Born in the Bronx and of Jamaican descent, Angel + Dren are twins that have built a rep as DJ & producers, spinning at every hot party and festival around the world. Their effortless style and insane sneaker game will have you taking notes on their Instagram for hours. And while the parties have paused, trust that theyāre still turning up in their apartment for IG live DJ sets to spread positivity. Cozied up in Harlem, we caught up with Angel + Dren for our latest installment of On The Line With… on how theyāre taking advantage of this downtime and how they remain eachothers support system. Read Up.
Describe what you do for a living and how you are adjusting to social distancing.
Angel: Weāre artists… We DJ, produce, and song-write among other things. Right now there arenāt any parties or anything but weāve been making a lot of music at home and itās been cool doing online DJ sets. This situation is weird but Iāve just been trying to get creative and make the most of it.
Dren: I donāt think anyone could have foreseen this situation, but Iām focused on making the best of it. Iām feeling healthy and able, and I donāt take that lightly, so I do what I can to exude positivity, whether thatās with the DJ sets, healthy meals, or home workouts.
How do you typically start your day? What daily rituals are you practicing?
Angel: I write a to-do list everyday and I try to get through most of it. If I donāt I honestly — actually I usually do, because I hate feeling like I didnāt do everything I wanted so I: Wake up, stretch, exercise, shower, make coffee, get through my list, and when itās done I move on to fun and creativity.
Dren: I drink some water and stretch. I love tea, so thatās an every morning type ting.
How are you staying productive while at home? Any useful tips?
Angel: Truthfully this quarantine is getting me back to being productive at home. For a while we were traveling so much that when weād have some time home in NY, I would just want to chillllll and hang out. I feel like Iām not in that place anymore and itās good – we have a mini home studio setup and the will to stay active.
Dren: I find that if there are things youāre trying to accomplish during this time, itās important to write them down for accountability and to have a plan for your day. I donāt think you have to focus on being āproductiveā during this time, but if you are, these are things that help me stay focused.
What is keeping you grounded/balanced at the moment?
Angel: I think Dren and I keep each other grounded. Iām healthy and could definitely be worse off which is humbling. I also write 3-5 pages everyday in the morning about whateverās on my mind and that helps to keep me balanced, though I think I struggle with balance overall.
Dren: I WAS NOT grounded for the first week and half of this. LOL I had a mini-meltdown because I was still trying to focus on all the plans I HAD. But, I realized that I canāt be so fixated on my previous plans, that Iām not living in the present and rolling with the punches. Whatās been keeping me grounded is taking each day one step at a time and choosing to live for the moment that is.
During this time of social distancing, people are leaning on things such as streaming services, puzzles, painting, at-home workouts, to name a few, what activities are you using to take your mind off of things?
Angel: OK SOOO – I just ordered on amazon the tools to make candles and tie dye shirts. Iāll keep you updated on the outcome but Iām really excited about those projects hahaā¦ Other than that, Iāve been reading, making music, cooking, taking free online classes (Iām taking 3), and I know I should be relaxing, but Iām excited to try new things! PS: You can find free classes here.
Dren: So I signed up for a coding class, Iām working on making some new music, and I pretty much feel like a full time chef.
How have you stayed connected to friends and family during this time?
Angel: Iāve been on Facetime, Zoom, Whatsapp, texts, group chats, calls, IG Live, DMs, all of them to keep in contact with people. I think itās actually pretty cool that there are so many ways to stay connected. I feel like one of the good things coming out of this situation is that itās getting people to talk more. I actually love talking on the phone haha.
Dren: Iām now using imessage, text, FT, Zoom, Houseparty, IG, IGLive, DMs, Whatsapp, and Iām about to start on Twitchā¦ who knew there were this many ways to connect before this lol.
What advice would you give to someone whoās struggling in isolation right now?
Angel: I mean I struggle from time to time too, but I remind myself daily that amidst the uncertainty, I can only really control my response to it, so I try to stay positive, reach out to my friends and family, and I take breaks when I need to.
Dren: Donāt be afraid to lean on friends and family or to ask for help. Iām hoping that people realize we need each other more than ever.
What accomplishment are you most proud of while social distancing?
Angel: I think Iām just proud of my resilience.
What are you most looking forward to once this is over?
Angel: Iām going to Jamaica for fun when this is over. I just want to go eat at some festival on Hellshire Beach.
Dren: I’m looking forward to our first DJ set back lol should be a good one.
