In the past year, student djs have been on the rise at St. Olaf, making up the nightlife scene. Many of them have seen various levels of success on-and off campus such as Maggots, who is a dominating dj duo on campus. However, their success started out with a little bit of frustration.
Long before they were headlining parties and campus events, Mimi Keita ’26 and Malikiah Guillory ’26 were just two friends bonded by a shared love of music but also a shared irritation and frustration with what was being played at student events.
“We both felt like the music wasn’t really representing us or what people actually wanted to hear,” Keita said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “So one night, after a party, we went back to the house, pulled up a Boiler Room set, and thought, ‘Why not?’”
They decided to give DJing a real shot. Three days before their first big event, which was a Pause dance, they dove headfirst into learning how to mix music.
“It was chaotic,” Guillory said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “But it worked. That night was the start of everything.”
Their name came from the help of one of their friends.
“We were freaking out because we didn’t have a DJ name yet,” Keita said. “Our friend Angela just said, ‘You should be Maggots. Both your names start with the letter M.’ And it sort of stuck.”
Since then, Maggots have turned that spontaneous start into something much more serious, but at the same time, fun and full of energy. Their Boiler Room-inspired sets, high energy, and unapologetic fun have earned them a loyal following at both St. Olaf and Carleton. One of their most memorable performances was a Valentine’s Day event at the Flaten Art Museum, curated around dance and movement. Guillory calls it “our most exciting set so far,” alongside their electrifying “Rapture” set at The Contented Cow, where they headlined to a packed crowd.
“We played all our favorite songs, and the crowd was amazing. That’s when it started to feel real,” Keita said.
When it comes to their creative process, it involves a process of compromise.
“Mal’s constantly finding new songs,” Keita said. “I’m more like, ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ We argue, we scrap whole playlists, but it works.”
Since then, Maggots have become a staple of the campus music scene, playing everything from Boiler Room-esque sets to packed nights beyond just St. Olaf, at venues such as The Contented Cow and Carleton College.
