Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Habel
Hi Jonathan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story as a DJ starts back in highschool when I was going to swing dance parties in my friends shops and playing music and dancing with them. My last name, Habel, got shortened and became my nickname in highschool and early college. As a musician I loved listening to music, learning new songs to play on the guitar and admiring the little detailed nuances that were written into the music.
When I moved to Bozeman, MT nearly 12 years ago, I started hanging out at the local country bar, Mixers for those of you who might remember or come from Bozeman, and got to know the staff and the management. Then in the spring of 2017 I was asked to come on as their full time in-house DJ for their Wild West Wednesdays. It progressed from there, and within a couple of years I was DJing 2-3 times a week both there and on Main St. in Bozeman.
When 2020 came around, I was working as a marketing manager, working in the bar, and DJing full-time and things suddenly all came to a stop. Throughout that year, I constantly listened to music and imaged how I could build a crowds excitement by playing certain music with nostalgia that would bring back better memories. When the bars reopened officially later that year things exploded and my DJ name was beginning to gain traction once again.
In the first half of 2021, I took time off due to some personal reasons, but returned back to the scene the second half of the year in full force. Ever since then, I have expanded far beyond what I thought I would do as a DJ here in Montana. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought I would be a DJ for Live Nation, or that I would be working 11 weddings in a year. I have been so blessed with surrounding myself with good people that are supportive and believe in me and my skill sets that I have to help drive energy into their own businesses that I work within.
In 2022 I was fortunate to get some large breaks and work a gig for Live Nation in Montana, as well as some very large private corporate events up in Bigsky. I have learned to sit down here what every gig has to offer and weigh the pros and cons of giving my time up to make money and grow my name or if I should pass on the event and allow myself some time to focus back in on myself. This year as a whole by the end of the calendar year I’ll have worked a little over 150 gigs.
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?
It definitely has been anything but a smooth road, when I first came into the industry locally, it was exceptionally cut throat from my perspective. It was hard to gain the trust or even the respect of those who had been doing it before myself. Fortunately, one of my mentors took a chance on me, DJ Chedda, and helped get me setup with some gigs to begin.
Now that I am one of the main DJ’s in Bozeman, I really work hard to let the new guys and gals that come in to have a chance, offering advice if they are willing to take it, but really to hopefully build a community that allows us all to work together as a team. My dream is to have all the DJ’s in this town put aside their ego’s and be willing to learn from each other and grow from each others experiences.
I would be lying if I said it wasn’t lonely at the top. Its hard to find true friends that you can trust when there people know you everywhere you go. Its such a “surface level” experience meeting people and you don’t have much time to connect with them or even to do so at all outside of just playing music that they can vibe to on a dance floor while they’re out trying to forget their own life problems. I’ve had my loss in significant relationships because I pursued this career, but I am ever hopeful that God will continue to put the right people and friends in my life when I need them most. At the end of the day, the struggles only make me a better person, both behind the booth and out in my day to day life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I never intentionally set out to be known as a “Country Music DJ” but I am grateful that the community accepted me in for it and let me grow and make mistakes in that genre. Now I am proud to be one of the few DJ’s that can go from a country night club to throwing down a college bar party.
I firmly stand by the fact that I read my crowds and see what music is working for them and whats not working for them. So many DJ’s aren’t sure about pivoting from club hits to classic rock over to the 80’s hits, and I am willing to do that and take chances because I like to see the types of people that are on the dance floor and who’s not on the dance floor.
I also take pride in the fact that every club or venue that I DJ at, I have a very healthy working relationship with each staff group. Sometimes they get jealous that one venue gets me over another on certain nights, but I am proud that they like when I come in for a night with them and they aren’t dreading my sets.
Any big plans?
I have been considering a lot of different options for my future as DJ Habes. There are some opportunities that have started to present themselves out in the midwest, and down south in California and Arizona, so I have to look at whats the best move for me and my future. I plan to DJ a few weddings next year, keep up with some private events that I do for my friends in local businesses, and just see whatever else comes my way.
Of course I would love to get married and have a family one day, but I realize this is a hard lifestyle for anyone to be a part of, so if the right lady happens to walk into my life at some point, I may consider hanging up DJing and go back to marketing and advertising full time but until then I’m set on living out this unexpected dream I stumbled into.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://djhabes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djhabesofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DJHabesOfficial
