MODGIRL may be the desert’s busiest DJ. Kellee McQuinn has been sharing an infectious disco-house mix across the desert for years. MODGIRL has opened for acts like Janet Jackson, Duran Duran and Madonna at Acrisure Arena with her iconic remixes and tantalizing tastes. Tune in to MODGIRL’s hip-shaking playlist every Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. on KGAY 103.1 FM. If you want to dance to her delectable jams in person, catch MODGIRL perform on Saturday, Nov. 7, and Sunday, Nov. 8, at Palm Springs Pride on the Arenas stage. For more information, visit www.instagram.com/djmodgirl.
What was the first concert you attended?
My parents took me to see the Beach Boys when I was really, really little, but my first no-parents concert was the B-52’s, It’ll be a full-circle moment for me to play the pre-show for their concert with DEVO at Acrisure Arena this Halloween!
What was the first album you owned?
Madonna’s first album, and since we’re talking about firsts, my first kiss was to “Borderline.”
What bands are you listening to right now?
I mostly listen to house music, but as far as bands go, I’d have to say Jungle. I love their harmonies, their grooves. So soulful, and they’re amazing live.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
I’m so sorry, but I just can’t get on the Bad Bunny bandwagon. I respect him as an artist, and I love how people respond to his music, but I’m a house head and disco doll, so please … no requests.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
To see Bob Marley in concert would have been electrifying. I can only imagine the energy of being a part of something so special.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
I love Broadway musicals. Showtunes have always been a big part of my life. My mom was a musical theater director, and we had a dance studio in our house. (My bedroom was right over it.).I can only tell you how old I was by which play my mom was doing at the time. From Bob Fosse to Rodgers and Hammerstein, I’ve loved and lived them all.
What’s your favorite music venue?
That’s a toss-up between the Hollywood Bowl and Red Rocks. I’ve had some of the very best experiences of my life at both of those spots. The open air, the beauty of the venue, the sense of community … pure magic. But if I had a time machine, my first stop would be Studio 54. I may never leave.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
I find myself constantly singing the hook to the classic house track “Promised Land”: “As we walk hand in hand, sisters, brothers, we’ll make it to the promised land,” and then that dreamy synth. It kills me in the very best of ways.
What band or artist changed your life? How?
Giorgio Moroder. He didn’t just change my life; he changed everything. Personally, I lump music into two categories: Before Moroder and After Moroder.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
This question would go to the patron saint of house music, Marshall Jefferson. “When you were creating ‘Move Your Body,’ did you know you were making something revolutionary, or were you just chasing a groove? Forty years later, how does it feel knowing those piano chords still make dance floors lose their minds?”
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Together Again” by my queen, Janet Jackson (with a demand from beyond that everyone gets up and dances!).
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Gun to my head? Ah, the pressure! I mean … probably Donna Summer’s Bad Girls. It’s pure disco gold. Timeless and iconic.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
As someone who selects songs for a living, this question is ironically challenging. Music transcends. It elevates. It heals, and we all need a lot more of that. So I would tell “everyone” to listen to whatever song takes you to that place inside where you lose yourself and find yourself at the same time. The one that makes you close your eyes and smile, cry, reminisce or dance like a maniac alone in your living room. Listen to THAT song. On repeat. Because right now, in these crazy times, music is the only thing that makes any sense. My current song is my hero Mark Knight’s newest release, “My Tribute to House.” It’s a feel-good classic house anthem that honors the genre’s origins and its power to uplift your soul, open your heart and bring us all together.
