Entertainment

DJ RIA Has Our Eye

Published

4 years ago

February 16, 2022

Born and raised in New York City, Maria Clifton– otherwise known as DJ RIA– is truly a force to be reckoned with. After spending several years playing professional basketball overseas in Germany, she took her talents back to the city and established herself in a handful of professions, including modeling, acting, and leading DJ.

Soon after her basketball career, Clifton began working in the entertainment industry at the age of 21. Before her many jobs in the industry, she worked at the front office for the New York Knicks as a coordinator in field marketing and community relations. She also worked for the NY Rangers and the NY Liberty in event presentations. But it didn’t take her long to figure out she was meant for much more than just a desk job.

Thanks to her tenacity and her hustle-mentality from playing sports, she decided to pursue acting and modeling full time after signing with the prestigious Wilhelmina agency. Clifton has now worked everything from sports & fitness to commercial and runway. However, she has certainly been adamant about mentioning it was no easy feat. “It took a lot for me to make the decision to chase this somewhat far-fetched dream,” she explained. “I had to sacrifice a lot. But I’ve discovered that the hard work you put in is everything you’ll get back.”

And the female powerhouse didn’t stop there. After modeling for three years, while catching up with her old boss Ryan Halkett from her time in event relations, he suggested she had the ideal look and background to take up DJing. Halkett recalled that Clifton had played the violin and the flute throughout grade school, so he explained that the transition to music wouldn’t be a far jump. She, of course, mastered the art of DJing in no time and was hired by a company created solely for female DJs in the current scene. Eventually, she found herself playing exclusive gigs that were hosted in high-end venues such as the W and The Dream Hotel. Within a saturated, male-dominated industry, RIA found herself succeeding beyond comprehension. As per her history in sports, she was ready and willing to conquer whatever stood in her way for achieving greatness.

Once the company she was working for disintegrated, Clifton began to manage herself. Her fame as DJ RIA blew up due to her established networking relationships that played alongside her talent. She began to receive freelance gig invites from MLB and NHL teams who wanted her DJing at the games. She has now DJed for the MLB, NBA, WNBA, NHL, and NFL. She’s also worked events for companies such as Nike, Puma, Moët & Chandon, Hennessy, and more. As of 2020, she’s gotten signed as a contracted host and DJ for the NY Liberty and the NY Islanders. She’s also gotten the opportunity to co-host Scram Jones on Shade 45, a SiriusXM radio station, for the past six years.

Although she’s enjoyed the nightlife gigs (and still does), Clifton claims her transition over to the production portion of the industry allowed her to “find her niche” and play her own personal flow of music. Her favorite gigs usually consist of corporate events and weddings, where she gets to “curate a vibe”. Her current freedom as an artist, and being able to share her talents with people that enjoy it, are the main reasons she so flawlessly thrives in her career.

So what does a woman who’s done it all do next? Well, Clifton tells us that her ultimate long-term goal is to own a company resembling that of an agency that can sign a number of talented female DJs and provide them with top-of-the-line opportunities. In an industry where female DJs are few and far between, this kind of business endeavor could be a game-changer for women who stand where Clifton once stood at the very beginning of her journey. Granted, it seems like quite the task. But a challenging factor has never been one to scare off Maria Clifton.

You can stay updated with DJ Ria on her Instagram www.instagram.com/riaria5

Entertainment

Take the Gig, Meet the People, Build the Life: Sarah Angel’s Real Talk for Musicians

Published

1 month ago

January 16, 2026

Jonathan Grilli

Too many talented musicians spend the early years of their careers standing still, waiting. Waiting for the “right” gig. Waiting to be discovered. Waiting until they feel completely ready. But while they hesitate, others with less experience but more urgency are out there taking the jobs, building connections, and gaining ground.

Sarah Angel has seen this happen again and again. A successful live entertainer and founder of Posh Piano, she didn’t wait for a perfect opportunity to appear; she built her career by saying yes to what was already in front of her.

Sarah’s journey didn’t begin with a business plan. It began on stage, performing at corporate gigs and high-end events. For a while, she did what many musicians do: she showed up, played the set, and collected the paycheck. But the turning point came when she realized how much more others were earning off her talent. While she was being paid a small cut, the booker was making thousands. That gap shifted everything. She didn’t get angry, she got to work.

Sarah learned to run sound, bought her own equipment, built piano shells to give her setup a polished look, and began booking directly. Before each event, she would spend hours hauling gear and setting up the space herself. She didn’t wait for anyone to hand her a better gig; she created it. That same mindset carries into how she mentors and advises young musicians today.

For Sarah, one of the biggest traps new performers fall into is comparison. Instead of focusing on their own style and voice, they mimic what’s already out there. But copying someone else won’t lead to a sustainable career. What matters most is figuring out what makes you different and building on that. Your individuality is not a risk; it’s the foundation of your career.

Equally important, she says, is learning to say yes more often. Not every opportunity will be glamorous or well-paid. But every job is a chance to meet someone new, gain experience, or get your name in front of people who can open doors down the road.

This is where so many early careers stall, not because of a lack of talent, but because of hesitation. When performers constantly hold out for something better, they miss what’s right in front of them. Taking one job often leads to five more. And even if a gig doesn’t seem ideal at first, it often brings value in ways that are not obvious right away.

Sarah compares it to building momentum. Each job adds to your experience, your network, and your visibility. It’s not just about stacking performances, it’s about putting yourself in motion. The more active you are, the more people think of you when opportunities come up. That kind of consistency can’t be faked, and it can’t be replaced with a few viral moments online.

Another common challenge she sees is indecision. Musicians who spend too much time analyzing every offer often lose out on real growth. Taking action, even imperfectly, leads to more progress than standing still. Not every gig will be a perfect fit, but most will teach you something valuable.

Over the years, Sarah has also learned to be intentional about who she surrounds herself with. She chooses to work with musicians who are not just talented, but reliable, respectful, and open to learning. Attitude often matters more than technical skill. It’s easier to grow as a musician than to fix a lack of work ethic.

Sarah Angel’s career didn’t come from waiting or wishing. It came from working. She showed up, learning as she went, and made smart choices when it counted. The music industry doesn’t reward perfection, it rewards presence, action, and growth over time.

If you are serious about building a career in music, start with what’s in front of you. Take the gig. Meet the people. Build a life. One step at a time.