Who is Coco Coulér?

Photo by: Me, a small collection of the music I grew up on, ranging from country to dance music, 90’s R&B, pop, jazz, hip-hop, gospel, classical, etc.

Okay, so boom…growing up, I feel like music was always a part of my life; whether I was singing in the church choir as an alto (to be honest, I was up there running my mouth and giggling more than singing…plus, singing isn’t my thing) or playing the clarinet in band at school, there’s a harmony and synchronicity that comes together to form one beautiful sound, which I enjoyed. Even when I decided to step away from band, music stayed a part of my life (shout-out to lime wire, iPods, CD players, and mp3 players we used to rock back in the day).

Photo by: Me, the clarinet that got me to first and second chair and an outstanding player award

On those days when I was "sick" from school, I had no business playing the SOS band, "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" or "September" from The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. I but those were my jams, honey (and that’s barely scratching the surface). Even when things evolved, as long as I had my black boombox playing the album “Kaleidoscope Dream” by Miguel every day and my earbuds & phone during my first semester of undergrad, I was chillin’ (homesick and without a t.v. or a car so I could prioritize my studies) but chillin’. Anywho, it’s interesting how we grow up, and sometimes we have to choose a different career path because the initial passions or dreams we have don’t pan out the way we thought they would. Working, job security, and education were important in my household, and as an adult, financial responsibilities or bills don’t pay themselves…umm, it takes money, honey. Nonetheless, I dipped back into music a lil’ bit after meeting a local DJ and became “Coco Couler” …Coco because I’m a cute lil’ chocolaté ting and Couler because it played on the French origin and definition, “to flow”; my first name (Dominique) is also of French origin, so it worked (I almost went with Couler Coco, though).

Photo by: Me, we used to have the whole setup with the glass, but it was moved to the garage. CDs are what I used to stay shuffling at home

I bought the gear (which, unfortunately, I no longer have) and just jumped right in, and to be honest, I actually loved it. Once I started learning how, using four channels just made sense. I didn’t know if I was remixing, DJing, or producing, but it was fun, even when I had a lot of external factors going on. In that short amount of time, I had both good and bad (well “learning experiences”) moments when it came to “gigs”, networking, and probably self-sabotaged an opportunity or two but then again, if the music made me feel good and if it was the rhythm and flow I was hearing in my head, I used it, and the few lil’ Couler Blends I created were a vibe. To be honest, I don’t know if I ever “found my sound” because as I evolved or experienced different emotions and feelings, that’s what I mixed, and I never felt the need to stick to one genre of music. I’ll probably always tap back in now and then to reminisce on what I created because at the end of the day, I’m my own biggest “fan” (better known as supporter…I don’t care too much for the word “fan”). Being a female DJ, etc., was an interesting experience, but knowing me, I’ll probably eventually tap back in and create something again…for fun…