This week’s DJ LIFE Mobile Monday DJ spotlight shines on DJ Reign (a.k.a. Leo Romney) from Chicago, Illinois.
DJ Reign is this week’s DJ LIFE Mobile Monday spotlight. Chicago-born with Seattle roots, DJ Reign – also known as Leo Romney – has been lighting up dance floors since 2010 with his signature blend of energy, versatility, and pure passion for performance. More than just a DJ, he’s also an emcee and dancer, making him a triple threat in the entertainment scene. His open-format style allows him to seamlessly move across genres, bringing something fresh to every stage, whether it’s a nightclub, wedding, or corporate event.
What sets DJ Reign apart is his belief that music is about connection and atmosphere – and he creates a space where every person feels part of the energy. Over the years, he’s built a reputation for not only reading a room but elevating it, always bringing the party to life with authenticity and creativity. From Chicago to the West Coast, his journey reflects a dedication to craft and community, with every performance serving as a reminder that music, movement, and energy are inseparable. For DJ Reign, it’s never just about playing songs – it’s about making moments that last long after the music stops.
When DJ LIFE spoke with Romney regarding all things mobile DJ, here’s how it went down…
DJ LIFE: How did you get started DJing?
Leo Romney: Believe it or not, I didn’t start out as a DJ—I actually came up as a roadie and hype dancer with Personalities Inc. I was always around the music, bringing energy to the crowd and helping set the tone for the night. Being in that environment sparked something in me. The more I watched DJs like Wizzkid, DJ Speed, Bobby D, Marc D, DJ Damage work, the more I knew I wanted to be the one controlling the vibe. And those are just a few influences off the top of my head coming up.
From there, I started emceeing—hosting events, hyping up the crowd, learning how to read the room and keep the energy flowing. That experience was key. It taught me timing, stage presence, how to be confident in what I’m saying or doing, and how to connect with people on the dance floor. Some major influences there were Marz of Charizma, Walt Dizzl, Ari with Vibe Ent, Lou Loiben of Personalities, Kesh, Tavares, and many more who deserve a ton of credit helping me build this skill.
Eventually, I made the jump into DJing, and it just felt natural. Now I’m spinning at clubs, bars, private events—you name it. Everything I learned along the way shaped my style. I’m not just playing music; I’m creating moments. Again, I have to give big creds for the people who helped me along the way to where I am now: Marz, Wizzkid, LG, DJ Speed, Riel. I could go on all day.
DJ LIFE: What does being a mobile DJ mean to you?
Romney: To me, being a mobile DJ means having the ability to bring the party anywhere with professionalism and punctuality. Whether you’re bringing just a board and laptop to a bar/club down the street or bringing an entire production setup with lighting, sound, and a full-blown production team, you are fully prepared for any situation.
It’s about being able to perform for any event or group of people and still create both a memorable experience and an amazing vibe. Being a mobile DJ means you take both the gigs that you want or don’t want and still succeed. Sometimes you have to be creative with the way you set up for a gig, sometimes you might find yourself with a crowd that doesn’t want to dance or is being difficult, but at the end of the day you accept that challenge and do whatever you have to do. You leave your mark on those events, so people remember you and the experience they had. That’s what being a mobile DJ to me is.
DJ LIFE: Can you tell us about your current set up?
Romney: I have quite a bit of equipment for set ups. For sound I have four QSC K12’s (2 Legacy and 2 K.2’s), two QSC KW181’s, one K10 for monitor purposes or cocktail hour, and last but not least, I have my favorite set of speakers to use—the new KC12 column arrays.
For lighting I have four moving heads by Blizzard Lighting, two Hypno Spots, and two Hypno Beams. For my DJ booth, I use the ProX Humpter B3 which looks clean and is extremely easy to set up. To finish it off, I’m either playing on my Pioneer S11 mixer with my two Rane 12 MKII’s or I’m using my Rane Performer.
DJ LIFE: What would be your perfect dream set up?
Romney: My dream set up would be a full LED DJ booth with an S11 mixer and Rane 12s, four Chauvet moving heads with wireless DMX control, the new Axiom column array speakers and subs, two 70-inch TVs to add more visuals, and a full LED stage. When it comes to set ups, I love something unique but also simple and clean.
DJ LIFE: Do you have any favorite or new gear that you’re currently using?
Romney: By far my favorite gear that I’ve been using any chance I get would be my Rane Performer and my QSC KC12 column array speakers. The Performer just has so much you can do—between the effects and built-in stems, the room for creativity in your sets is endless.
When it comes to the KC12s, it is absolutely astounding how fast and easy it is to set them up. The sound has a huge punch in the low end while delivering such high-quality clarity up top. (Highly recommend.) Big shoutout to Brad at QSC for selling me a pair of these amazing speakers.
DJ LIFE: What are some of the biggest pros and cons of being a mobile DJ?
Romney: There are so many pros to being a mobile DJ, but I will simply state the main ones in my opinion. Mobile DJs are always prepared and always have gear on them, which means at any given point you can take on work. That’s one of the main things we strive for—always having work.
Another huge pro to being a mobile DJ is the diversity that comes with the events that you do. You learn so much from every single event, whether it’s a wedding, corporate event, mitzvah, birthday, block party, etc. Your music knowledge and experience are always growing, and you are always meeting new people and establishing new connections.
The biggest pro in my opinion is the networking. The amount of people I’ve met through being a mobile DJ is incredible. I was always naturally a very social and outgoing person, but coming into this circle allowed me to meet so many different talented people who were willing to share their knowledge and experiences—and I loved that. Learning from all these guys who have 20 to 30 years of experience is nothing short of incredible. I thought I had a huge friend base until I discovered a whole new diverse group of people.
Cons are probably going to be very similar to a lot of others. Though we want all the work in the world, that also leaves us with very minimal free time, especially in this day and age where most of us have a day job on top of being a mobile DJ. Time constraints for gigs or in between gigs can be extremely stressful at any given moment. Clients can be very demanding and unrealistic about certain aspects of their events.
I don’t know if I would call this a con, but it’s always hard to say no to work/events, especially if you are helping out a fellow mobile DJ.
DJ LIFE: Do you have any DJ-related pet peeves?
Romney: As far as pet peeves go, I would say the lack of respect that people sometimes show you as a mobile DJ and a business owner. A lot of people need to understand that though we love what we do, and we want the business, we are still human just like everyone else and therefore should be treated like one.
I will bend over backwards for my clients all day because that’s the kind of work ethic I have and that’s the kind of business I want to be known for. Not to be mistaken with being a pushover, but at the end of the day if I’m being professional and doing everything I’m supposed to do above and beyond, I think we deserve respect.
DJ LIFE: How has being a DJ impacted your personal/family life?
Romney: DJing in general has had such a positive effect on me overall. My quality of life is better because I’m doing what I love to do for a living. I have my own business, I do very well for myself, and I’m able to do a lot of things that I wasn’t able to do when I was just working a regular day job.
My family is very supportive of what I do and proud, of course. My friends are also very supportive and love to come out and watch me play, which I am very appreciative of. I will say that I don’t have a ton of free time, but in the short amount of time of 4 to 5 years being a DJ, I am incredibly thankful for all the opportunities that come my way.
Never would I have thought 4 to 5 years into doing this I would have a residency at the one and only Neon Cactus in West Lafayette, Indiana, traveling there a few times a week and rocking out, dancing with 3 to 4 thousand people a night—not to mention having my DJ name and logo on infamous Cactus Cups that I now get to share with all my friends and supporters! I wouldn’t change what I do for the world, and I think everyone in my life feels the same for me.
DJ LIFE: What is the most important life lesson you have gained from your experience as a DJ?
Romney: Growing up, I wasn’t really big with confidence. I could never get in front of a crowd or family and do any kind of performance without becoming incredibly overwhelmed and uncomfortable.
Along with being a performer and becoming a DJ, it taught me to really step out of my comfort zone and be confident in everything I do. It taught me that the only way you can’t do something is if you don’t try, and at that point you are just holding yourself back.
Another very important thing it taught me would be patience, because as a DJ you have to have a lot of it. In an environment that is virtually always chaos, you have to be able to level yourself and keep it that way. It’s very easy to become overwhelmed in what we do—between the music, technology, the crowd or client, and even the equipment. Learning to do what we do takes a ton of patience and focus, which is something we can never lose sight of no matter what the situation.