At 14, this Laval DJ is following in his dad's footsteps and hoping to make a name for himself
He's 14 years old and has been DJing for more than half his life.
DJ Sajed, whose real name is Sajed Hable, is ready to take the main stage Thursday night at the Orientalys Festival.
The Laval native says he remembers watching his dad, DJ Omar, DJing on turntables and decided to give it a try.
"I started playing and everything. Then, he saw me. Then, he was like, 'Wow, we're mixing.' Then, every day after school, I kept practicing, practicing, practicing ," the teen said.
He's too young to spin at clubs but plays public events and receptions.
"He is very talented. And also we have the passion and he's also fantastic at reading the crowd. He can switch, you know, from people going to sit back on their chair and really make them dance again for another hour," said his aunt, Jacinte Labarre.
His biggest gig yet is Thursday when he performs in the Old Port of Montreal at the Orientalys Festival that celebrates multiculturalism through music, food and dance.
"Everyone represents their culture and they mix between them. So you can see the people from Thailand dancing with the Syrian people, you can see the Iranian people dancing with the Kyrgyzstan people," said the festival's Matias Olivier.
The free festival runs through Sunday and showcases talents from China, Mongolia and Thailand, among others.
"It's a way to build a bridge without thinking about it, between the cultures because everyone discovers something that resonates with their own culture," Olivier said.
DJ Sajed takes over the tunes at what would normally be his bedtime, pleasing the crowd with some reggae and hip hop, plus a little Latino and Lebanese music.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A passing comet could shine as bright as Venus. Here are the best viewing times
This eye-catching celestial event is around the corner and will appear in the skies this fall.
Mortgage loan rules are changing in Canada
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has announced changes to mortgage rules she says are aimed at helping more Canadians to purchase their first home.
Body recovered from B.C. lake after unclothed man leads investigators to crash site
Mounties are investigating a fatal crash north of Whistler, B.C., after an unclothed man who was found along the side of the road led police to a pickup truck submerged in a lake with one occupant still inside.
Man suspected in apparent assassination attempt on Trump charged with federal gun crimes
Ryan Wesley Routh portrayed himself online as a man who built housing for homeless people in Hawaii, tried to recruit fighters for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, and described his support and then disdain for Donald Trump -- even urging Iran to kill him.
Jane's Addiction cancels tour in the wake of an onstage fight
The alternative rock band Jane's Addiction has scuttled its latest tour following an onstage scuffle between lead singer Perry Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro.
'Never seen anything like this': Humpback whale catches unsuspecting seal off Vancouver Island
A Vancouver Island nature photographer says he has never seen anything like what his camera captured on a recent whale-watching excursion off Victoria.
Former military leader Haydn Edmundson found not guilty of sexual assault
Former vice-admiral Haydn Edmundson has been found not guilty of sexual assault and committing an indecent act, concluding a trial that began in February.
Fall back: When does the time change?
The signs of the upcoming autumn season are here as Canadians are starting to notice the skies getting darker earlier, and brightening later.
'Oh, he's still alive': Sask. pharmacy student caught snooping on medical records of 114 people
A fourth-year pharmacy student doing an internship at a Regina drug store was caught snooping on the medical records of 114 people who were not in their care.