Vegas Artists Working Not So 9 to 5
In 2021, two Vegas high school friends took a drastic leap of faith. They left their “9 to 5’s” to pursue music fully. Today, they’re getting booked consistently at popular Vegas venues (and beyond) and are opening for major artists like Esta, Sango, Troyboi and Ookay. The duo have a new single, “Proper” dropping June 10. The upbeat, inspirational anthem advocates ditching a job and chasing a dream right at their fingertips (for these DJ/producer/songwriters, almost literally).
Jdhd and L-Rich are setting an example for creatives in their area. In early 2021 when COVID burn out was at an all time high, they, like everyone else, struggled staying connected with their jobs. Day after day, they resented the reality in front of them, which fueled the decision to clock out for good. L-Rich held various jobs in the city, like a movie theater usher, dishwasher, and sales agent at a travel company. In March of 2021, L-Rich left his job to write music, open a recording studio, and take DJ gigs. Just a few months later, Jdhd followed suit and left his local cannabis dispensary where he was making close to minimum wage. Just one month after leaving his job, he was hired to DJ at that same dispensary. Check out what Jdhd had to say on Twitter:
Their infectious energy has generated an authentic local following that brings fans back to their downtown gigs week after week. The duo hold a residency at Vegas’s brand new, very popular, nightclub in downtown Las Vegas, We All Scream. Every weekend hundreds of tourists and locals alike have been queuing up in record long lines to check out the new outdoor/rooftop party. These two have been sharing the DJ decks from 10pm to 4am every Friday since the spring. Along with many DJ gigs over the weekends across the Strip and downtown, both give back to the community by teaching music lessons on weekdays to young, aspiring creatives.
One of the highlights on their music journey to date was the duo performing their original song, "I Bounce Back" at Vegas’s largest multi-genre music festival, Life Is Beautiful. Performing live in front of a shoulder to shoulder crowd was a special moment. Life Is Beautiful hosted artists including Megan Thee Stallion, A$AP Rocky, Green Day, and Billie Eilish. Although they are not an official music duo, they’ve been working on many new songs together. Jdhd curates the beats, while L-Rich focuses on writing lyrics and recording vocals.
“‘Proper’ is about leaving behind pencil pushing, corporate culture and work attire to pursue what you love”, said L-Rich. “Since taking the leap to focus on music, I’ve been booked to play a major music festival, a few international shows, and even generated six-figures from bookings in just one year.”
Their new song “Proper” gives you a taste of their last collaboration, which is a dance-music-hip-hop-fusion. Mac Miller, Anderson .Paak, bbno$, and Yung Bae fans would definitely enjoy this track. This four-on-the-floor beat was actually inspired by “Bad Boy” by Yung Bae and bbno$, using influences from funk and disco samples. Catch “Proper” spun live, as these two open for Snakehips, the popular UK DJ/producer duo in Las Vegas in July. Tickets available: HERE
“Proper” will be available to stream on all major services June 10.
- Written by Lindsy Weeks