DJ Jay Wheeler


Location: Melbourne, VIC

Challenge: Lukodystrophy

Website: djjaywheeler.net

Jay Wheeler's enthusiasm for music is contagious. He has been addicted to the theater, lights, sounds, and atmosphere of the pub and club scene since his first experience in 2007. These were his people and that was his place! That experience led him to further embrace the culture of the dance music scene by promoting for clubs, such as Room 680, and DJs.

Although 2007 was a turning point in his focus on pursuing DJing as a career, Jay's talents began developing at age 9, when he started drum lessons, which continued until age 13. It was during these years that music was first revealed as his life passion. Hours were spent both listening to late night radio DJs and down at the local music store where he parted with much hard-earned pocket money, ranging from a $5 single to spending $300 on the newest dance CDs.

As the opportunities arose, he has gradually explored music on larger scales, beginning with organising and DJing his school's fundraising discos and then placing second in the 2006 Australian Children’s Music Foundation National Songwriting Competition with a modernized version of his outdated school song.

2008 saw Jay step into production, cultivating his knowledge about sequencing, drum machines and filters as well as getting a feel for the highs and lows and the flow of music.

As his name suggests, Jay Wheeler is unique in more than one aspect: he has a disability and gets around in an electric wheelchair. Therefore, Jay has also received media attention as one of the faces of the campaign to improve physical access for the disabled to music venues across the Melbourne CBD.

He regularly releases demos through the on–line program SoundCloud and receives very positive responses from producers, venue owners and fans. Always keen to enhance his skills, Jay is currently involved in Raise The Platform , a radio show on SYN FM which assists in providing a platform to people with disabilities upon which to ‘advocates’ issues including arts and disability.


DJ Jay Wheeler - "Kissing, Chasing and Dancing"