Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Daniels (a.k.a. Dazy Haze).
Hi Lisa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started playing music at an early age, first with piano, then violin and bass, and dabbling in a few other instruments along the way. I’m thankful that I had teachers that would entertain my desire to learn as much as I could. Playing music became my meditation at home and my creative and social outlet in school. I enjoyed participating in the school orchestra and jazz band, volunteering to play piano in the community, and accompanying vocalists on piano.
I also had the radio on whenever I could and remember particularly loving the catchy dance music tracks that were popular in the 90’s. Songs like “Be My Lover” by La Bouche, “Pump up the Jam” by Technotronic, “The Rockafeller Skank” by Fatboy Slim, and “Believe” by Cher would always have me singing and dancing along. I believe it was through these tracks that “the beat” was ingrained onto my soul.
The busyness of college and grad school distracted me from music for many years, but I found my way back to it when I moved to Sacramento, California after grad school in 2013 and went to Burning Man. This almost indescribable event shocked my soul back into its love for “the beat” and there I also discovered my love for dance itself, along with creative expression and community through art and music. Afterwards, I got involved in local Burning Man community events and spent my free time exploring EDM (electric dance music), soaking up whatever artist’s music spoke to me.
After a few years of making playlists, I decided to learn how to DJ. I saw the creative potential of DJing and knew it would allow me to better create a musical mood with the dance tracks I loved. I really got the hang of it in 2019 and although 2020 halted a lot of live events I was still able to perform through virtual platforms like Instagram Live and Twitch. When 2021 rolled around I was finally able to DJ at events with an in-person audience. Since then, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the events I’ve been invited to play at and cherish the community of creative people I’ve met. I moved from Sacramento to Minneapolis in mid-2022 to be closer to my family and am thankful I’ve been able to keep the momentum going in this beautiful city and find a community that loves dance music as much as I do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
2020 was certainly a challenging year, and moving back to the Midwest in 2022 was also a challenge. At the moment, things often felt stressful, but when I took a breath and looked at the big picture, I leaned onto my optimistic nature and was able to make the best of these situations. In 2020 I took the time to develop my skills further while still networking through social media. And although in 2022, I was sad to leave the community I had become a part of in Sacramento, I was proud to take my skills with me to Minneapolis and excited to expand my community further. I was admittedly a little nervous that the dance music scene would not be as robust as what I experienced in Northern California, but wow, I was blown away by what Minneapolis had to offer and was thankful to discover a community of people right of the bat. I’m proud to call this city my new home.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have my master’s degree in human genetics, and my professional work is in public health where I facilitate prenatal screening for pregnant women and help high risk pregnancies get the necessary health care that is needed. In addition to my work in genetics and music, I also enjoy doing fashion and portrait photography. For these three interests, I’m guided by the principles of identity, evolution, and expression.
To elaborate, all living creatures have an omnipresent uniqueness- a genetic code. That code’s dual purpose is to provide the integral backbone of our physical being and to provide the ability to evolve and expand. Each day we can rise to our best capacity to express our true individuality and identity. I believe this whole process can be raw & uncharted, but it is always natural & beautiful. I enjoy journeying and collaborating with others through this process in a creative and expressive way with the ultimate goal of helping each person’s essence be uplifted in some way.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’m a cheerleader for others to seek out their dreams, big or small. I’ll always remember when my mom first told me the adage by Norman Vincent Peale, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” When your dreams seem hard to reach, keep your head up, remember this quote, take a leap of faith, and consider finding others who you can collaborate with to reach those dreams.
Also, I recently started a photo booth business! Bubble and Pop Photo Booth is the photo booth of the future and is available for events in the Twin Cities. With a simple touch, it takes fun photos, gifs, boomerangs, or videos and has them delivered straight to your phone. I started Bubble and Pop Photo Booth because I love helping create big smiles and memorable moments in a fun, funky, and fresh way. I’m excited to see this dream of mine grow and to share it with this amazing community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lisadcreates.com/
- Instagram: instagram.com/dazyhazemusic | instagram.com/bubbleandpopphotobooth
- SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/dazyhazemusic
- Other: https://bubbleandpopphoto.com
Image Credits
Beth Skogan Photography
Joe Create
Jen Small
Shannon Jenkins
