ARE DJs the museum curators of vibes?

“A good DJ isn’t just playing music that’s popular right now. They’re introducing sounds the crowd will come to love in the future.” is roughly what Kofla (@kofla_music), an explosive and promising DJ told me right before he played his headlining set at QUEMA’s House Sessions Volume 1 (@officialquema), event which took place at District Atlanta (@districtatlanta) in late July of 2025. 

Produced by QUEMA & Sonder’s Club (@sondersclub), the night was a milestone event for a collective that has been steadily building a place for themselves in the Atlanta club scene by effortlessly blending the cutting edge of electronic music with both classic and modern Hispanic sounds and rhythms. The lineup included support from local acts Marc Flight (@marcflightmusic), Anu (@anuthedj) & SexyPeopleMusic (@sexypeoplemusic).

Headlining act Kofla, born in Barranquilla, Colombia and now based in Atlanta, has built his reputation by blending tropical Caribbean rhythms, Latin culture, and the groove-heavy energy of Tech House. His background as a drummer shows up in the percussive drive of his productions, which have landed on respected labels like Rawthentic, Happy Techno, and Habitat Label. On stage, he’s shared decks with artists like Paco Osuna (@pacoosuna), Solardo (@solardosound), and Dennis Cruz (@denniscruzdj), making him one of the most recognized DJs in Atlanta’s electronic scene.

It’s more than just track selection — Curation as a DJ’s True Craft

Kofla’s take highlights a key trait: vision. A great DJ isn’t just reactive, giving people exactly what they expect. Instead, they blend just the right amount of popular and experimental, known and unknown, subtly teaching the crowd to expand their musical taste. 

Some common traits I’ve noticed in the best DJs I’ve experienced:

• Have a deep & wide understanding of music, genres, and their histories

• Know how to seamlessly implement elements from across time, giving historically significant work a new place and shape in a new era, educating new audiences and connecting them to legacy ones.

• Take risks by introducing new voices and styles the crowd hasn’t yet discovered.

It’s an act of trust: the audience relies on the DJ to guide them through a journey that feels both familiar and surprising. The best sets leave you thinking about them long after the night is over, giving you plenty

DJs = Cultural Gatekeepers

In my mind, DJs act like curators in a gallery. Instead of paintings or photographs, their medium is sound, rhythm, vibes. They decide what gets placed next to what, how different works are framed, and ultimately, what the audience takes away. It’s about highlighting great artistry, elevating important messages, and shaping collective taste.

For artists like Kofla, this role also means carrying culture across borders. Born in Colombia and now part of Atlanta’s electronic scene, he blends tropical Caribbean percussion, Latin rhythms, and Tech House grooves in ways that feel both fresh and deeply rooted. DJs like him have been central to the rise of Hispanic sounds in U.S. clubs, weaving reggaeton, salsa-inspired percussion, and Latin vocal textures into spaces that once leaned almost entirely toward European or American house and techno.

I think this is related to why some say music genres hardly matter anymore, or maybe don’t even exist (did they ever??). What the crowd hears is less about labels like house or techno and more about the unique fingerprints DJs bring through their curation. When DJs champion these sounds they reframe what belongs on the dance floor. This cultural translation has helped entire movements gain traction in the U.S., showing that curation is not just about taste, but also representation.