SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio — Beats connect a father-daughter duo out of South Euclid.
“It helps us bond,” says Juan Goodwin, a 36-year-old father of two.
While the world battled COVID-19, Goodwin and his oldest daughter, Lily, started a music battle of their own that transformed daddy’s little girl into a 6-year-old DJ.
“Ever since quarantine started I still loved music after that," Lily explains. "My dad started playing music. I got interested. I started talking trash about his music, all his old songs. He brought me down, turned on the turntables and then boom, (I) turned into the DJ I am."
Her stage name is "DJ Lily Jade."
“Us DJ's, we really like to battle a lot,” says the first grader who turns 7 in a few weeks.
Lily’s father, who has been DJing as a hobby for 25 years, says Lily knows music, is a natural performer and was the first in their family to do a live DJ set from their house during quarantine.
“People call to have her come and do events,” Goodwin says.
In just a year's time, DJ Lily Jade has developed quite the resume with spinning tunes at church, providing sounds at a voter registration drive and a virtual MLK breakfast.
“It's like fun to be a DJ,” Lily says.
When her father, who cofounded The Community Cup Classic Foundation, was a presenter for the Power of Sport Summit held at Progressive Field during the NFL Draft, DJ Lily Jade provided the music and sound for his workshop.
The young DJ admits there are times when mixing tunes can be a little unsettling.
“If it’s around a lot of people, that makes me nervous. But if it’s just a couple people, I’m fine with it.”
The more comfortable Lily becomes, the more her father will have to settle into his new role.
“I'm her helper now,” Goodwin admits.
Their father/daughter DJ battles are featured on Lily’s YouTube channel “The Lily Jade Show.”
Goodwin says he hopes DJing will continue to open his daughter's eyes to the possibilities that are out in the world.
"If you've ever been to a party, the DJ is the connector, the pulse of the crowd. ... and Lily doing voter engagement, community church stuff, the DJ represents that," Goodwin says. "I don't know what Lily is going to do, but if she can hear a song from South Africa to 60th and Hough to Europe, that means she can be well-traveled and music can bring her together."
Those interested in booking DJ Lily Jady can contact her father by sending an e-mail to TheLilyJadeShow@gmail.com.
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