Native New Yorker DJ Mel DeBarge has quickly established himself as a household name on the international party scene. Mel has emerged as a fixture at exclusive film, music, fashion, philanthropic, and private events with clients including Louis Vuitton, Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss, GQ, Calvin Klein, Nike, Jennifer Lopez, Missy Elliott, Heidi Klum, Kimora Lee Simmons, NBC, and Vogue. A regular at America's most recognizable nightclubs, Mel is a resident at Avenue and PH-D at The Dream Dowtown, The Borgata (Atlantic City), and Arkadia (Miami). His encyclopedic knowledge of music allows him to draw on myriad influences as he fearlessly merges hip-hop, rock, soul, funk, disco, and reggae. Despite growing up in a musical home and developing a deep understanding of the craft from his uncle - a skilled disco deejay - Mel never had visions of spinning records. While studying abroad in Japan, however, he began collecting records and reluctantly agreed to deejay a friend's birthday party. Now, just four years later, Mel'­s rise in the DJ sphere has been meteoric. Called upon to play in nightclubs and entertain at private and corporate parties around the globe, Mel has won critical acclaim for his technical skill, but he insists his success stems from something more personal. "I make sure my personality comes across in my performances. The personal connection with the audience is not only what I enjoy most about deejaying, it's also the reason I keep the dance floor full." Mel has been featured in a breadth of publications including In Touch, Us Weekly, OK! Magazine, Complex, Vice, BlackBook, New York Daily News, and Time Out New York. www.meldebarge.com