile in 2010!

below are a few mixes just for fun, warm up mix is pretty self explanatory, bottle service is some top 40 business, and smiles ahead is a really eclectic mix of styles. enjoy. #1 warm up mix

#2 Bottle Service (top 40 mix)

#3 Smiles Ahead

smiles davis rock / 80's / electro mix from the flashdance on Vimeo.

from smiles... "One of my clients asked me to make a tape of goodies I might spin at their event. They had very specific song requests & they asked me to shoot a video verses making a mixtape. No probs! I had so much fun and they enjoyed the tape so much I figured Id share. There’s a little ode to boycrazy in here just for kicks. Enjoy"

smiles appeared in what I consider to be one of the greatest magazines around wax poetics. Above her picture you’ll find Peanut Butter Wolf and Dam Funk just to name a few….that’s quite an honor. Grab a copy on stands now!