Dancing Queen DJ Samantha Michelle Dishes On Her Favorite Nightlife Spots

Samantha Michelle is so brilliant, so truly talented at being the life of the party, she's made it her profession.

The complete opposite of your annoyingly common too-cool DJ - you know the type, headphones hard on, uncrackable serious face - Samantha's the one dancing the hardest to the tunes she's spinning, spilling out beyond the DJ booth. Honestly, girl's got to get headphones without chords because that leash is holding her back. 

Her infectious passion for being out and making the night fun has landed her spots opening for everyone from LCD Soundsystem and Mark Ronson to Miley Cyrus and Duran Duran, not to mention constant gigs at the city's coolest spots.

So, curious to know where this pro party girl recommends you head for an old fashioned good time in NYC?

Butterfly
Leopard print covered walls and Damien Hirst Butterflies, the space is super decadent, and opulent, it's just the right size, and somehow, you'll always find a familiar face there. Shoutouts to Wednesday regulars The Muses who, as far as I'm concerned, make Butterfly the only place to be for a midweek boogie.

Gospel
If you can’t get to Tulum anytime soon, Gospel is the closest thing Manhattan has to offer. Great place if you want to lose yourself in an underworld and find yourself amongst Manhattan burners. There's a spiritual charge to the sonic landscape of Gospel that makes it a super unique spot in the city that very much attracts a particular wavelength of humans.

Mulberry Bar 
A sexy new spot that’s quietly tucked away from the outside, buzzing on the inside with a chic bar and dancing in the back. It’s a sleek, intimate watering hole where you can find friends and make new ones beneath the disco ball. It's just the right size, the faces are always familiar, it has a wonderful, elevated neighborhood vibe about it all.

Chapel Bar
Sexy and a little bit hidden away, this church-inspired cocktail bar is elevated and classy but can get a little looser during a good party. Epic, other-worldly, Chapel makes you want to get dressed up.

Joyface
A 70s vibe to the music and decor makes this an East Village go-to when you’re all dressed up and just want to dance. Bartenders may cover you in glitter, standing on an elevated surface might be allowed, laying on the waterbed and picking up the rotary phone for a photo op is… an option (I’d rather get my pic in front of the Playboy-cover wallpaper near the bathrooms, but that’s me). Less ABBA than ACME, but enough to sing along in between some of her cooler 70s picks. 

Georgia Room
One of my favorite nightclubs to play! The crowd is always young and full of energy, they are primed and ready to get their groove on. It's on the larger side which is fun when you're in the feels for it, you can lose yourself in the undulating throng, or tuck away at a table with friends. I've had the pleasure and privilege or orchestrating many a wild night here - cheers to Georgia Room!

[Photos via Samantha Michelle, Butterfly, Chapel Bar]