DJ Cassandra (aka Cassandra Shankman) has been DJing since 2014. Well, she tells Austin Lifestyle, “I tested it out in 2014, but didn’t touch it again until 2016 when my friend wanted us to try DJing her going away pool party. And the rest is history! January 2019 she started DJing as her full-time job.Since then she’s DJ’d over 1000 gigs, but the highlights in 2025 so far have been exceptional. When asked the standout moments she says, “There have been so many highlights in my life that I am just so grateful for, but I would have to say DJing University of Texas’s 2025 university-wide commencement for over 60,000 people at the stadium was definitely a highlight of my life and a memory I will never forget! It was such a full circle moment, as I didn’t get the chance to attend my university-wide graduation at UT.” She adds, “I’d say playing ACL both weekends was a massive highlight and flying to Lake Como to DJ a very good friends’ wedding was another! DJing Spotify House this past SXSW with Benson Boone on the dance floor was a memory of a lifetime and DJing with Flavor Flav in Orlando and then him hyping me up afterwards -I will never forget that moment.” And the year is just over halfway over.
If you’re heading out on a roadtrip this summer or looking for a summer playlist for a barbecue, check out DJ Cassandra’s playlists for each (and more!) on Spotify. The former includes artists from Ja Rule to Stevie Wonder, and probably many you’ll be introduced to for the first time.