From mixtapes,

to madonna,

to making a

difference

Eric Jao (also known as DJ Enferno) has come a long way from his early days of making mixtapes and slinging vinyl crates. Eric began manipulating music at age 14, splicing and rearranging his favorite 12” records using a boombox and cassette tapes. He began his DJ career playing mobile gigs while attending #1 ranked Thomas Jefferson HS in Alexandria, VA, thereafter earning his stripes (and business degree) while attending the University of Virginia. Post college, as an IT professional by day, Eric spent his nights DJ’ing in Washington DC’s legendary nightclubs including Zei Club, the Bank, and 1223.

Since then, Eric has said goodbye to his day job, won a few DJ battles (including the 2003 DMC USA Championship), and performed for over 3 million people in 35 countries, including a 2-year run as Madonna’s tour DJ. He’s performed at some of the nation’s biggest nightclubs, including a residency at Tao in Las Vegas. His current gig schedule balances his hometown DC club and private event performances with regular trips to venues across America, and occasional trips around the world.

As a producer, Eric’s range is just as broad. He’s made music for Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet" tour, Michael Jackson’s posthumous Cirque Du Soleil shows, Rihanna's "Loud" tour, and 20th Century FOX’s 2015 “Peanuts Movie”. He's released bass-driven music on Steve Aoki's Dim Mak label, as well as mainstream tracks like his chart-topping "Party Rock Anthem" remix on Interscope Records. His E.A.S.Y. (i.e. Enferno And Shiftee, Yo) collaboration has produced both remixes and original tracks, combining hip-hop and bass music with pop and soul. Eric also worked on music arrangements for Shakira's 2017-2018 El Dorado World Tour.

Beyond the stage and studio, Eric is a trendsetter in music education. Himself a father of two children, Eric founded Mix Major in 2015 to teach kids and teenagers how to create their own music, regardless of their musical training or ability to play an instrument. With Mix Major, Eric is modernizing music education while positively affecting the trajectory of kids’ lives.

In 2018, Eric opened Mix Major’s brick-and-mortar location. In 2020, weeks after Covid shut the world down, Eric rebuilt Mix Major as a online school. In 2024, students log in every week from all parts of the USA and Canada.

Beyond the Mix Major classroom, Eric makes an impact by creating educational content for music educators. Music teachers from London, to New Zealand, to Zambia, and the USA have used Eric's Youtube tutorials to craft music technology curriculum for their schools. And in 2024, in partnership with the Shed, Eric has launched Electronic Music Elements, a turnkey video-based music technology curriculum designed to empower students grades 4-12 with musical creativity.

From mixtapes, to Madonna, to making a difference, Eric continues to engage people through entertainment and impact people everywhere through education.  “I get to play music, make music, teach music, and make people happy,” says Eric. “I’m truly blessed to be able to do what I love.”

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