Funny thing about Battle of the Bands winner Keegan Tawa: he’s not a band.
But you can’t blame anyone for thinking he’s more than one person. This multi-tasking sophomore disc jockeys, produces original music, mentors other musicians and is in ROTC, all while pursuing an engineering major.
“I don’t sleep. Ever,” he says with a laugh.
Tawa began producing electronic tracks as a senior in high school. The “raw, primal” genre appealed to him, and he appreciated its power to make people dance. Since then, he’s produced numerous original tracks and developed a DJ-ing career successful enough to pay for all his food and rent. In March, he beat out 13 other student music-groups to earn an opening spot at Movin’ On along with ska-band Wondershop Showdown. Both acts will open for a slew of popular artists including the Avett Brothers and Ludacris. Scary much?
“I don’t really get nervous for shows,” he says. “I’m really excited, though.”
To prepare, he’s polishing off a few unfinished songs. The result should be a smartly calculated set, heavy on the synths—a style that served Tawa well at Battle of the Bands. Fortunately for him, electronic music’s enjoyed a resurgence lately (Avicii, anyone?), and he’s not one to complain.
If you’re wondering what he’s listening to, check out the five songs he recommended to start your party off right:
The Night Out (Madeon Remix) – Martin Solveg
Brightness – Walden
Metropolis – David Guetta
Language – Porter Robinson
I Don’t Even Like You – Zedd
You can see Tawa perform on April 27 at Movin’ On. Until then, check out his Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keegan-Tawa/208623169185600.
Photos by Nina Abbott.
