Katrina De Jesus, a.k.a. Kat DJ, has always loved music. So it was natural for her to pursue a career spinning tracks. The Palace Manila’s resident DJ explained that, as a child, she’d always had an innate aptitude for music.
“I learned how to play the piano by three years old, the guitar by 10, and the drums by 13,” De Jesus told Coconuts Manila. “And during my high school days, I had two bands; and I was also both a drummer for the bands.”
It was in high school when she first started putting tracks together for various dance competitions, cutting and stitching cassette tapes to create cool beats for her school’s team. Then in her freshman year of college, she started taking DJ-ing seriously and juggled classes with gigs.
She was so engrossed in her career that she ended up winning the GSM Blue Mix Master competition in 2011. A year after that, she became the champion of another DJ competition, Manila Mix-Off.
Now, it seems her decision to pursue DJ-ing has paid off. She’s currently one of the hottest female DJs in the metro, and even boasts a sizeable social media following, with more than 31,600 fans on Instagram.
As a DJ, nightlife is her expertise. So here are a few of her recommendations on the best places to party in the metro, plus her favorite hangouts for chilling and shopping.
Cool neighborhoods
De Jesus recommends two neighborhoods for anyone looking to have a good time: Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig and Poblacion in Makati.
“You can head there, see familiar faces and definitely have a good time. Especially now, there are so many good spots in these places that you’ll get to find a perfect place that suits you — music or atmosphere-wise.”
Parties and booze
Naturally, De Jesus recommends The Palace for people wanting to unwind and let loose. De Jesus describes the place as a compound that brings together different clubs, all of which have something unique to offer discerning partygoers.
“It’s five different bars and clubs you can visit in one night without the hassle of booking a Grab or parking your car!” she exclaimed.
“Whether you wanna party hard, listen to pumping music [or] experience the whole club feel, you can head to Xylo. If you wanna have an indoor-outdoor concept tropical party feel, go to The Island,” she said. “If you wanna party with neon lights, hip, and Instagrammable interiors, then you can head to B.A.D, which we call the ‘college’ bar because that’s where usually all the college crowd goes. If you wanna party in luxury and [you’re] looking for a more exclusive place, then you can head to Revel, where you can easily talk and socialize.”
For people who prefer to just relax with a drink in hand, De Jesus recommends The Palace’s cocktail bar, Yes Please.
“It’s a hip place with graffiti and games, and [they have] themes on certain weeks,” she said.
FIND IT:
The Palace is in 11th Ave corner 38th St Uptown BGC, Taguig City.
Shopping
“There’s The Athlete’s Foot, where I get my fresh stock of kicks and apparel. The Nines is also worth checking out; they carry brands like Champion, The Hundreds, Chinatown Market and other streetwear brands. Vision Express [is a good place] for eyewear and shades,” she said. “I also collect toys specifically Funko Pops. You can get these at Big Boys Toy Store or Filbar’s.”
FIND IT:
The Nines is in Uptown Mall, 36th St., Uptown BGC, Taguig City.
Working out
De Jesus works out at FIST Gym in Quezon City, where she boxes. The gym also offers classes in Muay Thai, Arnis, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
FIND IT:
Suite 301, Gil-Preciosa Bldg. 2, No. 75 Timog Ave., Quezon City.
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