Gigs, Beirut, Pokémons. Interview With Ronin

by Alexandra Mansilla

Gigs, Beirut, Pokémons. Interview With Ronin

10 Jun 2024

Meet Ronald Hajjar, also known as Ronin (some of you might recognise him by this name). He has been a DJ for nearly 20 years, a resident DJ at The Ballroom Blitz in Beirut, the visionary behind music collective and label somewhere…, and the FLOAT festival, and the founder of the creative and strategy agency ANDCO (one of TikTok's official creative partners in the region), Boomerang Studios and Hot Axis.

In August 2020, Ronald was in Beirut during the explosion. What happened afterward? Why does music serve as an escape for the Beirut community? What project is Ronald currently working on? And what is the deal with the Pokémon mentioned in the title? Find the answers below in our interview.

— Ronald, you started your Instagram with a post: "Always remember: Too much ego will kill your talent." Can you recall what was going on in your life at that time? What were your thoughts?

— I am sure a lot was going on in my head back then. That was around 10 years ago when the Beirut scene was really buzzing. A lot of artists, clubs, and collectives were very active, hosting a lot of parties and going all in on DJ bookings.

Most people were involved for the right reasons, but some were doing it for the wrong ones. Some were in it for fame, some for trend surfing, and others for ego boosting and attention. On the other hand, many people, clubs, artists, and collectives were driven by a genuine love for the scene and the music. They were committed to pushing the scene forward and supporting real talents. Unfortunately, those who were doing it for genuine reasons were often overshadowed by those who were the loudest or had less sincere motives.

This post could serve as a statement and a reflection of that time. It reminds us that even if you have great talent, if you are doing it for the wrong reasons or not acting right, you should reconsider your approach and your motivations. That is what I remember from that time.

— What is your approach?

— I really believe that staying grounded and humble in everything you do will take you a long way. If someone has immense talent but doesn't act right, I think they need to reconsider what they are doing. On the other hand, if someone is averagely talented but humble, grounded, and works hard, they can go far in any industry, especially in music.

Ego can get in the way of many things, and it often comes in sneaky and hidden forms, affecting how you think and act. The goal, at least for me, is to always look inward first, prioritise what truly matters, and take care of yourself and the people around you in the most genuine way possible. Keep moving forward and keep doing things that way.

— 10 years ago, the Beirut music scene was buzzing. Could you describe it now? What I see now is a strong community spirit.

— Definitely, Beirut and Lebanon have gone through a lot of ups and downs over the past 30 years. There have been wars, better times, less good times, happy moments, and sad ones. It has been an emotional roller coaster that has been a constant in Beirut and Lebanese society. Music, entertainment, and clubbing have served as an escape from this emotional roller coaster and the instability in Lebanon.

This community spirit you see is very much reflected on the dance floor in clubs. There is a collective agreement that clubbing, music, and dancing are ways to come together and momentarily forget whatever is happening, escape for a while, and then return to reality. Many people feel powerless about the situation in Lebanon. There was a revolution in October 2019, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic a few months later, and then the devastating explosion that everyone heard about. All these events added to the existing challenges in the country.

So, music serves as an escape. This escapism is what people look forward to, and it bonds them together, especially those of my generation and the newer generation as well.

Instagram: @roningrooves

— Were you there when the explosion happened?

— Wow, I didn’t expect this question. Oh yes, I was. Our house is just 10-15 minutes away from the port.

We lost our office and almost half of the stuff in our house. Thank God we were safe. I am sure many people lost much more on a personal level during that time. It was a triple blow: the crisis and revolution had people feeling down, COVID made things worse, and then the explosion hit. Personally, this series of events pushed me down so much that I didn't have any energy or hope left to fight back, unlike many people I know, including my wife. She went out the next day to help people collect their belongings and clean the streets.

There was a clear duality between us. I was stuck on the sofa for two or three weeks, physically and mentally drained, while my wife and some close friends took it to the streets to help. Maybe that was their way of coping, and maybe being immobilised was mine. It was a very painful experience. Talking about it now still makes me shiver. But one of my strengths is my ability to recover. Even if it took two or three weeks, I managed to pull myself together and push forward again.

A notable story from that time: the moment the explosion happened, I was on a call with my partner Hady and a client, and my wife was on the sofa. The blast shattered the glass and sent aluminium window frames flying. After ensuring everyone was safe, my first reaction was to start mopping the floor to remove the glass. There was so much glass that mopping for two or three hours wouldn't have made much of a difference, but it was a quick, instinctive reaction. Eventually, though, I just crashed.

— Thank you for sharing. During COVID, a lot of DJs lost their jobs because they were strongly connected to offline events. What was your situation during that time?

— I remember very well that I had my residency back then at the Ballroom Blitz. I used to play every week or every two weeks, but after a couple of months, I started feeling drained and tired from the repetition. I flew to play gigs in Madrid and Barcelona, and was about to travel to Italy. That was around the end of February, if I remember correctly. Some countries were advising against travel. It wasn't official yet, but it was starting to happen. I decided to cancel my flight before the last gig in Italy and return to Lebanon.

We had a few gigs scheduled at the Ballroom Blitz after that time, and we had our first artist cancellation. I used to handle art direction and bookings alongside my colleague Moe. We began cancelling artists one by one, and when the news broke, we cancelled the whole season's program. Then lockdown happened a couple of weeks later. It all went so fast. Everyone was lost, even governments were scrambling to understand what was happening and took drastic measures to contain the situation.

As an artist, that was a very tough time because, other than my local residency, I also travel for gigs, and with clubs and borders closed, I couldn't do anything. On the brighter side, this gave me time to sit at home, go through my music collection again, and get exposed to new styles of music that I hadn't had time to listen to before, like reggae, ambient music, breaks, and electronica. These were styles I had put on the back burner to play more obvious stuff when DJing. This period gave me that time to explore.

From a business perspective, 80% of our agency's clients were gone. We shrunk the agency to seven people, just the bare minimum, and worked only two to four hours a day for the clients that were still operating online, like food delivery and e-commerce. Those were the things that kept working.

— So, you had an income.

— Yeah, we had an income, though much reduced, but we were still able to keep the agency afloat and support some clients. However, in terms of artists, music, and events, that side of things was completely gone. We were just doing small live broadcasts from home for charity, some activations here and there, and really small projects, but not much beyond that.

Instagram: @roningrooves

— I got it. And could tell me how it all started with DJing?

— It all began during my last two years of school. I started becoming more independent and going out with friends a bit more. There was a Virgin Megastore open in downtown Beirut, just 10 minutes away from our school. Most of the time I finished school, I would go there. They had all the nice CDs of various music genres, from pop to hip hop to trance to progressive house. I was immediately drawn to the classic House and Progressive House styles back then. I started visiting the Virgin Megastore more frequently to listen to all the new CDs and music. I got my first compilations there, and they also played some great DJ video clips and party footage, which really grabbed my attention.

During my first year of university, after those two years of school, I noticed that people my age wanted to get together more often. In 2006, there was a summer war in Lebanon with Israel, lasting for three months. Our summer courses term was paused, and stayed either in the mountains or by the beach because some areas were bombed. We spent a lot of time together, and I started playing my music for friends. What began as small gatherings of five or ten people eventually grew to about 20–30 people in our chalet or at the compounds’ common area, where I would play music to them on my laptop.

After the war, when we returned to university in the fall of 2006, people were very down. I felt they needed something to lift their spirits and bring some excitement back. We had done some private parties in our chalet and the beach compound, so I thought it was time to take it to a bigger venue. Organising and promoting parties was quite simple back then. We'd go out of the university, print flyers and posters, put them up on the streets, distribute flyers in the cafeteria, and create an event on Facebook, which had just started gaining traction. Parties would sell out in a matter of days.

Our first party sold out in a couple of hours, attended by our university friends. A month later, we had another party, then another three months later. It was me and some friends DJing. This is how it all started, very organically and simply. We started getting attention from local radio stations and landed a radio show every weekend. We gained more attention and began doing warm-up and closing sets for international DJs who came to town. This led to clubs reaching out to us to play more regularly.

— You also mentioned that you started becoming more independent early on. Could you tell me what your very first job was?

— My very first job was actually as an account executive at an advertising agency. The day I finished university, I started my first job three days later.

I had done two internships at advertising agencies before, and one of the people I met during that time started a new job at a big agency called Saatchi & Saatchi. They hired me because they were working on a portfolio connected with drinks, and they needed someone who understood nightlife, music, and entertainment. I was a perfect fit for the position at that time. I stayed there for about a year or two before moving on to another job.

During that time, I was also DJing and playing locally and traveling on the weekends. I DJed in Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Paris and Dubai, travelling back to the office on Monday and heading out again on Friday.

— What city do you like to return to and play gigs in?

— Each place is special in its own way. For example, I love the scene in Barcelona — the people are warm, upbeat, and full of life. I also love everything about Amsterdam. I go there every year for the Amsterdam Dance Event, and I adore the clubs, the people, and the maturity of the scene there. Berlin is incredible for its hedonism and the endless possibilities the city offers.

Paris is special because most of my friends and family are there, so every time I visit, it feels like a wonderful reunion. My recent experiences in Riyadh were really amazing, thanks to the incredible people who took care of us there. Beirut also holds a very special place in my heart. Now that I live in Dubai, reconnecting with people in Beirut is always special.

Lisbon and Madrid were also incredible experiences.

Photo: Ronin's personal archive

— Now, let’s talk about ANDCO, your agency. How did it start? And could you explain the name?

— ANDCO is about collaboration, cooperation, collective work, and bringing together all the right elements that you need as a brand under one roof, to work holistically and deliver a 360 approach. From strategy, design, digital and growth, the name came about because when we started, we were essentially a collective, not an agency.

We had a network of 15–20 creatives — strategists, designers, copywriters, animators, and film directors — that we would tap into to deliver work for our clients. For instance, if a client came in, we would look into our collective and assemble the right team: an art director, a copywriter, a social media manager, and so on. This model worked amazingly well for the first three or four years.

However, as the landscape of projects and the industry evolved, we decided to transition into a traditional agency model with a full-time team and in-house expertise to better serve our clients. This shift took us from a collective to a full-fledged agency. Now, we are moving more into the content space, focusing on strategy, branding, and content creation.

We are differentiating ourselves in strategic thinking, creative execution and content production, which we pride ourselves on. With talented individuals available everywhere, we aim to continue pushing the boundaries.

— And maybe you remember some projects that you are proud of.

— We are currently one of TikTok's official creative partners in the region, which is something we are really proud of. Our team works very closely with the TikTok for Business team and the TTCX team to deliver the best creative and strategic outcomes for clients there and for their business team as well.

We help TikTok advertisers deliver the best content on the platform. Also, most of the things you see on TikTok's B2B side, we have a significant role in creating those assets.

Additionally, we are part of the TTCX program, which includes about 10 or 15 other agencies in the region. For example, when an advertiser comes to TikTok wanting to advertise but doesn't understand the platform or what kind of content works, we step in. If they come with a traditional campaign, we repurpose it to be TikTok-friendly or TikTok-native. If they come up with just a campaign idea, we create, produce, and bring that content and advertisement forward.

— But how did it happen?

— Actually, we heard that TikTok was recruiting agencies for this particular program, so we reached out to them. We pitched some ideas, they tested a few projects with us, and they saw that we had a good understanding of the platform. They nurtured this relationship by providing a lot of training and educational material to us and our team. This allowed us to grow with them and become a reliable partner for TikTok and their clients whenever they want to advertise on the platform.

— How often do you use TikTok?

— I am actually very mindful about my social media use because there was a time when I was spending so much time on social platforms that I wasn't getting things done properly. So, I decided to cut back and limit my time on them to regain some freedom. It was consuming so much of my time that I had to put a hard stop on it.

I think it was the right decision. Now, I use social media for maybe half an hour to an hour at night, and the same during weekends when I have time.

Instagram: @roningrooves

— So, your DJ career started in 2006. How would you describe your journey? Maybe you personally can see changes in yourself.

— When I started, it was for very simple and genuine reasons like wanting to bring people together, and party. As I progressed in my career and started experiencing different types of music, people, and gigs, I played in small underground parties of 100–200 people as well as in big concerts with 5,000 people. This gave me a very diverse journey in DJing, experiencing various stages, countries and cultures.

I began to realise that it wasn't about making it or reaching the end goal, but rather about the journey and the experiences along the way. Focusing too much on a specific goal can make you miss those slow moments that you should enjoy. It is important to take your time and do things for the right reasons, rather than getting caught up in doing more, making more, being more out there with more gigs, and forgetting about the real goal and self-care.

Self-care is something I had put aside for a long time, but now it is also a priority for me. I am enjoying the journey and learning from it. When I look back, I am proud not only of where I have reached but also of the ups and downs that have taught me valuable lessons. You learn the most when you are at your lowest, not when everything is going smoothly.

I enjoy the cycle because I know that after every difficult time, there is a better time coming. I am embracing this journey, and I believe it will continue for another 20 years.

— After DJing in front of 5,000 people, do you need to recover? Is it difficult for you?

— I am a very outgoing and extroverted person. I love people, I love to talk, and I love to share things. But I am also quite introverted, enjoying my space and alone time. You can imagine how difficult it is to juggle both. It is like going out and depleting my battery, then having to come back in to recharge so I can go out again.

Going out means hanging out with friends, DJing, talking to party people, promoters, and other DJs, afterparties. It depletes my energy but also boosts it through conversations, networking and all those positive interactions. However, I always need to come back to my own space — my cocoon, my home, my family, my music space — to recharge and find balance.

— So, you are into DJing, you are into the parties, you are into the agency. A lot of things to do. Have you ever had burnout?

— Yes, you know, it is that down moments that I mentioned before. Thankfully, I didn't have one big burnout during that phase, but it was more like a series of micro-burnouts. These micro-burnouts were easier to navigate and served as opportunities for me to reassess. They made me think, "Okay, maybe I should stop this and do that instead," or "I should do more of this and less of that." That was the balance I was trying to keep.

I feel like my whole life has been about balance because I am DJing, running the agency, and organising events. The only way to do all this without breaking is to find the right balance, and it is not the same all the time. In the beginning, I put more effort into DJing and less into the agency and events. Then there came a phase where I needed to focus more on the agency and less on DJing. It is a constant juggling act that has brought me to where I am now.

Those micro-burnouts also taught me a lot of valuable lessons along the way.

— And do you remember any big event that was a turning point for you?

— My first big event was a very memorable experience. It was the first time I got on stage in front of a large crowd, back in 2007 or 2008, if I remember correctly. Seeing all those people and playing for a big crowd for the first time was an incredible feeling. That is how I used to enjoy things back then. But as I matured in my sound and my music, I started to appreciate smaller, more underground parties and venues. There, I could create a more genuine connection with the people and an authentic vibe.

We were talking about cities earlier, and Berlin holds a very special place in my heart. It marked me as a place where you could be free — in how you play, how you act, and how you think. It really shaped me as an artist.

Also, the scene in Riyadh is now gaining a lot of attention. There are very talented, creative, and passionate people pushing the scene forward there.

I appreciate the nuances in things. I am very attentive to how clubbers interact, how they talk to each other, how they dance, the atmosphere in the club, the staff, and how the club generally operates. All these small details play a big role in marking me as an artist. The attention to detail in how well the equipment is set up, and how well the sound is designed in the room — these things make me feel comfortable or not in a space or at a party.

Instagram: @roningrooves

— Okay, and can you maybe name some DJs from the Riyadh music scene that we should pay attention to?

— Definitely. Firstly, Daddybisht, his presence and energy are always felt, big heart, and a great host, and fun b2b session with him last time he invited me to Saudi. Also, Majid, Anmarz, Biirdperson, and Tarab Electro are names to look out for.

Also, I’d like to mention some names from other cities. Eli Atala from Beirut is doing amazing things and is very active in the Beirut scene, pushing his Peachpuff creative platform to the fullest, especially the Production and DJ school to accompany young aspiring DJs and producers. Also, Klorofil, whoisbibz, EJ, and Farsa are doing great things.

Omar Fayyad from Dubai is a very fine artist and selector. He has delivered proper sets many times, as well as his productions. He was the first to record a mix for our somewhere... series, and we can’t wait to invite him to play at one of our parties soon. Also, Maks, Patch, Ledwarf, Chloe, and Badry are over there.

— What are you working on now?

— My big focus now is on somewhere…, our collective that throws events across Lebanon and Dubai, and showcases in key regional and European cities with artists from a wide spectrum of electronic music that we like and respect. These artists include Shonky, Mari.te, Gene on Earth, Voigtmann, Giammarco Orsini, Sweely, Sugar Free, and Bassam, to name a few. We also recently launched our label with our first EP, "Stimulation of a Thinking Computer," by Berlin-based producer Otis, which is gaining great traction.

Since I started hosting club residencies and curating lineups for the clubs where I was a resident, I have been pushing the stripped-back House sound that I cherish so much, and that has been a big part of my musical journey. Fast forward to today, we have worked hard and built a solid reputation as a leading party brand in the region’s electronic scene. We are driven by a commitment to unite like-minded souls in search of the most forward-thinking underground sounds, and our nomadic nature allows us to branch out into different cities and partner with many like-minded collectives in cities like Paris, Vienna, Barcelona, and Riyadh.

On the work front, I am actively supporting the agency team these days and putting my efforts into Boomerang, a studio we set up during the pandemic. We are building digital-native brands on social platforms across many verticals. — like food, DIY, fitness, kids, business, etc. — and creating content from ideation to distribution with our team in Beirut and Egypt, inspiring and building communities across the region and beyond.

I have got my plate full!

— And the last question, an absolutely random one. What is your guilty pleasure?

— As much as I love going out and DJing on a Saturday night, I enjoy staying in even more when I have no gigs. Ordering a big, fat burger and watching some Pokémon episodes is my idea of a perfect night in.

I recently went to Japan, and this trip really left a mark on me. Apart from the amazing food, culture and music — I went back to watching and collecting Pokémon cards, which has been a lot of fun.

— Name the best Pokemon ever!

— I am a big fan of Mew and Mewtwo, but Pikachu is probably my favourite because of all the friendship, values and loyalty he holds with his trainer.

You know what is crazy? Pokémon is a franchise that has been going strong for 30 years. I am starting to dig more into how they have managed to keep the franchise so active for so long. I have found a video on YouTube that explores their strategy and marketing tricks and how they build the stories for the video games, the TCG, and the merchandise. It is amazing how they do it.

It also reminds me a lot of my childhood. I used to sit every morning, eat my cereal, and watch one Pokémon episode. I only had 20 minutes to watch it, and as soon as the episode was done, the school bus would arrive.

by Alexandra Mansilla