Magnetic World DJ Davo wants you to dance

Carter Davidson, better known as Davo, was introduced to dance music through a Crazy Frog CD. A gift from his mom, Davidson remembers listening to the album over and over again on his Sony Walkman. 

Raised in Annapolis Valley, N.S., Davidson later moved to Wolfville, N.S., to attend Acadia University as a business student. While in university, Davidson attended a party where he became captivated by his friend’s small DJ controller. After his graduation in 2021, he decided to pursue his interest in DJing full-time. 

Three years later, Davidson was sitting in bed when an email notification popped up on his phone. The message was from Magnetic World Music Festival confirming his spot on the lineup. He’s performed at the festival every year since, making 2026 his third year in a row. He will be on stage Sept. 25, the first night of the two-day festival.

Davidson’s influences have evolved over the past five years, but an interest in electronic music has always remained. 

“Earlier in my career, I loved guys like Tiësto and Martin Garrix, and now I’d say it’s more Michael Bibi and Pawsa,” says Davidson. 

Davidson first gained attention on TikTok for mashups of hit 2000s songs, where his videos received hundreds of thousands of views. Today, Davidson’s taste has transitioned; now he gravitates towards more groove-focused sounds — drums, bassline, rhythm and minimal — as opposed to melodic and progressive “in your face” type of music. 

“I’d like to think we’re growing a community that loves that [kind of music] here.” 

Davidson moved back to Halifax after graduating from Acadia. Growing up, he always thought of Halifax as the “big city” and felt it was the “logical route” if he wanted to DJ professionally. Here he attended events, made connections at local bars and built his nightlife network. 

Karate Kactus, a local Halifax DJ, took Davidson under his wing when he first started playing at the Dome Nightclub. Around this time, Davidson also connected with the organizers of Magnetic World. 

Magnetic World has given Davidson the opportunity to perform in the same lineup as artists he’s always looked up to. 

“I’ve known Akon and Ne-Yo my entire life … so it’s sweet to be a name on the lineup with names like that,” says Davidson. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to put on my music for my community, my friends, my family and people who are willing to get out there and discover a new local artist.”

The year before Davidson’s first Magnetic World set, he spent a year and a half in Queensland, Australia. There he spent time familiarizing himself with the diverse music scenes the country had to offer and started to produce his own music.

“I started getting exposed to bigger festivals, different types of music and more underground types of events,” says Davidson. 

When he returned to Canada, he set out to introduce Halifax to more electronic music. 

“I identified a gap in the market here,” says Davidson. That’s how, alongside some friends and fellow DJs, Davidson founded Hideaway in 2024, an events company based in Halifax. “I think we’re going to start bringing some other talent from this country and maybe some international talent to Halifax,” he says.

If Davidson weren’t a DJ, he’d probably be in real estate following in his father’s footsteps. The business major in him approaches a career in nightlife with similar instincts. 

“Right now, I sell parties.”