Many DJs and producers often have side jobs, working nine-to-fives while building their careers in music. However, some people intentionally navigate various jobs and roles, finding it a natural habitat. One of them is certainly Lehady Lee Sani-Agatha, known as DJ Sani – a man whose interests scope goes from US Air Force, and corporate life in IT to music selection in various forms.
Hailing from Dumfries, Nothern Virginia, Lee was an officer in the US Air Force before moving to Croatia in 2016. The area he lived in was full of various musical influences that heavily influenced his taste. After his first experience behind the decks in 2012, Sani gained confidence and continued his music journey as DJ, radio host and events organiser, known for his eclectic selection of hip hop, RnB, afrobeat, house and amapiano – perfectly mixed in mashups.
After moving to Croatia, Lee went back to university to get a degree in information technology, and now he is a COO of fast-evolving IT company Spona, radio presenter at Yammat FM with Tone Tuoro and founder of TASTE events.
In anticipation of the upcoming event in Lift Club this Friday, we had a chat with DJ Sani about his rich career and music perspectives. From Top Gun to secret of a good mashup, read the full interview below:
Hi Lee, how are you doing? How are the preparations for the upcoming event at Lift?
I’m doing well, thank you. We’re really excited about the upcoming event—it’s a new space, and I see a lot of potential in contributing something fresh to it. Being the first to bring this type of sound to Lift is something I’m truly grateful for. We’re being intentional about every detail—from the sound system to the visual direction—to make sure the space reflects the energy of the night. It’s all about creating something memorable and setting the tone for what could be a new cultural hub.
You have an impressive resume, starting with your service in the US Air Force, your studies at RIT, career in IT, event management, DJing, and radio – it’s certainly clear that you have a wide range of interests. How do you balance all your projects?
Balance comes from intention. I’ve always been driven by storytelling and community—whether it’s through tech, music, or experiences. Each project feeds the others. My IT background taught me systems and strategy; the military gave me discipline. DJing and radio are where I let loose creatively. I try not to separate them too much—it’s all part of the same mission.
Your first time behind the decks was in 2012 and have been on the scene ever since, first in America, and after coming to Croatia you quickly started getting gigs. How have your musical tastes evolved over the years?
I’ve always loved rhythm and soulful energy. In the early days, I was heavy into 90s hip hop and
RnB. Over time, I began blending that with house, Afrobeat, baile funk, and amapiano—it
became less about genre and more about feeling. Moving to Croatia pushed me to be even
more intentional with my sound, because every set is a chance to introduce people to
something new while still moving the crowd.
Rnb, Hip hop, Afrobeat, Amapiano, and House are genres that often appear in your sets in various mashup variations. What is the secret to a good mix/mashup, and who are your favorite selectors?
I take a lot of inspiration from DJs and producers like Kaytranada, FS Green, Jarreau Vandal Full Crate, Joe Kay, and Jengi. They taught me how to be fearless with genre-crossing and storytelling through rhythm. The secret to a great mashup is finding emotional familiarity and flipping it—taking a song everyone knows and associates with a memory, then blending it into something totally unexpected, like mixing hip hop with house or drum & bass. When it’s done right, it hits with both nostalgia and surprise.
In a previous interview you mentioned that Croatia is a wonderful country with a lot of untapped potential – what did you mean? What, in your opinion, should be a priority?
Croatia has incredible talent, culture, and locations—it’s just missing a more unified infrastructure to support and export its creativity. I think building bridges between art, business, and youth culture should be the focus. Platforms, funding, and media that support new voices and ideas—especially from outside the traditional mainstream—could help the scene grow globally.
Heat initially started as a radio show on Yammat FM – how did you come up with the idea, what is the story behind it?
Tone Tuoro and I were recording podcast-style shows and streaming them live on Twitch. It was a passion project, just the two of us curating music we felt was missing from the mainstream. Tone had the idea that we should take it to radio, and shoutout to Yesh—he put in a good word with the director at Yammat. They gave us a trial run, liked the chemistry, and now we’ve just celebrated three years on air.
Heat was born from a need to create a consistent space for global sounds on Croatian airwaves. The idea was to blend international genres—Hip hop, RnB, Afrobeat—with a unique local voice. We also highlight local hip-hop and RnB talent because it’s important to spotlight what’s happening here too. It grew naturally and became a platform not just for music, but for stories and scenes that rarely get airtime. We play what’s new and emerging, but also pay respect to the sounds that came before us.
You host one of the rare English-language shows on domestic radio frequencies? Is there, in your opinion, a lack of media content in English in Croatia?
Yes, absolutely. There’s a growing international community in Croatia, especially in Zagreb, but very few English-language platforms reflect that. English content can act as a bridge between cultures, opening Croatian talent to the world and making foreigners feel more included. I think there’s a huge opportunity here.
TASTE is your event brand inspired by the similar music you play in your radio show with Tone Tuoro. How do you create the lineups, what does the creative process look like?
TASTE is curated like a mixtape—we think about rhythm, energy, and how each DJ contributes to a larger story. The creative process starts with a vision for the night—then we bring in selectors whose sound aligns with that vibe, whether they’re local or international. But it’s bigger than a party—we want Croatia to be part of the global music conversation, not catching up years later. We’re showcasing the talent that’s touring the world, producing their own music, and shaping the now. With every TASTE, we aim to bring that global energy here and show that Croatia belongs on that map.
This weekend Sani is bringing Changing Currents, a London-based DJ who is not afraid to cross genre boundaries in various venues across the globe, such as Fabric along with regional talents, DJ Beathoven (Serbia) and XO (Croatia) who will join him behind the decks. In case you also have many interests in terms of music, this Friday at Lift Club Zagreb is the perfect chance to hear the masters of mashup.
