Conversations with Zima Blue

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zima Blue.

Hi Zima, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My earliest memory of enjoying music was when I was in the 1st grade. My mom and dad had given me a Gameboy advance for my birthday along with the game “Mega Man Xtreme 2”. The one thing about that game that stood out the most to me was the music. I never heard anything like it before and was hooked immediately. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was listening to electronic music, more specifically, “Chiptunes”. That experience grew my fascination for discovering new sounds and music.

It wasn’t until I was in high school, I discovered the means to make my own music. I started using production software such as Reason Essentials, Traxxpad for the PSP, & ULOOP, a mobile app for Android. After high school, I decided to further my education in the field of audio and became a certified audio engineer at the Omega Studios School Of Recording Arts & Sciences. This experience took my passion for sound and music to newfound heights and I started engineering and producing at various studios throughout the DMV area.

As I started to pursue my music career, I decided to pick up a camera and document my experiences as a producer and engineer via YouTube vlogs. I created music production tutorials, interviewed other artists, attended beat battles, and shared a bunch of personal stories about my life. At one point, I felt like I was creating more YouTube videos than I was music, so I decided to put the camera down for a little bit.

After working at a handful of studios and producing for a few local rappers, I got tired of it fast. I decided I wanted to shift my focus to personal productions and projects as an artist/producer/DJ. I started releasing beat tapes, remixes, and even selling beats online under the name “Commoninterest” I was really inspired by the Soulection collective on Soundcloud at the time. All those producers in their bedrooms created the sickest beats I had ever heard in my life! I had to join in on all the action. One day I decided I wanted to get a DJ controller and learn how DJ. I thought it would be cool to not only play my own music live but to share all the dope music I was finding on the internet with the world.

I ended up getting my first DJ gig at an open mic in D.C. called Open Gem. At the time, I was only really present on the internet and didn’t get out into the scene as much as I should have. Nature Boy, one of the founders of Open Gem, saw my talents and potential online and gave me an opportunity to showcase my skills at his open mic. I got a chance to develop and hone my skills as a DJ, producer, and performer. It was the best shit ever and made me feel like a superstar.

I also ended up discovering a place downtown in D.C. called “Eaton Workshop” which is a cultural hub for creatives and artists. I noticed a few local DJs in the area playing at the radio station they had there and was hooked. I started to make my face known at this place as a frequent visitor. My favorite radio show there was called “Unseen FM” with DJ Underdog & DJ NativeSun. These DJs unknowingly inspired me. They showed me another side of DJing I didn’t know existed and exposed me to sounds I had never heard before. I saw them as nomads that traveled the world, discovering and collecting new sounds from each place they visited. I eventually got the chance to host my online radio show “CI RADIO” show at Eaton Radio. But that was short-lived due to the pandemic. I didn’t let that stop me though. I continued to create my radio show at home along with other music-related projects.

During the beginning of the pandemic, I landed a job doing multi-media production with a company called Intertechnologies which afforded me the opportunity to travel all across the country. Once I landed in Arizona I decided I didn’t want to go back to D.C. I wanted to start a new life for myself here and leave everybody lol. Sounds crazy right? I didn’t hate my family and I wasn’t running from anything. I just felt like it was time for a dramatic change in my life. Everything seemed to fall into place after I made that decision. I started exploring all that Arizona had to offer while also meeting all the right people. I never stopped creating and showcasing my skill on the internet once I got here and people started to notice.

I’m now a full-time Dj! That’s pretty much the gist of how things went.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
To be honest I have not experienced much of many struggles or difficulties. Everyone around me is supportive of what I do and wants to see me succeed. Lately, I’m starting to realize I’m a very blessed individual and that I’m the one who should be using my platform, skills, and knowledge to help others.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I go by DJ Zima Blue FKA Common Interest! I like to create, listen, discover & share music! All of these aspects help me grow as a producer, DJ, and overall creative! My online radio show, “Commoninterest Radio” aka “CI RADIO”, is my biggest passion at the moment. It’s a project that I created 3 years ago from the comfort of my own bedroom.

As of recently, I’ve taken the show out of the house and into local businesses, like Eighty Seven Shop on Grand Ave.

The vibrant aesthetics in there have led me to curate the last 4 episodes and counting at their shop! I value this project so much because it’s helped me build a community of supporters and like-minded individuals; We all benefit from being in the same room every episode!

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I listen to the Mike Tyson Podcast religiously. I think he’s such an insightful and intriguing guy. His come-up story and life transition are dope! I also enjoy playing video games like Mario Kart on my Nintendo Switch also!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zimablue___/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPrKblwdKY3dT4u17VAk-BA
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciradio