Philadelphia – We became aware of Vernique Fields during the pandemic when, like a lot of jocks, she smartly found work by booking and playing Zoom parties.
We also came to know her all-female company Into Fields Live Entertainment and her leadership with The #NoChaser International Kidz DJ Café where she and others aim to inspire the next generation of female DJs by teaching the art of DJing and business management. We recently caught up with Fields (aka DJ Neeek Nyce) to discuss her story.
DJ LIFE: Where did you grow up and what got you first interested in music?
Fields: I grew up in Bucks County, Pa., then later moved to Philadelphia at 10-years old. My father was a DJ back in the 1980s.
DJ LIFE: What kind of DJ was he? Is there anything about his DJing that further sparked your interest in music?
Fields: He was a mobile DJ back then. He used to play for clubs and community events. I was introduced to turntables at the age of 7. Although he never taught me about the craft of DJing and music, I developed my own love and interest after college. My interest for music really sparked after becoming a fitness instructor who wanted to incorporate pre-mixed music into my setlist.
DJ LIFE: What kind of music did you like growing up? Do you remember a song or an artist that you loved?
Fields: I loved ’90s pop music, including Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney Spears, No Doubt, etc. I loved the Spice Girls’ “Who Do You Think You Are” because the song gave me confidence to be fierce and unstoppable.
DJ LIFE: What got you into DJing?
Fields: My friend gave me a controller and I’ve taught myself how to mix music. My friend from high school mentored me as his roadie and taught me how to work as a mobile professional under his agency.
DJ LIFE: Are you a single operator, or do you have other DJs in your company? What’s your main market and what made you go this route as a fully female-run company?
Fields: No, I have other DJs who work within my company. We’ve operated for nine years and we service Philadelphia and its surrounding area – Delaware, New Jersey, and sometimes New York. I took this path to give female and youth DJs a platform to work under my business.
DJ LIFE: Your website touts that you are “Philly’s #1 Women Owned DJ Company.” How has that helped position you in your market?
Fields: The market of female DJs is very small in Philadelphia, but with my abilities to vet, mentor and promote female talent, it’s has allowed our client base to trust our talent.
DJ LIFE: Is there a specialty that your company brings that endears you to your clientele?
Fields: Yes, having a female DJ agency does attract clients to our company because we are women who care about details. The majority of party planners happens to be women, and they trust our judgement when we make suggestions, offer add-on services or feel at ease because of our level of customer service.
DJ LIFE: How many events do you do each year? What’s your percentage breakdown of events?
Fields: I personally work roughly 50 to 60 events per year. The breakdown would be: 40-percent weddings; 30-percent corporate events; 20-percent milestone events; and 10-percent public events.
DJ LIFE: How do you go about marketing your company?
Fields: I honestly haven’t done anything special with marketing. Most of my leads are generated by word-of-mouth, people finding my local-TV news story on Google and social media, or clients witnessing our services at an event.
DJ LIFE: During the pandemic, you had a unique way to keep your business going…
Fields: Yes, during the pandemic, I was fortunate enough to switch my business venture into the virtual market by hosting private Zoom parties. Once the world opened back up, I resumed working mobile and corporate events.
DJ LIFE: What events do you most enjoy and why?
Fields: I enjoy DJing any event at the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink in Philadelphia on the Delaware River waterfront because it allows me to freely play as an open-format DJ.
DJ LIFE: What’s your DJ-gear set-up?
Fields: I use a Rane ONE MKII controller, Serato DJ software, RCF EVOX J8 active, 2-way loudspeakers, Beats Mixr Headphones, Chauvet DJ Wash FX lighting fixtures, and a Shure wireless microphone system.
DJ LIFE: Tell us about the #NoChaser International Kidz DJ Café – what goes into that project?
Fields: I volunteer my time to give back to youth DJs by teaching the fundamental skills of DJing, entrepreneurship, and professionalism. I give my students the opportunity to work as an apprentice under my agency and self-promote their skills to my network to help them build their networks and platforms.
DJ LIFE: For you, what’s the best part of your job? What are your most fulfilling moments?
Fields: The best part of DJing is educating the youth. I love watching a child develop confidence and talent through music and witnessing their journey from beginning to end. This is meaningful to me as a mentor to give a child an opportunity to learn a life and uplift the spirit of young people near and far.
DJ LIFE: You’ll be doing a tutorial at DJX’26 in Atlantic City – “DJ Business Tips 102: Collaboration Over Competition.” What can DJX attendees expect from your presentation?
Fields: I will be leading this session and will be joined by Miami’s own DJ Rere, one of my collaborative partners, who will provide additional perspective from her experience building within the female DJ community and developing partnership-driven opportunities. Together, we’ll share real-world examples from our work in mentoring emerging DJs and creating multi-operational platforms that extend beyond individual bookings.
Focus areas will include: transitioning from a solo DJ mindset to a collaborative business model; leveraging partnerships to expand bookings, services, and revenue streams; building and managing networks of independent DJs while maintaining brand autonomy; and creating structured, win-win opportunities that support both growth and sustainability.
DJ LIFE: Where do you see yourself and your company in five years?
Fields: I see myself eventually retiring as a mobile DJ and working to build a DJ course to help DJs find purpose and target the clientele they wish to work with.