“Crespo, Crespo!” fans chant as they anxiously wait for “the man of the night” to enter the stage. With what feels like the blink of an eye, Crespo is already making his grand entrance on stage. From crowds jumping up and down to flying confetti and thousands of smiles, Charter alumnus Daniel Crespo has finally turned his childhood hobby into a full-time lifestyle.
At the start of his career, many thought that Crespo was a unique name, but in reality, it stemmed from within his family. “Crespo is my last name,” Daniel reveals. Not only has it been a part of his name, but the spelling and pronunciation are historic to the Filipino paternal side of his family. Bearing the decision in mind, Daniel finally realized “[Crespo] was so much of me. I am one of 9 brothers and sisters, so I really wanted to represent the Crespo name to the fullest.”
Ever since Daniel could remember, he has always been listening to or involving music in his life. When he was little, he would always find an interest in banging on pots and pans to “make music”. Growing out of the phase, he moved on to doing something more advanced. He went on to play the piano, which allowed him to understand more about the art of music.
After graduating from PPCHS in 2007, Crespo gained new skills from his time in the Digital Department of The CHAT. “I learned more graphic design, how to be social, how to report, how to interview, and how to speak publicly,” Daniel reminiscences. He eventually went on to Florida State University to study nursing. However, “my [Crespo] sister went to the University of Central Florida, and she started a hip-hop club called ‘Elements’; the four elements of hip-hop are break dancing, graffiti, rapping, and turntabling,” he says. After experimenting, Daniel was fast to catch on to every detail of what a DJ does. He was mesmerized by it and, soon enough, was gifted his own full set of turntables in college. “[DJing] was a hobby that I looked forward to outside of taking tests and studying,” he shares. He noticed that this hobby was taking up time. He would try to DJ and have fun whenever he could by going to different college parties. It was not until a semester at FSU was halfway over, that he began to travel all over Florida for music. When Daniel got the recognition he wanted from an experienced DJ, he ultimately considered asking his parents and making the decision to finally make music.
8 years after Daniel became familiar with recording in the studio, he was fortunate enough to release his first single called “Lose Control” featuring other artists such as Landis and Fatman Scoop. This further allowed him to continue to work with other well-known artists like Marshmallow and Steve Aoki. With the different experiences, he figured out his main style was House Room Electronic Dance.
As Daniel loves traveling, he has been able to leave an impact in the countries he has been to. “This past October, I went on my first tour to Japan. I have always dreamed of going to play in Japan,” he explains. He found it fascinating to explore different cultures and how he can apply them within his music for everyone to enjoy no matter their background. The support he receives is how he stays motivated to do what he loves. With a huge following on Instagram, in addition to starting his own business called ‘WiredSoundAcademy’, Daniel has been able to branch out.
When Crespo’s fun-filled nights come to an end for his fans, DJ Crespo can’t wait to go back on stage the next day and be his true self. With the unforgettable memories he continues to make, being a DJ has truly been the start of a new era and has allowed for all of his hard work to be shown and appreciated.
