Hey, Mr. DJ

MANILA, Philippines - Bubbling underneath the Philippine music scene is a blooming DJ scene, and Red Bull is in town to bring it to the rest of the world.

For the first time ever, the Philippines will be represented in Thre3style, Red Bull’s worldwide DJ competition. Twenty-four-year-old DJ Carlo Atendido will head to Baku, Azerbaijan to compete against the best DJs from over 100 countries.

Thre3style, unlike most DJ competitions, counts audience response just as much as technical skill. It’s not enough that you can scratch the heck out of vinyl like it’s a seven-year itch, the crowd should be wriggling and tickled by the musical muscle that you’re flexing too.

The participating DJs are given 15 minutes to spin a sonic web while threading in three genres of their choice. Some have gone as far as mixing in some Beethoven to their beat-making.

This is the first time that a Philippine delegate will be sent to the worldwide championship. Manila and Cebu had one qualifying round each, with three DJs from every city emerging to battle it out in the finals.

Atendido — with DJs Nix Damn P, K Groove, Niki del Rosario, Aryan Magat and Supreme Fist — battled it out last June 28 in Republiq Club, Resorts World Manila. Supreme Fist and Aryan Magat won as first and second runners-up, respectively.

At the top was fresh-faced Atendido, hailing from Cebu and the youngest in the competition. “I guess you can say I’m the hungriest,” he said.

His hunger matched the appetite of the audience and the taste of the judges, and for that, he’ll be ruining dance floors in Azerbaijan in the name of Las Islas Filipinas.