DJ Ari Spins Community, Confidence, and Queer Joy in Houston

In a sea of playlists, pre-planned drops, and mapped-out transitions, DJ Ari does things differently. She doesn’t rehearse her sets. She doesn’t even necessarily know what song she’s going to start with until she feels the energy in the room. Her style? Call it “The Crowd Reader.” “I rarely ever plan my sets in advance,” she says. “I like to get to the club or event and see what type of energy the crowd and I can create together.”

That ability to read and respond has earned her a name in Houston’s vibrant music scene over the past decade, particularly in queer nightlife spaces where she doesn’t just spin tracks, she makes space. But DJing wasn’t always the plan. In fact, it almost didn’t happen at all.

DJ Ari’s entry into the world of music was less about ambition and more about surviving. A broke college student looking for a hustle, she tapped into something that had always been second nature: curating vibes for her friends. As the “iPod DJ” for many functions, Ari took a leap, purchasing DJ equipment and dreaming of turning weekend parties into a paycheck.

But starting out wasn’t easy. “I realized it wasn’t easy to get booked as a DJ who’s just started,” she said. “So, I threw my own free parties just so people would come and listen to me DJ.”

What began as a workaround became a calling, and a decade later, Ari is not only headlining major venues, she’s also building platforms for others to do the same.

While some DJs cite global icons as their guiding stars, Ari finds inspiration much closer to home. “My DJ friends around me have influenced me the most,” she says. “From my college days up until now, I’ve been blessed to have such great DJ homies who are amazing at what they do. I learn so much from them, and they inspire me daily.”

Ari’s presence in the Houston scene goes beyond the beats. As a masculine-presenting queer woman, she’s used her platform to challenge assumptions, shift the spotlight, and crack open spaces that haven’t always been welcoming. “I don’t see many masculine women like myself in the big clubs or huge festivals I’ve been a part of,” she notes. “It’s already hard for women to occupy these spaces, but being masc is even more difficult.”

Rather than conform or retreat, Ari leaned in. She began to notice something powerful: the more visible she became, the more queer people began showing up—finding their own space through her presence. That visibility has taken on even greater impact through her company, Lesbian In Houston, a platform and party series dedicated to creating opportunities and safe spaces for queer women. From DJs and MCs to event staffing and collaborations, Ari centers her community at every level. “I’m trying to show up as someone I wish I was when I first stepped into DJing and into Houston,” she says.

At the end of the day, Ari’s goals are as simple as they are profound. “I just want people to feel something from my sets—whether it made you feel sexy and boosted your confidence, whether it made you let out emotions you’ve been holding in, or whether it just made you want to nod your head to some good tunes.”

Follow DJ Ari on Instagram: @Ari_TheDJ