This month, I’m happy to welcome Hard Rock Palm Springs resident DJ Paparazzi, aka Cesar Rios.
Since you’re from L.A., what has it been like transitioning to being a Coachella Valley resident?
As far as living day to day, it’s actually been a great transition for me. It’s paradise everyday and night here. Plus, I’m extremely lucky to have my DJ residency at the Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs. … Nevertheless, being born and raised in L.A., I do miss a good local scene. In Palm Springs, I feel like it’s not here … yet. I do see it changing. I’m betting it will come when Bardot, (the new nightclub) at the Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs, opens (tonight), where I will be curating events.
What would you say your style or favored genres are?
Dance music. Always dance music. Anything beyond that is a discussion I don’t get into.
What would you consider your “best” gig?
Coachella. Set-wise, it was a mess, though. I don’t normally plan my DJ sets in their entirety, but for some reason, I got obsessed with it just for that gig. I worked on it for about a month. … Thirty minutes before my set time, I was told instead of DJing for 45 minutes, I would be DJing for three hours in the Sahara Tent. … It wasn’t bad or anything; it just wasn’t great. At heart, I’m a club DJ, and I mean club DJ in the old-school sense of the word. I tend to play to what I think would make the best experience for my crowd.
Paparazzi has a lot in store for Palm Springs, make sure you follow him on his social media to keep up with it all!
- Chris Lake, “Chest”
- Vin Sol, “Off the Chain”
- Marcelo Cura, “That Sh*t” (Pirupa and Leon Remix)
- Billy Kenny, “I Eat Beats” (Ardalan Remix)
- Stephane 1993, “Plaques”
- Manik, “Silver”
- Sophie, “Lemonade” (Durante Edit)
- Tiga Vs. Boys Noize, “100”
- Tinashe, “Hand on Deck” (Giraffage Remix)
- Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen” (Figgy Remix)
- Autoerotique, “Woof”
- Frankie Knuckles, “Baby Wants to Ride”
- Zombie Disco Squad featuring DJ Funk, “Twerk”
- Treasure Fingers and Anna Lunoe, “Bad MF”
- Donna Summers, “Our Love” (Blake Baxter Remix)
- Armando, “Don’t Take It” (Thomo’s Re-edit)
- Stip Steve, “Ridin’”
- Jamie XX featuring Young Thug and Popcaan, “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)”