DJ Ray Trilla, South Louisiana’s Celebrated Hype Man Always Draws a Crowd
DJ Ray Trilla has made his share of Pour Decisions, one of which involved waking up bleary-eyed to a golden retriever licking his face after a wild night with friends. “We’d ended up crashing at the Uber driver’s house!” he recalls. “The next day we picked up my keys in Breaux Bridge, then a week later I got a phone call from my barber telling me someone had my wallet in Franklin. When I picked it up, they said they’d found it on the side of the road at the end of Ambassador Caffery, which is crazy because we never went that way that evening!”
Trilla is always down for a good time, which is what makes him such a successful hype man, as well as a dedicated DJ with a decade of experience under his belt. The music festival scenes he found himself in over the years made him realize he wanted to command an audience the way those DJs did. It took years of building up his skills, but he is passionate about his craft.
“I would practice for a few hours daily, and I’d also do a lot of research in finding music to expand my library,” Trilla, whose real name is Raymond Arellano, says. His advice for other aspiring DJs is to “just make sure you are doing it for fun. I do it now for a living, but at first I would DJ as much as possible at parties for fun - and for free - just to gain the experience of being around people while building my name, watching them to see if they vibed to my music or not.”
The public definitely does vibe to his music, mainly because he pays attention to personal connections. He has a singular instinct for what will grab people’s attention.
“I guess it’s being open-minded. Being able to read the room and make a genuine connection with people through music helps me out. For example, when I see my Hispanic friends in the crowd, I love to play ‘Pepas’ [by Farruko] to get them hyped.”
Being hyper focused on making these genuine connections allows DJ Ray Trilla to thrive in the industry. Another tip he has for aspiring entertainers is to build other people up; never tear them down. It’s easy to get competitive, but it’s never a good look to bash other musicians.
“At the end of the day, working together is better than against each other,” he adds. “Your time will come if you are truly grinding it out! Don’t be afraid to reach out for advice. If the person you look up to doesn’t want to help, then that’s okay. Just keep grinding and someone else will notice and help you out.”
Check out DJ Ray Trilla on Twitch and on Instagram @djraytrilla for the latest news about his appearances around South Louisiana and beyond. You can also show him some love by purchasing Pour Decisions x DJ Ray Trilla merch here!
Author: Erin Holden