It started with a call: ‘Ahmed, could you bring your CD case and come along? We are not able to reach our DJ…’ Looking back on that day, in 2003, Ahmed aka DJ Pharaoh can clearly see that it opened the path for his dormant passion for DJing. “That was my ignition…my ignition to get into DJing,” muses Ahmed Mawjoud, as he recalls the day he was asked by a friend to bring along his music collection to stand in for another DJ. That was the day Ahmed donned his DJ Pharaoh garb to establish his credentials in the land of Disc Jockeys.
He wasn’t a total novice though. His early tryst with music, during college years in the late 90s in Egypt, did prep him up, in a way, for his DJ days. “Those were the college days when music was a craze. We used to organise trips to beaches, which were in the outskirts of the city. It took us a couple of hours or more by bus to reach the beach, where we would play music the whole day…” he reminisces.
Soon he was playing DJ at private parties, weddings and at night clubs, but they were sporadic, as he was busy finding his foothold in the employment horizon, which brought him to Oman in 2003.
It was a homecoming for Ahmed, who was raised and schooled here until 1995, when his father retired and left the country for good. His father was employed in Muscat and for Ahmed, returning back after college and military service, seemed like a natural thing to do. Things took time to fall in place, but he managed to give his passion for music a channel, while finding a right break for his career. Today, he lives in Oman with his wife and their three children, and his bonds with the country have become all the more stronger.
Two years ago he joined Bright Lights Trading, an audio-video solutions company with business in lighting, automation and integration, to handle sales, and has, since, realised that his interests lie in growing businesses that are parallel, rather complementary to DJing.
At present he has back-to-back DJ events during the weekends as DJ Pharaoh, which will, expectedly peak during the festive December month. Party scene in Muscat is picking up, notes Ahmed, but hastens to add that DJing is simply not about playing music to get the crowd on to the dance floor. “Music lovers today are aware of every new song release and they keep following up on new music trends. There are different types of music and different mentalities, and success as a DJ depends on the way you interact with the people even without talking. You need to have an insight into where the night is going. What to play when is very important; so is the selection of music and the mixing techniques used while creating mash-ups,” he explains.
This also means constantly updating oneself about the new advances in the digital field. However, Ahmed does not see himself DJing five years down the line. He, nevertheless, is keen on initiating a business venture in a related field. As he puts it, “I see future in the AV business. With smart buildings and automation becoming a trend, audio-visual is the way to promote everything. Eventually, I hope to have a business in this line – here or back home.”
DJ Pharaoh, who calls Oman his first home, attributes his DJing success to the support of friends and well wishers.
The home I grew up in… Cairo, Egypt. When I was a child I wanted to… Be an engineer. The moment that changed me forever… When my first child, my daughter Nour, was born. My greatest inspiration… My mother. Although she was a housewife, she was the spark in our family. My hero… My Father. He went above and beyond for the welfare of our family. I want to be like him. If I could change one thing about myself… I am happy with what and who I am. I dream of… Seeing my kids succeed in life and doing better than me. What I see when I look in the mirror… I see what others see – I am a very transparent person and everybody knows it. It’s not fashionable but I like… BBQ place at Ghubra Beach. My greatest regret… That I quit my dream of being an engineer and took the second option. I should have tried harder. You may not know it but I’m no good at… Cooking. I never lived as a single person – my family was around me most of the time. You may not know it but I’m very good at… Socialising. I get along with people from different races and different countries, thanks to DJing. This career keeps introducing me to new and different people everyday. If I have time to myself… I will go to the gym (have kept saying that for several years). My house is… Where my family is. My favourite haunt/holiday destination… I haven’t travelled much, but I like Dubai’s entertainment options. My favourite weekend spot in Oman… Any pool side with my family. I will not leave my house without… Phone, wallet, car keys, sunglasses and saying ‘bye’ to the kids. Five things I like about Oman… People, ambience, security, nature and, of course, the roads. On top of my wish/bucket list is… Travel the world with my family. My success mantra is… ‘Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.’ –John Lennon. This quote sums up the struggle in life and how we need to be optimistic. In 10 years’ time, I hope to be… Remembered as a successful person. 
Also read Tunes of Glory…
