hire a dj in dubai

Bret Turner is without a doubt one of the best DJ’s & VDJ’s in Dubai - and you can hire him! Whether it’s for a birthday party, a corporate function, a product launch, or just a boat party for the hell of it, Bret is your man if you like music from the following:

Mainstream House, Tech & Deep House, R’n’B & Hip Hop, Nu Disco & Classic House, Downtempo & Chillout

Bret Turner

From Bournemouth, England

Based in Dubai, UAE.

Mainstream House 
Tech / Deep House - for fans of Carl Cox, Elrow
R'n'B / Hip Hop 
Nu Disco / Indy House / Standards - for fans of Glitterbox, Simon Dunmore
Downtempo /  Chillout - for fans of Gramatik, Nikki Beach
Video DJ - When you need a full-on audio visual experience!

Bret's gigs have been as varied over the years as the many corners of the globe he finds himself. Whether it's playing floor filling EDM at Linekers in Marbella, Tech House, R'n'B or Nu Disco until sunrise in Thailand, or cool poolside beats for Nikki Beach, there's always one common thread - a love of the power of music to entertain, thrill and bring people together in one common experience.

Now firmly established in Dubai, Bret was resident DJ at Mr Miyagi’s in Dubai for 2018/19, bringing the curtain down with a storming New Years Eve set. Other residences have included Cu-Ba at Jumeirah Creekside, Gaucho's in DIFC with their Ladies Night and regular Thursday disco & funk nights at Uptown above the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.  He's also a popular choice for private events, especially boat parties around Dubai Marina.

How to hire a dj in dubai

There’s two main things to consider - the DJ him / herself and the equipment required.

It should be obvious from a DJ’s social media or website if they are busy and experienced but any professional DJ should have a press kit (right-click to download). This is a document that details all about the DJ and has their CV, some photos and describes the kind of music they play.

They should also have links to mixes they have personally made. This will give you an idea of the kind of music they play of course, but also how they build a set and keep the energy variation going. Remember unless it’s obviously a live mix though, it could easily have been mixed with the aid of a computer or even by someone else, so it’s not always a reliable way to determine how skilled a mixer the DJ is. A good way to find that out is to go to one of their gigs of course, or simply to see if they have posed any videos of them mixing or even just check out their previous residencies. If they use CDJ’s rather than a laptop then this is also a good pointer to them having some chops when it comes to mixing.

When you hire a DJ they should also be open beforehand to you providing some kind of playlist. This will give them an idea of the kind of music you expect and help them put together a set for you. This is a much better idea than waiting until the party itself and then coming over to the DJ with your phone every 20 minutes with requests. Just don’t try to control what the DJ plays too much and be open-minded, so long as they are sticking generally to the guidance you’ve given and everyone is having a good time. Other wise maybe you should be the DJ!

One last thing to remember - if there are obscure tracks or even ones you think are famous but are must-have’s, always tell the DJ before the gig so they have time to download a high-quality version of it and have it ready for when you need it. There’s nothing worse when you’re playing and totally ‘in the zone’ than having a curve-ball thrown at you with a load of stress - ‘can we have this random song on right now please they are brining out the cake’ is a really common one!

The second thing to consider is the equipment required. If you are having a house party in your garden and have to worry about the neighbors complaining, then maybe you don’t need a full PA (public address) system - I’ve played gigs where I’ve plugged in to the owners (admittedly very nice) stereo system and it’s been perfect. On the other hand, a large ballroom in a hotel will at the very least need two large speakers on poles, preferably with two bass speakers underneath. Then again, a boat party needs portable speakers that can be laid on the deck or on seating so they don’t fall overboard! You’ll also have to consider if you need lights (some venues have them already) and of course there’s the actual decks themselves. This can all add-up so shop around and make sure you find out exactly what equipment you are hiring and if you actually need all of it. Unless the DJ is only bringing decks or simply plugging in their USB’s / laptop, setup should be at the very minimum 1 hour before the party is due to start.

So how much does it cost? A DJ in Dubai will on average charge around 300 - 600 AED per hour. Equipment charges can easily be double this though - remember the guys hiring the gear have to transport it, set it up and then tear down / return it afterwards. It’s always great if you can find a DJ who already has some of his own gear (even just their decks) and / or a venue with a lot of equipment already provided.

If you’d like to get a quote for your upcoming event, click here.

DJ BRET TURNER CV