Early life:
I was born Panagiotis Vavoulidis in Katerini, Greece and raised in Stamford, CT. just outside NYC. I was named Panagioti after my grandmother, Panagiota, but my parents chose the more common name of Peter when we moved to the US. That seemed to be the trend back in the day. Early in my career, I chose a stage name of Peter Valis because I believed it rolled off the tongue, was easy to remember and even easier to pronounce.
Musical career
Birth–2000: Beginnings
Best known for my DJ performances, I expressed interest and love for music at a young age. At twelve years old I made his first mix tape. Using a cassette player and my parents Oak "Boom Box" Turntable I created seamless mixes with recordings I got from the radio. My mixes were pretty dope for a 12-year-old and were not only on tempo, but also beat mixed! After making countless mix tapes at such a young age, I decided that my love for music would become my life long career. With absolutely no interest in school or homework, other than the occasional drop-by at Chorus, Drama Club, or dance, I consumed myself with music. This early infatuation led me to pick up local club gigs and private parties by age 19 and I was named “Best up and Coming DJ” by long time influential DJ and columnist Dave Dresden of Gabriel & Dresden. Over the years, I spun in some of the largest venues in the NY area and the entire east coast sweeping crowds into sweaty messes with my Deep and Euro House mix.
2000–2008: Natural Evolution
In my true entrepreneurial spirit, I opened the immensely popular, Lava Lounge in Stamford, CT in July of 2000. As business owner and resident DJ, I ran the club for over eight years. My many years of Nightclub experience played a major role in the club’s success. While running the club, I also continued to host events, and grow my entertainment companies, Peter Valis Entertainment, Groove Entertainment, & Valis Events to new heights. In 2005, my long time friend Gennaro Scarpelli and I began our Production Company, Rated PG. As one half of the production duo I collaborated and remixed music for superstar artists such as Lionel Ritchie, Grandmaster Flash, Eros and other industry moguls. Through the years, I started to flirt with the idea of becoming a vocalist. Though the transition was fairly easy for me because of my background, I still demanded nothing less than vigorous training from myself. I sought out some of the best vocal coaches in the country and even traveled to Greece to receive lessons from the infamous “singing coach to the stars” Julie Massino. This new venture allowed me the opportunity to perform in some of the best venues in NYC and work with some of the top Greek musicians in the world
2010–Present: The Journey
I spend most of my time now focused on DJing and music production. I've been lucky enough to perform all over the U.S. and Europe. My DJ specialty includes but is not limited to Deep, Progressive, Electro, Tech, and Mainstream House music, as well as Hip Hop and Pop. Currently, Groove Entertainment, and the Peter Valis brand have grown to new heights. Though my career has spanned over twenty years, the best is yet to come. I look forward to new experiences, meeting new people, and continue working with some of the greatest musicians in the world. I am truly grateful that you've taken the time to read my bio. Much love. - Peter Valis