DJ Mandy
Let Her Cook!
FTY Exclusive Interview by Emma Speicher
Photo by Izze Gunn
Amanda Shultz is not your typical second-year society and environment major - she’s an absolute menace to society, cooking up an environment of ironic beats in her Pioneer CDJ kitchen, and I’m not talking about borscht.
Shultz aka DJ Mandy is a TikTok legend, amassing over 700k followers, with videos consistently surpassing a million views, and earning a feature in PAPER magazine just to name a few achievements - she’s just getting started. After initially being inspired by fellow dj, Jigitz, she has whipped up her own unique sound that folds sound bites of pop culture into a batter of unexpected tracks and well known songs, perfecting the perfect concoction of irony and talent.
I had the opportunity to sit down with DJ Mandy at the Shabang Music Festival as a part of my Shabang ‘24 Interview Series to see what was cookin’ in the Mandy kitchen…
Photo by Izze Gunn
Welcome to Shabang, DJ Mandy! What is it like playing your first music festival?
DJ Mandy: It's really fun. This is my first festival, so I didn't really know what to expect. But overall, I just love the vibes, they are so good. San Luis Obsipo is really chill and the people are here for the music - they're open to hearing new things. I visited SLO a lot because my brother went to college there, I knew I liked it. When I heard I got an offer to play here, I was like, yeah, of course!
As a Theta, I'm sure you've had your fair share of shitty frat DJs, what made you decide to learn how to mix and create your own sound?
DJ Mandy: I started getting into house music a lot and began listening to boiler room sets in the background. I thought DJs were so cool and I realized that I kind of wanted to try and now I’m here, it's crazy!
What is your favorite part about performing?
DJ Mandy: I just love the high energy and making people dance! Music brings people together and being in control of that is crazy, it's always so fun.
What gives you inspiration?
DJ Mandy: Ooh, that's hard. Definitely making stuff! Putting music or content out there that makes people like happy. Even if it's such a small thing, even if it'll be a little highlight of their day or something. I know people enjoy having an escape in music during sets, so I like providing that for people!
DJ Mandy’s Silent Disco Set at Shabang - Photo by Izze Gunn
From using a diverse range of samples from Deepthroat by Cupcakke to Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream, what goes into choosing your song samples?
DJ Mandy: It'll just come to me randomly because my brain is always running. I'll just think of random sounds, for example right now, there’s this TikTok sound of Kamala Harris saying “you think you just fell out of coconut tree” and then I'll think about what would mesh and then boom - mix it with Jojo Siwa. Boom, Karma's a Bitch. It just comes to me out of nowhere because my brain is just always moving and then I'll just make it happen.
Back in 2022, you were hooked on Stranger Things and you used to repost some edits of Millie Bobby Brown. What is your favorite quarantine era trend on TikTok?
DJ Mandy: Oh, that is crazy, how did you know that? I would always watch the TikTok dances, I'm not gonna lie. A Charli D’amelio fan of course. You know how - I don't know if you were on the side of TikTok - but there was a bunch of chains or like random companies that would make a TikTok account and they would comment and make funny videos. There was like Bloomington's and shit. I thought those were so funny.
Have any of those companies ever commented on your TikTok?
DJ Mandy: The Empire State Building, it was pretty funny.
Speaking of which, if you could collab with any like brand or artist, alive or dead, who would you collab with?
DJ Mandy: I think it would be cool to collab with a designer like Prada, Valentino, that type of vibe, I love fashion. I would love to collab with Billie Eilish or something, I love her, I don't know how that would work but yeah, love her.
Photo by Izze Gunn
Mandy, you’re (allegedly) a certified Swiftie but you’re also certified Battle Royale in Fortnite: One’s got to go - Taylor Swift’s Fortnight or Fortnite, which one is it?
DJ Mandy: That’s crazy, I love that you know that. I will have to say that Taylor’s song, Fortnight, is pretty good. I would drop the game and I would pick her, I'm not gunna to lie.
So, what is your favorite Fortnite season? and what is your favorite Taylor era?
DJ Mandy: HAHA, that's a really funny question. Okay, well for Fortnite: I like the OG, the OG Map for sure. As for my favorite era…Reputation…or Fearless…
This is my last question for you… how do we get more young people to explore electronic music?
DJ Mandy: Stay open-minded because you never know what is going to happen in the future. You never know what things might come your way. It might be a whole new path that you never expected. Expect the unexpected.
