Self-taught DJ promotes authenticity, community in Appalachian EDM scene

By Grace Koennecke, Editor-in-Chief

Photos courtesy of Dj Baedizzle

What started as an online persona in middle school would eventually become the stage name for DJ Baedizzle, an EDM artist making strides in the electronic music scene in the small town of Huntington, West Virginia. 

The DJ jokes that her name came from sleepovers with friends, where they played around on Omegle, a free online chat website created in the early 2000s that randomly pairs users for one-on-one text or video sessions. She says “Baedizzle” was created in middle school to incorporate her actual name, Bay, into a sillier username for the site.

Eventually, the name carried over to emerging social media platforms from the early 2010s, like Instagram, and many of their followers began referring to them as Baedizzle. She says her rising popularity online began to feel like she was jumping between reality and fantasy.

“The persona of Baedizzle I would consider kind of like a drag persona,” she said. “I think a lot of people relate to drag in that way, even if they're not drag queens. I don't know if I super strongly identify as a drag queen, but my stage presence definitely feels separate from ‘Bay,’ which is my name. It definitely feels like this other person that I become, [is] like very Hannah Montana, right? 
Like living two lives.”

Through being introduced to the art of DJing online and on social media, the DJ slowly began learning three years ago. She also says integrating herself into the local arts and music scenes in Huntington helped grow her passion and interest in DJing.

Craving the nightlife scene that’s common in bigger cities near Huntington like Cincinnati or Columbus, Ohio, the DJ says she also took on learning this style of music because of the significant lack of EDM music and artists around them.

“I was like, ‘If this is something that I want to see, someone has to do it, so I'm just going to teach myself,’” she said. “I really am completely self-taught just from what I was able to figure out on YouTube [and] TikTok. Other DJs and producers’ tutorials were super helpful. Just downloading rekordbox, the DJ software, and just trying it. Trial and error, and that's kind of what brought me here.”

Now, DJ Baedizzle not only books and plays their own shows, but also helps run Their House DJ Collective, a collective in Huntington that promotes queer, female DJs and curates events in the area. The collective recently celebrated its second anniversary in June.

Within the collective, DJ Baedizzle says their sound is centered in nostalgia, pulling much of their references from the Y2K era. 

“I feel like people kind of share the feeling like we've been transported to another place and another time,” she said. “I like to think of it as back in Y2K when we all thought about ‘When I grow up, I’ll go clubbing, this is what it's going to look like, and this is what it's going to feel like.’ And then you grow up, and you're like, ‘It's not really like that.’ But it feels like my shows are like that. It’s the partying that we all wanted and expected when we grew up.”

The DJ takes their artistry seriously, emphasizing that they want people who come to their shows to be experiencing their music in a positive and empowering way. As an Appalachian artist, she says she feels connected to her audience because she’s worked hard to create a safe, welcoming space for listeners, whether it be at her solo shows or a Their House event.

After throwing a Their House event during Pride Month in June at The Loud, a local music venue in Huntington, the DJ admits that it was one of their proudest moments as an artist. Featuring female DJs, drag queens, and several local artists, DJ Baedizzle says it was the most attended event for the collective.

“Most of our shows are women and queer people, even if it's not a Pride show, and so to see that audience and know what that means for people to get to go somewhere where they can dance with their eyes closed and not worry about who's looking at them or what the politics are or what's on the news, that's what makes me feel like I made it,” she said. “It is getting to see people experience that joy in a time where we really need it more than ever. I see it as activism too. I really do.”

Being one of the only female DJs in the area, DJ Baedizzle hopes to inspire more women, especially from younger generations, to pursue DJing and to increase representation in Appalachia and in their local music scenes.

“It just means a lot to be a queer woman and an Appalachian DJ,” she said. “I like to use all of the labels because it is meaningful. I hope that inspires women older than me, my age, [and] younger than me, but definitely looking at that next generation of DJs. I hope that I can inspire them to follow in my footsteps and become a DJ and keep the rave scene alive locally.” 

If you’re looking to attend a DJ Baedizzle show, you can watch them perform at Funktafest on October 3, 2026 at Ritter Park Amphitheater in Huntington. Their House is also hosting a “Blood Rave” on October 23, 2026 at The Loud in Huntington.

You can also find DJ Baedizzle on Instagram or SoundCloud.