It doesn’t always start with a big plan, but simply with good listening. For DJ Lennox, music was never just something that played in the background. As a child, Joël ‘Lennox’ Darmohoetomo was already wired differently. While others simply enjoyed a song, he listened more deeply. He paid attention to transitions, rhythms, how a track was put together. “Music felt like something you could direct – not just a track to listen to,” he explains in conversation with the True Time. That feeling never left him. He would and had to do something with it.
Text Shanavon Arsomedjo
Image Private collection
Like many DJs, the real realization came during a party. Not because the party was so special, but because he saw what the DJ of that moment did with the space. “He set the whole vibe,” Lennox remembers. “Then I thought: ‘I want to be able to do this too’.”
Not long after, he started himself. First searching, learning through local DJs and endless YouTubesites. It went from self-study to watching, then analyzing and trying. Until he learned to understand how a crowd is built up, how energy is retained and how to get people to move without knowing exactly why.
Practice makes perfect
Lennox still remembers that his first performance was very exciting. “Technically it wasn’t perfect,” he admits honestly. “But the energy was good.”
Despite it being so chaotic, the DJ gave himself space to learn and improve. And sometimes that’s just enough to know: ‘this is it’. Because instead of giving up, he persevered and worked hard behind the scenes.
While others went out or relaxed, he sat at home selecting music, practicing and devising repertoires. “Time, sleep… you give up things,” he acknowledges. “But it’s worth it.”
That discipline began to pay off. Step by step he built his name in Suriname. Not by simply playing hits, but by bringing something of your own. When asked what makes him unique as a DJ, he sounds confident: “My energy and how I combine genres. I want people to hear something different.”
Recognition
An important turning point came in 2023. Parbo Bier organized the DJ competition ‘King of Clubs’ for the second time. Lennox participated and finished in second place. It wasn’t quite a win for him, but it was exactly what he needed. “It gave me recognition. People started to take me more seriously.”
This made him even more motivated to go further and further develop his talent. “You learn that growth is more important than winning,” he says humbly. Since then his style has become clearer. He had to search less, because his identity began to take shape. Lennox had a sound that was starting to become recognizable.
More than ‘pushing buttons’
Anyone who thinks DJing is simple is wrong. According to Lennox, the real work is not only in technology, but especially in feeling. “Audience perception is the most important thing. You have to know what they need, sometimes before they know it themselves.”
His days revolve around preparation. This includes checking out music during the day and discovering new sounds. And perform in the evening. And it doesn’t stop there. Because after that comes evaluation.
He always argues with himself: ‘What was good and what could be better?’ That constant drive to improve keeps him sharp. Even in a small market like Suriname. “You have to stay creative. Get inspiration online, but also give it your own twist.” That is why he thinks it is important to keep evaluating and developing himself.
Baptism by fire
And now there is a new phase. For the first time, DJ Lennox is outside Suriname. He is in the Netherlands for performances and new experiences. He traveled with the Kasimex Houseband for the ‘Tyar’ a Lobi Tour’ on April 19 and is doing well. “Through connections and consistent work, I have now been able to perform abroad. People see what you do, online and at events.” For this, he is especially grateful to Star Events and the Kasimex Houseband, who helped make this opportunity possible.
For the DJ, this step means more than just performances. “It shows that my work is also appreciated outside Suriname.”
Lennox also uses his stay in the Netherlands to grow in other areas. “Networking, discovering new music, collaborating and seeing how the scene works there. In five years I want to be active internationally. Play bigger stages, further develop my own sound. I also want to produce and release my own tracks.”
Important step
In a world where trends follow each other quickly, the DJ tries to find a balance. “You have to move along, but you cannot lose yourself.” That mindset helps him deal with pressure and competition, because they are always there. “I focus on myself. My growth lies in my own development.”
As with any creative journey, there have been moments of doubt. Moments when quitting might have seemed easier. But each time two things won: the love for music and the audience’s reaction. That feeling – when a crowd joins in, when a set is right – is priceless for him.
With his first foreign performances, Lennox takes an important step. Not only for themselves, but also for what is possible. “Although other DJs have already achieved this, this is once again confirmation that as a DJ from Suriname you can also break through internationally,” he says.
And perhaps that is the core of his story. Not only to entertain, but also to inspire. For themselves, but also for everyone who watches, listens and doubts. “I was once a boy standing next to the DJ. Now it’s me. This is a sign that it is possible.”.-.
