DJ Mario Focused is gearing up for one of the biggest events of his career. He is among the line-up of DJs set to provide the musical thrills on night one of the two-day Soca Plus Festival.

Soca Plus Festival is set to unfold next Friday and Saturday on the Kingston Waterfront, downtown.

“Honestly, I am looking forward to the experience and just bringing my A game while showing the world who DJ Mario Focused is and stamp my name. I want when the event is over my name will be called for the right reasons,” DJ Mario Focused disclosed in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

The DJ, who recently became a member of the Fyah 105 FM family, says playing at a high-profile event such as Soca Plus Festival can do wonders for his career.

“This is without a doubt the biggest event of my career and the networking opportunities are inevitable. Sometimes just being in the right place and making the right connections can open up many doors for you,” he said.

DJ Mario Focused (real name Mario Wedderburn) says his interest in music began from an early age.

“Music began for me from about the age of four or five. I was always listening to the radio and could sing almost every song that was played. I decided I wanted to be a DJ when I was listening to the radio one Saturday morning and I heard DJ Arif Cooper with a wicked search transition and I was so amazed I was like I wanna learn how to do that,” he said.

DJ Mario Focused — who once worked as a Sunjock at SunCity Radio — is from Portmore, St Catherine. He has been playing music professionally since the age of 15.

Among the parties that he has played at are Daybreak, Allure, Marco Polo, Strictly 2K, and Renaissance All White Christmas Eve party.

He was also a resident DJ at the Fiction Nightclub on Constant Spring Road.

“I had entered the Famous Nightclub resident DJ competition in Portmore, went to the finals and lost and I remember Gary Matalon coming to me and said don’t worry I have something bigger for you. And within a week of him saying that to me, I received a call for the resident DJ position at Fiction. Big up to Gary Matalon every time,” said Mario.

In the daytime, Mario works as a sales associate with the Wisynco Group.

“What I bring to the table is creativity and out-of-the-box juggling. I’ll play some songs that will only be heard on an album, but you won’t hear it in a party, and I definitely play for the ladies,” he added.

Soca Plus Festival night one on Friday, September 23 will feature Trinidadian soca artiste Voice as well as musical juggling by a host of DJs including Bloodline Franco, Lantern MD, Matt Camps, Laing D and DJ Narity.

On night two, Bounty Killer and St Vincentian soca star Skinny Fabulous will entertain. DJs on that line-up include DJ Nova, DJ Tyler, Brush1, DJ Richie Ras and Cyclone.

— Kevin Jackson