DJ EverVida uses his music to give back

DJ Ever Vidaurri, a senior from Miami FL, practices his mixes in his living room. Vidaurri will be the DJ for the second half of Dance Marathon this year. He got into making his own mixes after he moved here from Miami and has been playing ever since. side note: i like this one.

Four years ago, house music in Chapel Hill was an endangered species on the brink of extinction.

Everardo Vidaurri decided to save it.

Hailing from Miami, where electronic and house music pumps out of speakers in abundance, Vidaurri, a senior, said he wanted to try his luck at disc jockeying in hopes of bringing his favorite genre to North Carolina.

With the help of Chapel Hill’s accommodating, friendly and supportive atmosphere, Vidaurri said, he was able to develop himself as an artist.

“No one teaches you how to DJ,” Vidaurri, now known as EverVida, said. “The best way to learn is to be thrown into it.”

And thrown into it he was.

Vidaurri was selected as a freshman to DJ at the 2010 Dance Marathon — only his second time performing.

“It was a big shift from 20 people at my friend’s house to a gym of 1,500,” he said.

He handled the shift well — the 2013 Dance Marathon will be Vidaurri’s fourth year DJing the charity event.

“Ever really stood out as a DJ who went above and beyond the typical DJ, incorporating interesting props and fantastic music that were aimed at making the marathon more fun for dancers,” said Nikki Roscoe, Dance Marathon’s current entertainment chair.

This weekend, Vidaurri is participating in the charity’s superhero theme. He said he will be in costume, and he promised that he will have various surprises in store for his audience.

Although he is very driven by a love of music and performance, Vidaurri said he places special emphasis on giving back.

Having performed at both Dance Marathon and the Campus Y’s annual Catalyst Conference, he said he hopes to continue supporting those who supported him and his music.

“I want to give back instead of just keeping it and asking for more, whether that be through donations or charity events,” Vidaurri said.

This dual passion for charity and his music is apparent in his performances, said Nicole Chaluissant, a senior participant in Dance Marathon and friend of Vidaurri.

“Ever is very enthusiastic about the music and the cause, and when they come together it works perfectly,” she said.

Chaluissant said Vidaurri has been a key component in making Dance Marathon a true celebration of all the contributors’ hard work.

Vidaurri is known for playing a wide variety of music, with both the uplifting, staple songs the crowd craves and the new tracks that he enjoys, she said.

This diversity can be seen in his performances at local clubs The Thrill at Hector’s and The Library, where he caters to the needs of the venues’ crowds as each evening progresses.

Throughout Vidaurri’s time at UNC, music has become an integral part of him, a part he doesn’t want to surrender yet.

Graduating this year from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, Vidaurri looks to the future of his DJ career.

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He said he hopes to return to Miami, where an array of venues awaits him.

“Jobs will always be there,” Vidaurri said. “I’m only 21 once.”

With the support of his family, Vidaurri said, he hopes to continue cultivating his budding music career while simultaneously helping his community.

What began as a want for musical familiarity at UNC evolved into not only a career, but a way to give back.

Music, to Ever Vidaurri, matters.

Contact the desk editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.