“There is only one thing worse than someone who doesn’t like to get down… Someone who only likes to get down to one type of music!”

Before becoming an avid participant in the Los Angeles music scene, Valida was first a keen observer. Originally from Sarajevo, Valida fled a heavily conflicted Bosnia to pursue higher education from University of California, Los Angeles, where she finished a bachelor’s degree in World Arts and Cultures, and then a master’s degree in Dance Ethnography and Video Production. 2001 marked the release of her feature documentary, Concentric Beats, a “love letter to the drum’n’bass scene,” according to URB magazine. Creating the film sparked a desire to dig into vinyl crates and learn the art of mixing. Soon after, Valida co-founded what XLR8R magazine aptly described as “one of the most righteous weekly club spots in town,” Proper* at Hollywood’s Star Shoes. For three years, Proper promoted a genre-free night featuring local and international DJ heroes. “There is only one thing worse than someone who doesn’t like to get down,” she said. “Someone who only likes to get down to one type of music!” Now dubbed by LA.com as “one of the most important figures in L.A.’s nightlife scene,” Valida’s steady rise comes from her uncanny ability to seamlessly blend a variety of music styles that include disco, house, indie, hip-hop, b-more/electro, and some classic 80s, soul, and pop tracks thrown in for good measure. Since purchasing her first set of turntables in 1998, Valida has straddled the music and modeling arena with skills and ease. Worldwide bookings have brought her musical eloquence to Winter Music Conference in Miami, Mystique and Formula 1 parties in Kuala Lumpur, Budoir in Dubai, Nuphoria event in Tokyo, Candela Party in Puerto Rico, Organic Party in Mexico, Barbados and her native Bosnia. In 2003, she was featured on Los Angeles’ own 89.9 KCRW as part of Chocolate City’s Unsung Heroes program hosted by Garth Trinidad. Endowed with looks as much as raw talent, Valida scored a Wet’n’Wild Fresh Face beauty campaign in 2006 that graced major fashion glossies like Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and Elle. She has also appeared in countless editorials for Anthem, URB, Fader, XLR8R, BPM, Lucky, Music Connection and Lemonade magazines. When in her home turf, Valida can be spotted commanding select Thursday nights at the Rooftop Bar of the Standard Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Officially, she is the talent coordinator for the hotel’s sister property in Hollywood, booking DJs for its lobby and the Purple Lounge where, with her Mad Mondays crew, she holds the fort every Monday night.