Meet John Anthony, the 9-Year-Old DJ Prodigy
Move over, Martin Garrix. Electronic music’s next young prodigy, John Anthony, may be a decade younger, but he’s in it for the long haul. The current third-grader is a DJ, producer, piano player, violinist, and golf and soccer player, and he has been performing for the past three years at electronic music events, including the mainstage at Sunset Music Festival in Florida, where he’s played since his start.
The nine-year-old practices in his bedroom at home, as well as at Tampa’s Amphitheatre, the electronic-centric nightclub run by his father, John Santoro. Resident DJs BASOMATIK, Christian Alexander and Shanta assist in perfecting his skills once a week after school—or daily, during the week before an upcoming gig. Adorned in a plain tee, basketball shorts, and oversized headphones, the wiz kid discusses his budding career aspirations, elementary school girls, spinning after-hours (past bedtime) sets and more.
At what age did you start DJing?
Maybe like six. My dad’s been doing this nightclub thing for a long time, and I just had a passion for music. I play piano, violin, and I do this.
It’s awesome you get to use your dad’s club to practice. Will he ever let you perform here at the Tampa Amphitheatre? Or do you have to wail ‘til you’re of age?
I think I’m an exception (laughs).
What do you like about electronic music that made you want to get into it?
I just love electronic music. It’s better than what I hear on the radio. I think it has a different twist. I listen to it on Pandora and iTunes and all that.
What’s your favorite kind of electronic music to play in your sets?
All of it! It usually changes from my favorite, but really the best stuff is everything. I have deep house, trap, all that.
How do you compile you set track lists?
The [resident] DJs will help me out. They’ll pick some songs that are popular in the clubs, and also songs that are popular and would make good EDM remixes.
What equipment do you produce with?
Ableton. I also have Launchpads.
You also have a nice setup at home. Do your parents have to tell you to “keep it down” all the time?
There I have the CDJs and the mixer, and I’ll have the computer stand with my Windows computer. Then I’ll have a Launchpad, which has all these buttons that have their own little beat or recording. And that helps me create music. But I still haven’t created a fully good song yet. I also have a mini keyboard that’s 49 keys, and that also helps me.
How often do you practice?
We do this every Tuesday or Thursday, whenever the meetings happen. And since Sunset Music Festival is coming up really quickly, I’ve been coming in here everyday this week to practice and get used to all this stuff I’ll be having onstage at the festival.
What’s the latest your parents will let you stay up to jam out at home?
It depends if it’s a school night or not, and if my sister is sleeping, too. She’s across the wall next to me, and my equipment is out in the hall. I’m not always able to stay up, but sometimes my sister will sleep downstairs if I want to create music ‘til 9.
Ah, afterhours. 9am, right?
(Laughs) 9pm. I won’t let myself do that. I only let myself go ‘til 9pm.
Oh, sleep. Right. What DJs do you look up to?
Zedd. And all my local DJs that help me out: BASOMATIK, Christian Alexander and Shanta.
Are your friends jealous of you?
(Laughs) Well, they know how I am. They look at me as mostly just a nice kid, a helping kid. They don’t think of me as a DJ first; they’re used to it. I’ve been going to the same elementary school since kindergarten, so they’re all used to it.
Aww, you’re humble. Do you have any other friends your age you DJ with?
There are festivals near my house and all that. So, there’s this one kid who’s 13; he DJs at these little art festivals and music festivals.
Is he your competition?
Hmm, no. We’re friends. We gotta collaborate.
How are you handling the ladies? Any groupies?
I’m not at that age yet. I have a lot of girls that are fans, though. (Laughs)
If you could perform with one DJ on the SMF lineup this year, who would it be?
Tiësto. He’s just really, really big. I love his music. I think it would be great to play with him because I’ll be able to play some tracks that I have on my USB that are his. His songs are all over the radio, and he’s so popular. When I was really, really young I used to listen to deadmau5 all the time… On Pandora, they play songs by deadmau5 and songs related to him. I forgot which song it was, but Tiësto came on, and I thought it was deadmau5, and I really liked it. I then listened to more of his songs, and then I just started liking how he makes his music.
Do you bring a posse with you onstage?
We used to have all my friends go when I first started at the local stage, about three years ago or something. But now it’s only my three best friends. They’re triplets. Their names are Gaby, Jake and Grant, and I’ll invite only them because that’s the only amount I can take.
So they luck out with the VIP wristbands, huh?
Yeah, they’ll sit in the back left corner where the exit goes out. They are the exception.
Do you plan to pursue DJing full-time as you get older?
Yup, for sure. I don’t want to be doing just DJing, because that’s just one of the things I do—but playing piano, violin, all that musical stuff.
DJs have to have their bottle service. What’s your non-alcoholic drink of choice in the DJ booth?
Strawberry lemonade. I actually like the one from Bahama Breeze.
