Little Miss Chatty with Hesta Prynn

Being a mom is a tough job. And it is certainly a delicate balancing act when you have a family at home to nurture and a wildy successful career to sustain. Meet Julie Potash-Slavin, aka Hesta Prynn, one of the most sought after DJ's in NYC and new mom. She is the epitome of cool with her bold red hair and edgy style and is as talented as she is sweet. Her nights vary between spinning a fabulous fashion event, DJ'ing the HBO GIRLS premier party or reading her daughter a good night story. There is nothing better than that. We caught up with Julie to find out more about how this multi-faceted woman does it all.When did you realize your passion for music? Music was always really important to me. My earliest memory of connecting with music was watching Tom & Jerry cartoons and noticing the soundtracks. When I first heard Rhapsody in Blue I remembered it from those cartoons. It's such a vital part of creating a mood - whether you're alone or at a an event - and to me it's something I'm always acutely aware of wherever I am. Who or what has influenced you musically? I toured with The Roots for two years and Questlove taught me how to DJ using vinyl, that was probably the most important influence on me as a DJ.  Some other artists I love - Beastie Boys, Tori Amos, Tears for Fears, The Pixies, The Verve, Jay-Z, Destiny's Child, Elvis, the list is endless.

Is there a certain feeling or mood you wish to evoke when people listen to your music? As a DJ you always want to make people feel cool and included. You are there to facilitate, not show off. Questlove taught me to have an encyclopedic knowledge of music - know every demo and what they listened to at 16 years old. If you can use music as a tool to make them feel good they will remember the entire evening as magical.

How has your musical life changed since having a baby? It's been fun to dig and see what kind of things my baby reacts to that I can enjoy as well. There are lots of acts that cross over - The Beatles, Bob Marley, Tom Petty and surprisingly we listen to a lot of Phish together which is a band I enjoyed in high school and have recently rediscovered. I sing "Carried Away" by Crosby, Stills & Nash to her every night before bed. What would you want to teach your child about taking risks when it comes to your career and your passion? My husband and I have both followed our artistic passions - something that never makes sense practically and financially when you're first starting out.  I hope the fact that we haven't ever compromised in our careers or lives opens her mind to the idea that following your dreams is a definition of success in it's own right.