in-between bulj’s

to say that i’m grateful would be an understatement. i’ve been out of the scene—as far as producing goes—for literally five years. so much has changed since 2020, and honestly, i was nervous to get back into the flow of things. house of sonique isn’t what it used to be—and admitting that to myself, i’m actually grateful for the change.

this time around, it’s about me.

when i first started this business, my mission statement was: “house of sonique is a fashion, art, and entertainment company that provides a platform for marginalized individuals.” that mission still rings true, and always will. but for a long time, i was focused on making sure everyone else in the house had what they needed—and now, i’m asking myself: was i getting what i needed?

years have passed, and time has flown, and the truth is... i still don’t know the answer. what i do know is this: now that it’s just me in the house, this next chapter is going to be about me.

i worked hard to build this platform, this brand, this business. house of sonique has always been a reflection of my creativity and my dedication to the community that helped me discover the kind of artist i could be.

and that brings me to bulj.

this party was actually just for me. i had dj’d at jimmy valentine’s a week or two before bulj. it was another wednesday night in northeast dc, and i wasn’t expecting much—because again, it was a wednesday in ne dc—but honestly, i didn’t care. i marketed my ass off. posted every day. even sent out an email blast. and, like i expected, about five people i knew came through. each one of them showed up smiling, showing support. there were more folks at the bar and some coming in and out throughout the night, and in my head, they were there for me. whether they were or not, it didn’t matter. it was my job to keep them there—to keep the energy up, the drinks flowing, and their heads boppin’.

at the end of the night, the bartender started clapping—and the whole room followed. no complaints here.

but bulj had to be different. this one wasn’t just for me. i had two other djs, a bartender, and a manager counting on the night to deliver.

and it did.

by the end of the night, i had tied up over 15 people (yes, that kind of party), checked in the djs—who absolutely killed it (people kept saying how amazing they were, and i was like: duhh, i know how to produce a show, and i know good-ass djs). i saw more new faces than i could count. people showed up, they danced, they smiled, they experienced something new. and my cup? it was—and still is—very full.

next month will be more or less the same. i’m still on the fence about switching up the lineup. of course, people had opinions—not bad ones, just ideas. they wanted go-go boys and some other touches. and yes, absolutely, i thought of all that and more. but the realist in me knows: it’s better to start small and build from there.

i still wanna have: a host—or two—a dwerk competition, a go-go dancer, and yes... people dancing underneath me while i suspend myself above the dancefloor.

so trust me when i say—there’s so much more to come.