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 theyâre 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 theyâre 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: Weâre artists… We DJ, produce, and song-write among other things. Right now there arenât any parties or anything but weâve been making a lot of music at home and itâs been cool doing online DJ sets. This situation is weird but Iâve just been trying to get creative and make the most of it.
Dren: I donât think anyone could have foreseen this situation, but Iâm focused on making the best of it. Iâm feeling healthy and able, and I donât take that lightly, so I do what I can to exude positivity, whether thatâs 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 donât I honestly — actually I usually do, because I hate feeling like I didnât do everything I wanted so I: Wake up, stretch, exercise, shower, make coffee, get through my list, and when itâs done I move on to fun and creativity.
Dren: I drink some water and stretch. I love tea, so thatâs 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 weâd have some time home in NY, I would just want to chillllll and hang out. I feel like Iâm not in that place anymore and itâs good – we have a mini home studio setup and the will to stay active.
Dren: I find that if there are things youâre trying to accomplish during this time, itâs important to write them down for accountability and to have a plan for your day. I donât think you have to focus on being âproductiveâ 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. Iâm healthy and could definitely be worse off which is humbling. I also write 3-5 pages everyday in the morning about whateverâs 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 canât be so fixated on my previous plans, that Iâm not living in the present and rolling with the punches. Whatâs 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. Iâll keep you updated on the outcome but Iâm really excited about those projects haha⊠Other than that, Iâve been reading, making music, cooking, taking free online classes (Iâm taking 3), and I know I should be relaxing, but Iâm excited to try new things! PS: You can find free classes here.
Dren: So I signed up for a coding class, Iâm 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: Iâve been on Facetime, Zoom, Whatsapp, texts, group chats, calls, IG Live, DMs, all of them to keep in contact with people. I think itâs 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 itâs getting people to talk more. I actually love talking on the phone haha.
Dren: Iâm now using imessage, text, FT, Zoom, Houseparty, IG, IGLive, DMs, Whatsapp, and Iâm about to start on Twitch⊠who knew there were this many ways to connect before this lol.
What advice would you give to someone whoâs 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: Donât be afraid to lean on friends and family or to ask for help. Iâm hoping that people realize we need each other more than ever.
What accomplishment are you most proud of while social distancing?
Angel: I think Iâm just proud of my resilience.
What are you most looking forward to once this is over?
Angel: Iâm 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.
