DJ Dito Bernard went viral last weekend after getting international figures like British singer-songwriter Adele and NBA star player Lebrón James to “throw the steps” to the rhythm of the dembow at the wedding of basketball player Anthony Davis and the Dominican descent model Marlen Polanco.
But, Who is this DJ who has become a trend on social networks in recent days?
Bernardo Santos is a 30-year-old dentist from La Vega, where he still resides for opportunities to develop projects, although he constantly travels to the United States for work.
He told the Listin Diario that graduated from the Universidad Católica del Cibao (Ucateci) and began his specialty at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (Pucmm) in Santiago, however he could not finish it because he felt “mediocre with what he was doing”, so he decided to open up to new horizons.
That’s when the music got him.
Although he had his first approach to the music business at the age of 14, when he was part of the production of a band in which his older brother was the vocalist, its formal insertion in the industry occurred some time later.
+ His first party
On July 9, 2009, he recalled with a smile, it was his first party as a “song mixer” practically “obligatory”, after his brother asked him to give him a gift to play at his birthday party in a bar in La Vega.
“He asked me for so long that one day on his birthday he told me: give me that, I’m going to have a little party in a bar in La Vega and you give me playing”, he narrated.
The positive reaction of people to his mixes and his animation at parties propelled him to what he is today. Currently DJ Dito Bernard has 12 years in the music and entertainment industry.
He explained that it was in 2015 when he made the decision to dedicate himself completely to the entertainment business, which implied “Restart your life”.
“The initiative was because I was studying, I was also being a DJ and I didn’t feel comfortable because I felt a bit mediocre about what I was doing. I always tried to be responsible with studies but I felt like that little thing inside”, He expressed.
Later, he understood that to start in the industry he needed to “do it right”, so began to study sound engineering, music production, music and did multiple courses to prepare in the area.
At that moment it was said: “Well, if I’m going to get into this at least I want to know what I’m doing.”
However, not everything was rosy for the renowned DJ, as one of his biggest challenges was showing his family that this decision would not lead him “astray”.
“The biggest challenge it was to make my family understand that being a DJ did not imply getting lost in the street, it did not imply vice, it did not imply alcohol (…) It was a bit difficult because my family is very conservative, my father was cross and line (…) my grandmother was very uncomfortable, “he said.
However, his greatest obstacle became his greatest satisfaction when he was able to change the perspective of his relatives regarding his profession and work “responsibly”.
“It was nice when my grandmother and my dad were among my best fans. They feel so happy ”, he said with a smile.
+ The wedding strategy
Connecting with people through music is one of the things DJ Dito likes most about his work. “I like it when I connect with people and we are enjoying it with that vibe (…) no matter the type of event, it is one of the things that I like the most ”, he expressed.
To achieve this at the wedding of Anthony Davis and Marlen Polanco, he first had to “feel” the ground and know what kind of music was going to make them dance, since he had to start playing in a “dead moment”.
“When it was our turn, a band with very American music had finished (…) so I said, well let’s get real, right now the global trend is the urban genre (…) I started with a track and let it play and I was seeing the reaction”, He explained.
The plan continued with a “hook” that connected with people. The DJ grabbed the bride and groom and “went on chercha so as not to be tense.”
“And that’s where I told (the boyfriend) you are Dominican now and if you are Dominican you have to learn to dance this”, commented.
From that moment on, people began to get motivated and danced to different rhythms, from urban music to bachata and merengue, “all our rhythms”.
“That for me is the most important part of it, connect us culture”he said excitedly.
He admitted that the reactions of millions of people to his participation in the wedding came as a surprise to him, which is why he is still in shock.
+ Your projects
Besides being a DJ, “Dito” is involved in various businesses in the entertainment and music industry, including the Ziette Club in La Vega; the record company and record label Millo Vision Inc .; event production, and a personal project as a producer to work with Dominican artists who seek “a space to make themselves visible.”
“Outside of the urban genre we have many ideas in salsa, bachata (…) we seek to make models to present them to artists“, he pointed.
One of his many dreams is to consolidate his brand into an industry. “To be able to consolidate our brand (…) My big dream would be to have a company where we can give people the tools to achieve things they want to do,” he said with enthusiasm.
He put the example of the Puerto Rican exponent Wisin as a business model “that he would love.”
It is visualized as a figure that can make events where you can play your own music, mixing different genres, rhythms and fusions. “I visualize myself that way, that would be ideal,” he stressed.
+ “When I saw the DJ Adonis I was excited”
When asked about other Dominican mixers that have stood out internationally, DJ Dito expressed that he feels “Too happy for everything that is happening with the word DJ”. He described it as “phenomenal.”
“When I saw the Adonis thing, that was something that excited me too much and made me feel super good, because it is a door that is opening, Already with the fact of him achieving everything that he is achieving opens a door for me and for us that out there it is possible then it is already an opportunity that is for everyone ”, he expressed.
+ Projection of Dominican urban music
“I feel that although there is a wave of criticism there are many exponents, producers, artists who are working well and who are making the border break down, that border of Latin music and Dominican music to be exportable, so that it can be heard by people from other countries and other cultures ”, he assured.
The DJ called on the country so that “instead of turning its back” support Dominican urban music.
“It is a genre that has too much flavor (…) That musical psychology, I realized that it worked (the dembow) because they did not know what the music was saying,” he referred to his participation in the wedding last weekend .
He confessed that music “changed his life.” “Dito Bernard gave the before and after to my life,” he said while outlining a smile.
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