BIO
Omari’s 12+ year DJ career was born out of love for music. He specializes in high-energy dancing parties and has a truly eclectic taste in music. He draws on myriad genres, and can confidently play to any audience. He strives to bring the most enjoyable and hassle-free DJ party experience.
Omari has worked closely with many families, companies, bars/nightclubs, student organizations, and fraternities, throwing both public and private events, bringing them exceptional shows. Omari is easy to work with and will strive to make sure your event will be unforgettable.
ABOUT
Hometown: Boston
Education: Bachelor’s in Economics, UMass Amherst
Language: English
What’s it like to work with Omari: Omari is organized, responsive, and thoughtful, with a natural ability to understand what his clients want and bring it to life. His background as a dancer gives him a strong sense of musicality, allowing him to build energy through intentional song selection and progression rather than forced hype. Creative, technically minded, and easy to work with, Omari brings generations and musical tastes together for a dance floor that feels cohesive, high-energy, and genuinely fun.
INTERVIEW
Growing up, Omari Hayles would sit in the passenger seat of his dad’s car, listening to him jam out on the radio. His father inspired him and his music tastes alike, and Omari credits him as “probably the reason I’m a DJ today.”
For Omari, DJing is a combination of music, technology, and celebration. Like many DJs, Omari found his first gigs while in college, bringing his laptop to parties and learning how to read and elevate the vibe of a crowd.
Technology has always been of particular interest to Omari. He has been taking stuff apart since he was a kid in order to see how they worked, only to rush to fix them before his parents got home. Repairing computers is still a passion he carries with him today. While no DJ ever wants to have to repair their equipment, Omari admits it’s a helpful skill set to have in a bind, making him uniquely prepared to fix any technological mishaps on the fly.
Omari has been DJing professionally since 2007 and joined his first DJ roster in 2013, which marked a turning point in his career and led to an increase in his wedding bookings. Around 2019, he began working with White Label Wedding DJs.
Outside of DJing, Omari is also a dancer. He got his start with ballroom dancing during college, and though he enjoyed dancing as a whole, he has since shifted to Lindy Hop and Blues.
He also has experience teaching classes and hosting events.
“The longer I’ve been on the dance scene, the more I’ve become ingratiated with it,” Omari says. “I come from a background of musicality, which is helpful as a DJ when folks are looking for specific dance-related things.”
“Can you tell me more about your approach to DJing and music?”
I strive to motivate my dance floors through solid song selections and progressions, veering away from artificially hyping up the dance floor with announcements, or telling people to put their hands in the air, or cornball DJ stuff like that.
“What was your first experience DJing a wedding?”
The first wedding I DJed was back in college, around 2008 or 2009, for a coworker of mine at the time. It was a very small budget thing, and I had next to no gear. It’s quite hilarious in retrospect. I’ve got a couple pictures of it, and I look very amateurish, and it’s truly crazy to see the development.
“What’s the coolest experience you’ve had DJing?”
Probably DJing at Lincoln Center. Also, I did DJ for the New York City Ballet a few times, which was a lot of fun.
“What’s something you’re looking forward to, at the time of this interview?”
I’m excited about playing at an upcoming Matrix-themed party, especially as a fan of action movies and electronic/futuristic elements.
“Do you collect CDs and records?”
I curate them, more than anything. I’ve just ended up with a collection over the years. My favorite record is a live recording from The Kingston Trio. There’s a humanity to the live recording, like it teleports you, and suddenly, you’re there with the audience. It feels almost like a time machine.
“Do you remember your first concert?”
Evanescence, though I’m certain I must have gone to concerts before that one.
“What gets you most excited to do this work?”
I really appreciate a wide variety of musical genres, but I have a particular appreciation for electronic music. When a client fills out their questionnaire, I know I’m in for a good time when they leave me with a lot of freedom, and I know I’m going to be able to get out there and do my thing. Also, when it’s clear a couple prioritizes the dance floor, I know it’s gonna be a great night.
In general, I enjoy working weddings because you get to see everybody at an important moment in their life, and everyone is really alive in a way that you just don’t see a lot in a lot of day-to-day life. It’s really cool, and it’s nice to be a part of helping that happen.
REVIEWS
“We hired Omari for our wedding and he did a fantastic job! We barely left the dance floor! Our friends and family commented on how great the music selection was. He combined all of the many references and vibes we gave him and turned it into the dance party of our dreams. It was truly a wonderful night and we could not have been happier.”
“Omari was amazing as our wedding DJ! Everyone the next morning raved about the music all the way from my grandpa to my college age cousins. He really played for everyone which made the party so much more fun! People danced the entire night, and he was able to keep everyone engaged till the last song! He was also incredibly organized, professional, and reliable which is all we could have asked for during the wedding planning process. He gave great suggestions and added the little touches that made working with him flawless. Thanks again Omari!! PS. We are looking forward to our five year anniversary party!”
“Omari was the DJ at my wedding last month and I would recommend him to anyone else getting married in the Boston area.My wife knew Omari socially, so he came to mind quickly when searching for a DJ. After our initial chat with him, I knew that he would be great for our special day; he had worked for weddings with a range of styles and had a great demeanor for hosting events. He was organized in the weeks leading up to the event, as we went through the run-of-show and song preferences. I appreciated his responsiveness to my questions, both via email and phone, right up to the night before. At the wedding, the logistics went smoothly and his mix of music was the perfect range of styles. He showed up on time and worked with our event coordinator to set up his equipment in a way that could handle the multiple rooms used during our event. I was moved to hear all the songs my wife and I had spent the previous weeks selecting. During the cocktail hour and dinner, he selected just the right ambient music and handled the logistics of our speeches well. Several people commented on how much they enjoyed the music after the reception: a mix of 90’s hits with a splash of Bollywood. After giving Omari a representative list of songs (as well as a “do not play” list), he did a perfect job of filling in the rest and had people dancing all night. Overall, the music added an additional dimension of meaning to the event, largely thanks to Omari. I highly recommend him as a DJ.”
“White Label Wedding DJ service was a pleasure to work with. DJ Omari was a true professional! Great communication before the wedding; and mixed music I never thought could be mixed! MC skills were great for any wedding. Dinner music and dance music was truly perfect. A vibrant thank you to DJ Omari and White Label Wedding DJs!”
