Kailyn Hype: What it's like to be a DJ at Coachella

Since I started DJing almost a decade ago, it has been a dream of mine to DJ at a music festival, a place where music lovers from all walks of life converge. So when I had the opportunity to play Coachella, the festival of all festivals in the country, I was delighted.

This was my second time playing Coachella with Party in My Living Room, a house party concert series founded by Inglewood native Yannick “Thurz” Koffi in 2015. The activation, designed to look like a real living room with couches and artwork, was a collaboration with GV Black, a group that advocates for “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to be seen at the festival.” For the past four years, Koffi has been inviting DJs and musicians (Ty Dolla Sign, P-Lo, Kamaiyah and Isaiah Rashad, to name a few) to perform at the pop-up, which has quickly become a popular side-quest for festival-goers. So when Koffi asked me to be part of the lineup during Weekend 1, I was honored.

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After preparing my set for weeks, it was finally time to spin on Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed the entire weekend experience, from the celebrity-studded artist complex to the exclusive pop-ups (Redbull Mirage and the Soho House hideaway) to the free dinners. Here's a look behind the scenes from an artist's perspective and what I learned about DJing at the festival.

Festival goers dance as Kailyn Brown performs during her DJ set at Coachella

1. Spinning at a daytime festival in the desert is very different from spinning at a bar.

I was in charge of kicking off the activation on the last day of Coachella Weekend 1, which is an underrated job because it means you get to set the tone for the day.

If I were playing a bar, club, or flea market, I'd probably start my set with more laid-back songs before getting into the hits. But this was a festival and the crowd was ready to party, so I didn't waste any of my 45-minute set. (My set was initially scheduled for an hour, but was cut due to a delay at sound check.) However, I left the big hip-hop tracks for the other DJs to play, which is a common DJ courtesy.

With songs like “Tonight” by Pink Pantheress, “Am I Wrong” by Anderson.Paak, “Brighter Days” by Cajmere, “Nissan Altima” by Doechii, and several high-energy remixes I found on Bandcamp, my set was everything I expected: fun, joyful, and liberating. The crowd and I jumped, raised our hands, sang and danced together. And even if they didn't know the words to a particular song, they were still open to everything, which is one of the best feelings you can have as a DJ.

2. The artist bracelet was my golden ticket: to a glorious buffet

With so many delicious food vendors like Villa's Tacos, Prince Street Pizza, Happy Ice, and El Moro, I knew I was going to eat well at Coachella. What I didn't expect was that there would be free catering for people with artist bracelets, like me. After walking through the artists' complex, past the golf carts carrying artists and celebrities (I saw Teyana Taylor and Damson Idris), and down a plant-filled path, I arrived at the elaborate dining room. Inside the room, which was covered with colorful curtains with guitars attached to them, I felt like a kid at a buffet. There were poke bowls, a sandwich station, pizza, steak, ice cream, and even a “wrap station,” so you could take your food to go.

Kailyn Brown poses for a portrait before her DJ set at the My Living Room Party at Coachella

3. But even if you have an artist bracelet, long lines are inevitable

At any major event, whether it's a music festival or a sports game, it's normal to wait in lines. But I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was hoping the bathroom lines at the artist complex, an exclusive backstage area for artists and their crews, would be shorter. I quickly realized that lines were inevitable and that if I really needed to go, it was usually quicker to go to the port-a-potties at the general entrance or in the VIP areas.

4. I found respite in exclusive salons

After wandering around the festival for hours, it was nice to be able to take a break from the heat in stylish, exclusive areas like the Red Bull Mirage and the Soho House hideaway.

Red Bull invited me to see their three-story social hub and hospitality destination at Coachella, which included a Nobu omakase dinner on the top floor. Overlooking the Quasar stage, it offered the perfect spot to enjoy the energy drink company's signature cocktails (the Paloma was my favorite) and watch energetic DJ sets from the likes of David Guetta, Fatboy Slim and Pawsa. It's also where “Love Island USA” Season 7 favorite Olandria was serving Red Bull mocktails (and stares) from behind the bar.

While the Red Bull Mirage provided dayclub vibes, the energy at the Soho House hideaway was a little more relaxed. Located inside a luxurious, air-conditioned tent near Coachella's main stage, Soho House guests and members with VIP passes could order at the custom bar, grab a bite to eat (e.g. burgers, fries, and maki rolls), and enjoy music from a live DJ.

A sign outside the Party in My Living Room activation features Kailyn Brown

Kailyn Brown performs during her DJ set at Party in My Living Room

5. Music festivals may be many, but there is a reason we keep coming back

After I was done with my set, several people came up to thank me, including one man, a Mexico-based artist named Memo Wright, who drew a live sketch of me spinning, which made my day. Even some of my Times colleagues took a break from their reporting to stop by to say hello.

As I drove home from the desert the next morning, I reflected on why I love music festivals so much and have been attending them since I was 16 years old. Although events like Coachella get a bad rap for being expensive, crowded, and uncomfortable (yes, it's hot and dusty), this experience reminded me why people keep coming back: for the love of music and to be able to communicate with others who are as obsessed with it as you are.