The name “DISCO” might initially raise an eyebrow for a hair salon, but it all makes sense once you step inside the salon in the Auckland suburb of Morningside..
For DISCO’s owner Jennie, the first act of each morning is selecting the soundtrack – a ritual that has become the best start to her day and gives the place its moniker.
“It instantly lifts my spirits and sets the mood for what’s ahead,” Jennie explains. “But more importantly, it’s integral to the customer experience here at DISCO.”
She elaborates, “Music creates a whole environment; not only does it help draw people in, but it tells people who we are, what we stand for, what we believe in and what we’re into.
“People come here because of the music.”
While many business owners understand the power of music to cultivate a positive environment for both staff and clients, DISCO fully embraces this. With their OneMusic license, the possibilities are endless, extending even to the street outside. Jennie notes:
“We often have people coming in saying “I heard you playing XYZ outside” or “I love that band”, so I wanted to come inside and get my hair done here.”
Jennie recalls her initial reaction to first receiving an email from One Music about the need for a music license, which was “oh no, another thing to pay for”.
However, it soon proved to be much more than another bill. Jennie has always understood that music “improves all our lives and our workspaces. It creates a very special environment.” To enhance her own workspace, having the permissions to play the music was vital; and this is where the OneMusic license became crucial to DISCO and its overall atmosphere.
And this can be seen through the feedback from her customers. For Jennie, the frequent compliments from clients about her playlists are a satisfying reminder of the impact music has, making the time and care she invests in her daily selections feel worthwhile. “I aim for a blend of popular and stylish tunes with a bit of an unexpected twist – and I love inviting our talented artist clients to curate playlists for us too.”
When asked to imagine DISCO without music, Jennie’s laughter says it all. “I honestly don’t think it would work, it would feel awful. The music around you just encapsulates you and helps to bubble those often-private conversations around the room – you get some privacy”.
