Miami Blaq Sol Republic Interview

Miami Blaq Sol Republic Interview

Committed to changing the world one listener at a time, Sol Republic Australia have brought DJ Miami Blaq on board as their first Saviour of Sound. The talented 18 year old, whose real name is Chloe Staley, speaks to the quality and lifestyle of Sol Republic and the brand's relevance to the teen market.

"Besides the great sound quality, Sol Republic headphones embody the trendy urban teenager" said Miami Blaq. "One of best qualities of these headphones is that it can be altered to suit any type of personality with interchangeable features."

Miami Blaq is part of the group which includes world-renowned ambassadors that capture the passion and philosophy of Sol Republic such as DJs Steve Aoki and Benny Benassi plus Australian surfer Julian Wilson.

She is becoming a sought after DJ in the Australian dance music community with several residencies across Melbourne, along with gigs at national festivals and events in South East Asia.

Despite all of the attention Chloe still manages to remain grounded and has become a role model for other teenage girls.

"People often find a female dj as an unusual occupation so I feel good that I can demonstrate to girls that it's all about pursuing your interests and what makes you happy. I'm all about harvesting uniqueness, as it is our own individual personality that can make us successful and brings diversity and vibrancy to society" said Miami Blaq.

As a Saviour of Sound, she will be introducing her fans to great sound. Followers can expect to see Miami Blaq sharing her podcasts and event calendar, engaging with Sol Republic's community on Twitter and Facebook and interacting with the Saviours Of Sound team.

Interview with Chloe Staley aka Miami Blaq

Question: What originally inspired you to get into DJing at such a young age?

Chloe Staley: I have been dancing and singing since I was young and the ability to express myself and my feelings through dance and music cultivated this career path, for me. When I was 16 I did work experience with a production and entertainment company where I was able to use their equipment and since then I've been hooked! I crave music and DJing which has lead me to where I am.


Question: How does it feel to be the first Australian based ambassador for a new global headphone brand called Sol Republic?

Chloe Staley: It's great! I never expected anything this big to happen, to me. Everyone at Sol Republic is so energetic and passionate about their work which has made it very easy to be absorbed by that and want to be involved with their product.


Question: What do you like about Sol Republic headphones?

Chloe Staley: My favourite feature is that they're interchangeable and you can get your own band, drivers or head phone cups. You can really personalise your Sol Republic headphones and that way everyone can have their own individual pair as it's not restricted to the one stock-standard build.


Question: What's a typical day on the job like, for you?

Chloe Staley: My day usually consists of working meetings, preparing my set and music for upcoming gigs as well as working on production which includes studio time where I'm working and singing on original tracks. Then, I go and get ready to go to gigs, at night.


Question: What inspires you when creating your own tracks?

Chloe Staley: This is the first time I've written my own lyrics and I am slowly finding my genre. I play such a broad range of music and I am exploring everything. My music will make everyone dance and have a good time, that's the direction I'm headed.


Question: What drives your passion for performing?

Chloe Staley: The vibe that I get when I'm performing drives my passion. It's rewarding to see the crowd having fun and really getting involved or lost in a particular moment.


Question: What advice do you have for other teenage girls looking to get into DJing?

Chloe Staley: Be resilient and passionate about what you do. It's very important to be confident in your own abilities and not let other people's opinions crash that.


Question: What music/artists do you listen to when you are not playing your own?

Chloe Staley: I have a really broad music inspiration including the R&B feel that is turning into house music; my main music influences at the minute are artists like Chris Brown and Rihanna. I enjoy a crossover of genres.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your DJ success?

Chloe Staley: The biggest challenge would be that I am young, at 18, and I have to prove myself especially being a girl as it's a male dominated industry. I've had to put myself out there and make sure I'm pushing myself really hard. I'm going to keep growing and show the boys how it's done (laughs).


Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Chloe Staley: DJ Steve Aoki is another Sol Republic ambassador, in the States, and his a massive influence of mine, I'd be amazing to collaborate with him. I'm happy to work with any other artist who is passionate about music.


Question: Do you have a website fans can visit?

Chloe Staley: I'm currently working on a website that will be linked to a blog, YouTube, gallery and all my upcoming gigs. I have a design background and the website will showcase the Melbourne culture, art and design in this area.


Question: What is the story behind the name, Miami Blaq?

Chloe Staley: Miami Blaq came from one of my many brainstorming sessions in the office. We were looking at random word association and Miami came from the place itself being a summer party destination and Blaq came from the definition of Urban Dictionary; Blaq: used to describe a person that is sexy, intelligent and cunning. I believed Miami Blaq was fitting to what I was doing and hoping to achieve.


Interview by Brooke Hunter