Like plenty of other Southern California teenagers, Sam Vogel developed a love of music playing guitar and jamming in rock bands with friends. But as he got older, things changed.
“I was into everything from classic rock to heavy metal. My big influence was Metallica,” says the rising star DJ known as Jauz. In electronic music, he found creative independence, “a venue to express myself musically that I only had to depend on myself with. … If I can write a good song, that’s all I have to worry about.”
Jauz has become one of mainstream EDM’s most sought-after DJs, working with Skrillex, Diplo and, most recently, Tiësto, with whom he teamed to release “Infected” July 15. It’s an adrenaline-fueled track featuring Jauz’s hard-and-heavy handiwork.
“When I first started meeting all these people, I was super starstruck,” he says. “Now I’m at the point where I go out to dinner with Tiësto and The Chainsmokers and all of our girlfriends, and its like we’re going out with friends for a normal dinner. If I told 16-year-old me that was a thing that could happen, I would literally laugh at myself in the face.”
Known for blending genres and moving fearlessly beyond musical trends, Jauz takes a big step toward stardom with his new Las Vegas residency Off the Deep End, which will see him play Omnia, Jewel and Hakkasan. It’s easy to see why he’s been able to defy the odds and quickly move toward the top of the heap; a go-getter spirit influences everything he does, from spinning in the booth to gambling in the casino.
“One thing [Tiësto] and I share in common is that we love to play craps,” he says. “For me it’s not about making money; it’s about having a group of friends around a table and having a good time.”
Whether or not you spot Jauz at the tables, don’t pass him on the decks. Jauz at Omnia at Caesars Palace, July 26.