Awesome People We Met at Countdown NYE 2017 Day 1

Festivals are always an open invitation to flaunt your most striking sense of fashion. However, there is something about New Year’s Eve takes that burning desire to dress to impress and push it into overdrive. On the first day of Countdown NYE 2017, we crossed paths with a long line of stylish but humble Headliners who were not afraid to take their look to the next level.

Name: Heiress
Age: 26
Hometown: Hollywood, CA
Occupation: Retail
Number of Countdowns: Two

Do you have any words of wisdom to impart that would help make the world a better place in 2018?
We are all the same at events like this one, so we should all come together as one even outside of these events.

Tell us the most meaningful interaction you’ve had on the dancefloor in 2017.
At this year’s EDC Las Vegas, I partied with Paris Hilton. It just made it for me. She’s my biggest idol, and getting to meet her and party with her was so amazing.

Name: Ozny
Age: 30
Hometown: Originally from Mexico, I live in San Fernando Valley, CA.
Occupation: I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, but I’m a business development manager for a software company.
Number of Countdowns: First one.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
I want to travel more. I want to spend more time with my family. I want to experience a lot more than I have in the previous years.

Do you have any words of wisdom to impart that would help make the world a better place in 2018?
It’s simple: love and respect. We have to be tolerant of everyone, specifically in California. It’s a melting pot of religions, cultures, and people with different beliefs. I think just being open to everything and loving each other. We are here for a short period of time, and [we should be] open to learning about other people and how they live and just being respectful of that.

Tell us the most meaningful interaction you’ve had on the dancefloor this year.
I think EDM, and Insomniac as a whole, have had a huge impact on me—period. Some of the best friends I have, I have met at festivals like this.

Name: Dan and Jessica
Age: 33 (Dan); 26 (Jessica)
Hometown: New Jersey (Dan); Sacramento, CA (Jessica)
Occupation: Electrician (Dan); employee at a title and escrow company (Jessica)
Number of Countdowns: First one (both)

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Dan: Be more open.

Do you have any words of wisdom to impart that would help make the world a better place in 2018?
Dan: Love and understanding—that’s what these festivals are all about. It’s about letting go. Stop judging, and be one.

Tell us the most meaningful interaction you’ve had on the dancefloor this year.
Dan: All of this. I’ve met so many people tonight. Everyone here is so open, and it makes you really want to put your guard down.

Name: Imron
Age: 25
Hometown: Irvine, CA
Occupation: Fragrance sales
Number of Countdowns: First one.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Travel. Get out there and explore more.

Do you have any words of wisdom to impart that would help make the world a better place in 2018?
Listen more, and speak less. Always appreciate the arts.

Tell us the most meaningful interaction you’ve had on the dancefloor this year.
Not at a club, but I was at a conference, and one of the speakers had a nosebleed right before his speech. Since I’m always over-prepared, I had a messenger bag with tissues inside, and he was able to continue on with his speech. He was very appreciative of that. You take all this time to prepare a speech, and at the last second, you don’t expect something to go wrong; knowing that I helped prevent his speech from being ruined was really meaningful.

Name: MC Dino
Age: 41
Hometown: Originally Colorado, but I now live in Los Angeles.
Occupation: I make music, MC, and edit video.
Number of Countdowns: I went to the early Countdowns. When it turned into Together as One, went to all of those, as well. Actually, I think I’ve been to every Countdown. I need a trophy.

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
It’s pretty generic, but mine is to get healthy. That’s about it. Other than that, I love my life right now. Let’s go for health.

Do you have any words of wisdom to impart that would help make the world a better place in 2018?
Always stay positive. Who knows what could happen. If you always stay positive, hopefully, good things would happen. Don’t worry—it will be okay.

Tell us the most meaningful interaction you’ve had on the dancefloor this year.
This year at Middlelands, I had some incredible moments with fans. I was playing with Friction, and the number of drum & bass fans that were there… I mean, we even brought out some hip-hop guys. Rae Sremmurd was dancing to a set of drum & bass. It was pretty amazing. Knowing drum & bass is still alive felt pretty good. Hell, yeah.

Name: Jessica
Age: 23
Hometown: Tacoma, Washington
Occupation: I work at a rehab
Number of Countdowns: Three

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Empower other women and uplift them. And to stop comparing myself to other woman and just love them like I should love myself.

Do you have any words of wisdom to impart that would help make the world a better place in 2018?
All we can do is our best.

Tell us the most meaningful interaction you’ve had on the dancefloor this year.
Every Bassnectar set. Being on the dancefloor in general. It’s a spiritual experience being surrounded by the bass and feeling the energy. Everyone is so loving and accepting and pretty and dancing. No one is judging how you’re dancing or what you look like or who you are, or whatever it is. Everyone is so loving on the dancefloor.

Name: Plur Rabbit
Age: 25
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: I party.
Number of Countdowns: Three

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Not going to eat too much. (Laughs)

Do you have any words of wisdom to impart that would help make the world a better place in 2018?
Be yourself. Don’t let anyone judge you. If someone does judge you, just be yourself.

Tell us the most meaningful interaction you’ve had on the dancefloor this year.
A lot of people come up to me, and they tell me their stories. Honestly, it’s all about growing and understanding each other. It is what it is, and in life, you have to keep growing.

Name: Rudy and Laura
Age: 24 (both)
Hometown: Downey, CA (Rudy); Pico Rivera, CA (Laura)
Occupation: Sales (Rudy); medical assistant (Laura)
Number of Countdowns: Two

What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Rudy: I’m trying to settle in with her. I want to reach the next level.

Do you have any words of wisdom to impart that would help make the world a better place in 2018?
Rudy: Be happy, and share that happiness with everyone. Don’t push anyone away. Everyone is a big family.

Tell us the most meaningful interaction you’ve had on the dancefloor this year.
Rudy: Tonight is the night.