Today we’d like to introduce you to Francisco Cartagena-rodriguez
Hi Francisco, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
So my name is Francisco aka DJ Starion. I actually started my DJ journey as a kid in the suburbs of Chicago. My cousin is a Chicago house DJ so I started learning how to mix from just by watching him. When he was working I would go and practice on his setup, and kinda fell in love with it. Over the years, I stayed invested in the Chicago house scene, while branching out into other genres, especially the old Rotterdam gabber scene. I remember hearing one day the song “Through Inner Core” by Meagashira and was absolutely blown away. I tried to find as much as I could, and around this time I was working at a record store, and we had the ability to import CDs so I was able to order quite a bit and just got so invested.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely has not been a smooth road! When you are starting off, getting bookings, exposure, etc is tough when you’re doing it on your own. I used to throw mixes on blank tapes and CDs and just leave them in places like in the front of record stores, outside venues, on windshields of cars, you name it. When everything started to be more online focused it did make it a lot easier, but when covid happened it made it EXPONENTIALLY more difficult, because with everyone being locked down, more people were getting into music making. Which don’t get me wrong, it’s awesome, however the market is getting so flooded that it’s hard to stand out. But when it comes to struggles, you always find strength. And that’s where I learned that the best way to stand out is be yourself. Don’t adjust to the status quo. Do what makes you happy! Be who you are, embrace it, and maybe turn it up to 11 if needed.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
So I’ve always called myself what’s known as the Audiovisual Architect, because I don’t limit myself to just one aspect of creativity. I dabble in a lot. Jack of all trades, master of none. I produce music, but just as long as I’ve done that, I’ve also done graphic design, videography and editing, photography, etc. Back in the mid-2000s I used to be heavily involved in the Chicago independent wrestling scene, and had an amazing time working for this company called MSPW, where I would do camera work but branched out into color commentary and ring announcing. I was able to give a lot of input but also learned a ton about production and how different elements can create a whole experience, even in different mediums. I always say I don’t stay inside the box or work outside the box. When it comes to me, there IS no box. The world is your oyster.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The easiest way people can support me is just by following my journey. I’m @djstarion across all my social media channels (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube) and @djstarion.com on BlueSky.
If you want to work with me or do a collab, my website djstarion.com has a lot of info or you can reach me directly via e-mail at francisco@djstarion.com. I’m always open when it comes to work, so if it’s photo work you need, work on a song, album cover, EPK, you name it. I’ll be more than happy to lean in!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.djstarion.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/djstarion
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/architectdjstarion
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciscocartagena/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@djstarion
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/djstarion
- Other: https://bsky.app/profile/djstarion.com
