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Being an artist is an incredible gift, but it can also come with its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to mental health. It’s not always easy to stay inspired and motivated, and the pressure to be constantly creating can take a toll. But fear not! Here are some tips to help you maintain a good mental state as an artist.

1. Take breaks: Don’t be afraid to step away from your work and do something completely different. Take a walk, read a book, or try a new hobby. It’ll give you a fresh perspective and help you recharge.
2. Surround yourself with positivity: Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you. Being around negative people can really bring you down, so make sure you have a strong support system of friends and family who have your back.
3. Practice self-care: This one’s a no-brainer. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself physically and emotionally. Exercise regularly, eat well, and don’t be afraid to treat yourself every once in a while.
4. Set realistic goals: It’s easy to get caught up in the pressure to constantly produce, but this can lead to burnout. Set achievable goals for yourself and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t reach them all at once.
5. Embrace failure: Failure is a natural part of the creative process. Don’t let it get you down – use it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
6. Find inspiration: Keep your creativity flowing by exposing yourself to new ideas and experiences. Try visiting museums, attending concerts, or traveling to new places.
7. Get organized: Organization is key to maintaining a healthy mindset. Make sure you have a system in place to keep track of your ideas and projects, so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

In conclusion, maintaining good mental health as an artist can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Remember to take breaks, surround yourself with positivity, practice self-care, set realistic goals, embrace failure, find inspiration, and get organized. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to a happy and healthy creative life!

Hey there!

So you’re thinking about setting some new goals for yourself, huh? That’s great! Having goals is a great way to stay focused and motivated, and it gives you something to work towards. But before you dive in and start setting your goals, there are a few key questions you should ask yourself to make sure you’re setting yourself up for success.

1. What do I want to achieve? This one’s pretty straightforward. What is it that you want to accomplish? Whether it’s losing weight, learning a new skill, or starting a business, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve.
2. Why is this goal important to me? Knowing why your goal is important to you will help keep you motivated when things get tough. Maybe you want to lose weight to feel more confident, or you want to start a business to provide a better life for your family. Whatever it is, make sure you have a strong why behind your goal.
3. What steps do I need to take to achieve this goal? Break your goal down into smaller, manageable steps. This will help you see progress and give you a roadmap to follow.
4. What resources do I need to support my goal? Do you need a gym membership to lose weight, or a mentor to help you start a business? Make a list of the resources you’ll need to achieve your goal and start putting them in place.
5. What obstacles might I encounter and how will I overcome them? No goal comes without challenges, so be prepared. Identifying potential obstacles in advance will help you stay on track and overcome them when they arise.
6. How will I measure my progress towards achieving this goal? Setting milestones and tracking your progress will help you stay motivated and on track. Celebrate your wins along the way!
7. How will I reward myself for achieving this goal? Treat yourself for a job well done! Maybe it’s a massage, a new pair of shoes, or a weekend getaway. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something you’ll look forward to.
8. Is this goal realistic and achievable within a specific time frame? Last but not least, make sure your goal is realistic and achievable within a specific time frame. If you set yourself up for failure, it’s easy to get discouraged.

That’s it! Ask yourself these questions before setting your goals and you’ll be well on your way to success. Good luck!

So, you’ve finally written a new song and you’re ready to share it with the world. But where do you start? Releasing a new song can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help make the process a little easier.

1. Write and record the song. This is the first and most important step. Without a recorded version of your song, you won’t have anything to release. Make sure you’re happy with the final version before moving on to the next step.
2. Mix and master the recording. Once you have a recorded version of your song, it’s time to make sure it sounds its best. Mixing and mastering involves adjusting the levels of different elements of the song (e.g. vocals, instrumentals) to ensure they’re all balanced. You can do this yourself or hire a professional to help.
3. Secure distribution. There are a few ways to get your music out into the world, but you’ll need to secure distribution before you can start promoting your song. You can sign with a record label, or use a digital distributor like TuneCore or DistroKid to distribute your music to streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.
4. Promote the song through marketing and social media. Once you have your song out there, it’s time to start promoting it. Use social media to share your new song with your followers, and consider creating a music video or releasing a single to generate buzz.
5. Register the song with a performance rights organization. To make sure you get paid for performances of your song, you’ll need to register it with a performance rights organization (PRO) like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC.
6. Consider getting copyright protection for the song. If you want to protect your song from being used without your permission, you can get copyright protection. This will give you legal standing if someone tries to use your song without your consent.
7. Plan and execute a release strategy. Decide how you want to release your song. Will it be part of an album, or will you release it as a standalone single? Once you’ve made that decision, create a plan for how you’ll release your song and execute it.

Releasing a new song can be a bit overwhelming, but following these steps will help make the process a little easier.

Good luck, and have fun!

So, you’re an up-and-coming artist with a passion for music and the dream of making it big. The music industry can be tough, but with hard work and determination, you can turn your passion into a successful career.

Here are some tips to help you along the way:

1. Develop your craft: The first step to building a successful music career is to hone your skills and become the best artist you can be. Take lessons, practice regularly, and keep learning.
2. Build a strong online presence: In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any artist. Create a website, set up social media accounts, and engage with your fans regularly.
3. Network, network, network: The music industry is all about who you know, so make sure to attend events, meet other artists, and connect with industry professionals.
4. Create a portfolio: Put together a portfolio of your best work to showcase your talent and what you have to offer. This can include recordings, videos, and live performances.
5. Play live shows: Performing live is an excellent way to gain exposure, build a following, and show off your talent. Look for gigs at local venues, open mic nights, and other events.
6. Collaborate with other artists: Collaborating with other artists can help you expand your fan base, gain new skills, and build relationships within the industry.
7. Get your music out there: The more people who hear your music, the more opportunities you’ll have to gain exposure and build your career. Consider submitting your music to online platforms, radio stations, and other outlets for maximum exposure.
8. Be patient: Building a successful music career takes time and hard work. Be patient and keep working at it, and eventually, you’ll see your dreams come to fruition.

Building a career in music can be challenging, but with these tips and a lot of hard work, you can turn your passion into a successful and rewarding career.

Keep creating, stay focused, and never give up on your dreams!

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I had a chance to talk with the internationally recognized DJ/producer Jay Hardway. Here’s a paraphrased version of our conversation where we discuss the impact of COVID, evolving artist careers, and how the music industry is changing. 

Joey: How are you doing?

Jay: Good! Not touring, so I’m good physically since I’m sleeping better and having a healthier schedule. Mentally is a whole other story.

Joey: It’s an interesting time, especially for the level of artist that you are. From one day to the next, you almost lost 100% of your income. The biggest artists are the ones struggling the most with no touring schedule. What have you noticed around you? 

Jay: At first, I think there was maybe a denial mechanism: people didn’t want to believe that their whole life was basically turned upside down. People were doing live streams but soon realized that they couldn’t do it every day or week. So yeah, that’s where we’re at right now. I’ve noticed some guys are not panicking, but a bit stressed about their future. I’ve saved some money so I can take some more time to think. 

Joey: And what have you noticed with other industry players like booking agencies or managers?

Jay: They still work on keeping in touch with artists and helping understand how laws are changing with regards to the virus in other countries, but they have less to do. 

Joey: How is it being home and spending more time with friends and family?

Jay: It’s good to be in the same time zone with everyone. If I was in China and it’s 2 pm, I had no idea what time it was in Holland. I now feel more connected to home. I’m also noticing how much energy I have left at the end of the day. I used to be chronically tired on tour. My whole private life has changed. On the other hand, staying at home still impacts me mentally. 

Joey: Do you have a plan for the upcoming months?

Jay: I’m still going to release music regularly. I’m kind of winging it and trying to figure things out right now. I may have gotten too comfortable with my music last year, so I now have the opportunity to explore different directions. 

Joey: Are you comfortable adapting to change? 

Jay: Throughout my career, I realized how to adapt and not stress when something unexpected happens. I remember playing in Vegas for the first time, and I had 10 minutes between my dinner and my set. I didn’t have time to stress or whatever; I just walked straight into the DJ booth. That taught me a lot. 

Joey: Were you always comfortable on stage?

Jay: I learned DJing at small bars. Technically, I was fine, but I’m not a born entertainer, so I was insecure about the way I performed. I’ve now learned to enjoy it and bring the right energy to my sets. I also know that the scene has gotten more commercial, where the performance is more important than the music.

Nowadays, there are some big DJ’s that can survive by just playing their own music and have their fanbase. You normally fight for that freedom at the beginning of your career, but you soon understand what works best. The industry is changing. I still feel that I’m still at a point where I need to prove myself in some countries.

Joey: Do you think artists are willing to change?

Jay: Well, that’s the question, should artists be adapting right now? The music industry used to be only about labels and big studios. Then, the electronic music came up, and people with a computer could make something that would get super popular. I think we’ve reached the peak with Martin Garrix, and now it feels like we’re back to square one. To stand out among all the electronic musicians, you need connections with a label, playlists, or radio station. We need to bring back that feeling of independence and having success with self-releases. 

Joey: How is the dance industry evolving? 

Jay: I don’t think there’s exclusivity in music anymore. Maybe that’s what we’ve lost in the last couple of years. Having a new track and promoting it to specific DJs has become less special. People now focus on who has the best production or biggest name on the poster. It’s not necessarily bad because the industry has become more commercial, and people can make more money, but there are definitely some downsides. The industry should be more about the music. 

This interview has been paraphrased for consistency and clarity.

Joey: Dannic, how are you?

Dannic: Good! I’m currently in the studio preparing an EP and some new stuff for Miami. It’s been two years since I last played Ultra Music Festival, so I’m excited to showcase new music.

Joey: How do you prepare for such a big event like Ultra?

Dannic: We planned for a new Dannic sound in March. We realized that after four years, it was time to rebrand a bit and refresh the Dannic style. It’s hard for people to get to know the new updated sound with just one single, so we decided to do a three-track EP. 

Joey: What’s the process like to get a show at Ultra? Do they approach you?

Dannic: That’s an interesting question. Nowadays, it’s especially harder to get booked for bigger festivals, mainly because artists or labels now usually host the stages or “islands.” For instance, Martin Garrix has his own label STMPD. Whenever they have a stage hosted at a festival, it’s obvious that he’s going to invite all his friends from STMPD instead of me. This happened to me at Tomorrowland. They had less EDM stages, so my only option was to play at the Nervo stage since it was the most fitting. I had to reach out to Nervo myself and ask if they had any spots left. 

To be super honest, it’s getting harder and harder if you’re not locked or releasing on a particular label. For Ultra, Revealed is hosting a stage because it’s their ten year anniversary, and since I used to be on Revealed, they invited me to play. It’s not that Ultra booked me – of course, they had to approve my name – but I still needed a strong network. 

Joey: I think that’s a crucial topic to discuss because the new kids on the block might believe that things happen for you automatically since you’ve already had so much success. 

Dannic: Back in the days, when I was more popular and was playing the main stages, it didn’t affect me. Now I have to work hard and prove that I’m worth it. It’s more a political and strategic game nowadays then it’s about the music or the branding.  

Of course, I did very well, and I’m very blessed with my career thus far. But it’s not like I can lean back, relax, and stop working. I think there’s still a gigantic gap between the top 15 DJ’s in the world, and the rest. In certain areas, I’m a ticket seller, but not like Steve Aoki or Hardwell. That gap is getting bigger and bigger. 

When we started in 2011-2013, the EDM bubble was really big.  I always tell people the door has closed, and I’m right behind the door. For instance, after Hardwell played our collaboration at Ultra, my bookings and brand blew up. It was crazy and all eyes were on me. Nowadays, if I do a collaboration with, for instance, Garrix, everyone’s like, yeah, cool. It’s not that important anymore. You have to work harder and do better. 

Joey: What have you done as an artist to deal with these changes in the industry?

Dannic: We’re continually evolving and rebranding. These days marketing is more important than ever, primarily because of social media. People are used to fast and accessible content – they want it to be easily digestible. For example, on your Instagram stories, you have to make sure that there’s a good balance between promoting your stuff but also showing your personality.

Joey: People are tired of seeing stage photos with fireworks and lasers. They know you’re a DJ and want to build a deeper connection with you. At the same time, you have to consider that everything is also a matter of seconds when you’re creating content. 

Dannic: I have more than 500K followers on Instagram, but if I post something, the reach isn’t even 10%. Also, funny enough, the top comment every time I post something with a track is like, “what’s the track title?” Meanwhile, that track has been out for maybe six weeks, and I’ve posted about it almost every day. It just gives you an example of how important it is to keep informing people without being too pushy.

Joey: What’s the most important thing you focus on as an artist?

Dannic: I’m continually trying to keep my music fresh and exciting. The hardest part is finally finding your sound but trying to evolve within that sound. My goal is not to have amazing streams on Spotify, because I’m a club DJ. For me, it’s essential that I have DJ support and that my tracks go well in the charts of the DJs rather than the number of views on YouTube. 

Joey: How many days do you spend working on music every week?

Dannic: I would say two, which is not enough. However, while I’m on tour, I’m usually the most creative. At the beginning of my career, when I just started getting more bookings, I would get stressed about finishing tracks. At first, you have six or seven tracks lined up already for release, but then you start to play more shows and become less productive. I noticed that my creative flow was completely gone when I forced myself. 

Joey: In my opinion, you can’t force yourself to be creative, but you can put yourself in specific environments where you can get inspiration. For example, I liked watching Tomorrowland after movies or artist documentaries to get my creative juices flowing. The important thing is for artists to discover what triggers them into being more productive. 

Do you feel like the last couple of years was a process for you as well when it comes down to personal development?

Dannic: Yeah, it’s an ongoing process. The hardest part of doing this is balancing social and work. I’ve been doing this for seven years, so that’s seven years of having to skip weekends, birthday parties, and visiting friends. When I was younger, I wanted to do everything since my ultimate dream was coming true. Now, I see my parents getting older, and I have less time to spend with everyone, so I now have to prioritize certain events over others—for example, my mother’s birthday over a big festival. 

In terms of structure, I usually take Mondays off as my “DJ weekend.” It’s essential to take a break since 24/7 I’m dealing with time zones, different managers, emails, and phone calls. When I’m in the studio, I usually switch off my phone. I also just bought a whiteboard so that I wouldn’t get distracted by my phone. Another important thing is that I don’t work more than eight hours in the studio day. There’s only so much you can do on an individual level every day.

Joey: What’s the most important thing that you learned over the years? 

Dannic: Make choices on your intuition but also seek help when you can. One of my bad habits is that I want to do everything. The most important thing is knowing when you need to let go and trusting people in this industry. Having amazing people around you is a significant part of your success.

Joey: How many people are on your team?

Dannic: Around 12. There are people on my management team, helping with social media, booking agencies, publishing companies, etc. I do want to say that even if you have a big team, in the end, it comes down to you. No one will be more passionate about your career than yourself. 

Joey: Thank you so much for all the great advice. It’s very rare for artists in your position to be so open and honest. 

Dannic: My pleasure!

I had a chance to talk with german DJ/producer Eddie Thoneick along with his Instagram live audience. Here’s a paraphrased version of our conversation where we discuss success, mental health, and the best resources for your artist career. Watch the full video here! 

Eddie: So glad we’re able to chat given these circumstances! For everybody who doesn’t know you, can you give us a quick introduction?

Joey: I’ve been a DJ and music producer for over ten years. I started at the bottom DJing at weddings and later built a career in music by working with artists like Hardwell and releasing on labels such as Revealed, Spinnin, Toolroom, and more. Eventually, at the height of my career in 2014, I ended up burning out. I just felt unhappy with my current lifestyle as a DJ and artist. After that, I started educating myself, and now I run a business called Artist Coaching, which helps other artists maintain stability both mentally and in their careers. 

Eddie: We need to have these conversations and educate our audience on how not to make the same mistakes. 

Joey: I think what also makes it difficult is that people often don’t understand how an international DJ can face these challenges. To them, you’re living your best life on social media. Why would you be unhappy?

Joey: It’s personal; every artist has their manual, and they need to figure out how their manual works. When you can understand yourself, you’ll be more prepared to make decisions like signing a label deal or touring. I say this because, for most of my career, I was just listening to other people. I was distracted by the money and never really took the time to reflect on my decisions. You can’t expect other people to know when you’re unhappy; in the end, you’re the one responsible, in my opinion.

Eddie: If you had one tip for new artists, what would that be?

Joey: Learn to say no. This sounds really easy, but when you’re an aspiring artist, and you’ve been working for like five years to get at a certain level, and suddenly your dreams come true, it’s hard to say no to specific deals or opportunities. 

Trust your gut; your gut never lies. For example, if a record label deal is financially nice, but something feels off, you have to trust what’s best for you. Sometimes, it’s too late, and those deals backfire. 

Patience is really important, and one of the biggest challenges I see with up and coming artists. They don’t want to wait for five years without any payment or any results. But in the end, that’s the thing that’s necessary to come at that level of success. It can sometimes be even ten years until you can be professional and find success. 

Eddie: I think it depends on your niche. Sometimes an artist you’ve never heard of goes viral, and three months later, they’re touring the globe. 

Joey: There are so many elements to success that it’s difficult for you to know how long it takes. I mean, most of the people don’t have the opportunity to work as musicians full time and earn money with it. They have nine to five jobs and make music as a passion in the evenings and on the weekends. I think this is the right thing to do – the last thing you want is to have financial stress. Keep a side job to at least cover your monthly costs until you’re confident that your work is paying off. Financial stress is going to kill your creativity in the end, so you don’t want to get in a position where the money is going to put you in a bad situation. 

I can imagine that the music industry sounds like hell if you listen to stories like this. And it’s not. If you’re a talented person who loves to be an artist performing on stage, it’s the best job on the planet. But just be aware that there is so much more to the job and 60 minutes on stage. 

Eddie: If there was one book you would recommend, what would it be? 

The War of Art. It’s about creativity and all the blocks that you create for yourself.

Eddie: What about podcasts? 

Joey: When I first started this new project, I listened to a lot of Gary Vee, which is really like a marketing podcast. I also listen to Artificial intelligence by Lex Friedman and the Joe Rogan podcast. 

Eddie: How do you structure your day? Do you have any routines? 

No. And that’s the way I like it. My schedule is more weekly than daily. I work from Mondays to Thursdays, and Friday to Sunday is with my family. 

Eddie: I really need structure in my life, so I use the high-performance planner and plan everything daily. 

Someone in the comment section said: I’m 33 years now and have been working for almost ten years to reach success in the industry. Do you have any thoughts on that? 

Eddie: My initial thoughts are that they probably have to restructure. It seems like they’re very passionate, but perhaps they should try approaching their career from a different perspective. 

Joey: I wonder if they’ve reached nothing. You always reach something; it’s a matter of perspective. If you compare yourself to people who are making millions, that will only make you unhappy. Stop comparing yourself to other people. I would also say to get out of your comfort zone and start looking at things differently.

Eddie: Another question from the comments asks: How do I get a mentor when I don’t have money?

Podcasts and audiobooks are a great resource. The great thing is you can listen to people discuss topics like mental health and the music industry for long periods, and I’m sure some parts will resonate with your life. 

This interview has been paraphrased for consistency and clarity. Watch the full video here.

Joey: Let’s start with a brief introduction. For everyone who doesn’t know who you are, where did it all begin for you?

Benjamin: My name is Kid Massive. I’ve been a DJ for 25 years and a producer for 20 years. I’ve toured the world and released on many of the biggest independent labels, in addition to Sony, Warner, and Universal. Right now, I’m currently focused on helping new talent with my own two labels, Get Down Recordings and Get Down Black. I also run The Mindset Sessions, a podcast and teaching platform which helps young creatives understand their choices using my experiences and knowledge of cognitive-behavioral therapies, psychology, and spirituality. 

Joey: Why do you think it’s important for artists to have the right mindset and work on their mental health? 

Benjamin: For me, being creative is incredibly personal. It’s a journey of expression and how you feel. The more you know about yourself, the stronger your identity will become. We all start something because we love it, but then people start making decisions for us. So the more self-aware you can become, the more in line you can grow with your gigs, management, and all aspects of your career. 

Joey: What I think is interesting about the whole mindset game is that it can change your life once you’ve once you are in control. When I started my career, I started trusting other people and completely neglected my opinion, which caused me to end up in some sort of burnout. For example, mental health can be really important for your music releases. Many artists struggle with releasing their music due to insecurities or fear. If you can control your mind, your life can be much easier. I also think that having this control triggers your creativity. 

Benjamin: Absolutely, it’s about connecting to yourself and understanding what’s actually important. Do you get value in a booking or record deal? Be honest with yourself. You should be okay with the fact that you don’t release music for two months or three months or five months, because it’s a decision you’ve made. 

I’ve worked with a lot of the big labels, and in 2020, you have just an excellent opportunity of releasing a record as they do. If you have the right connections, if you have the right distribution network, you can publish a track yourself. I can control whenever I want to release it. There’s no deadline, and there’s no stress about having to put out a new record. 

Joey: It’s just crazy to see how many people in this industry don’t know these things. And it’s not like it’s that hard to know, right? Like, there’s a million books and podcasts written about it. You don’t have to go to a psychologist to understand these issues. 

Balance is key. Recently, I’ve mainly been focusing on balancing my life. For example, I like food, meat, I don’t smoke or do drugs, but I occasionally drink. But I know that working out is healthy, eating vegan is healthy, and drinking moderately is healthy. What I mean is that you can still enjoy life and take care of yourself at the same time. How do you think that translates to being an artist? 

Benjamin: It has to do with the balance of experience. You need to accept that you’re just like everyone else. Maybe you’re the king of the world during an hour-long DJ set, but when you’re done, you’re just like everyone else.  People have this massive crash because they believe that they’re someone they’re not. The numbers, the facts, and figures have proven that they’re successful, but success can be taken away quickly. And when things get taken away, artists struggle and change their identity. 

People start to think they should sound more like Hardwell or Don Diablo and change their sound just for a label. It might be a short term success. But when you take it to the long term, it can really redirect you from your own path. Your fans start to think, ‘Who is this guy?, are you a tech house, bass house, EDM producer? What are you?”

Joey: Knowing that you’ve been working on the mental side of things for the last couple of years, how would you advise someone who doesn’t know anything about what we’ve talked about?

Benjamin: Asking “why?” really helps. Like if you get that number one song, how does that make you feel? Why do you think that way? Why is it essential for me to act differently to become successful? There are lots of things that happen in our lives that we don’t pay attention to. 

Once you become self-aware, then you can think about how you can do things differently. When you challenge your brain, your brain increases, it grows, it’s like a muscle. The more you use it, the bigger it gets. This also helps with your productions.

I do a lot of work with Loopmasters, and in 2018, I was the number one selling producer on the platform. I made psytrance, trap, tropical house. jazzy hip hop. I did everything else other than what I usually do. And as a producer, that means my knowledge and creativity just expanded.

Many producers have a sample base and structure to make a track super quick, but the creativity is gone because it’s just a habit. You’ve evolved as a producer where you are at the level where you just can do it with your eyes closed, but there’s no goal anymore. There’s no challenge anymore. And that’s what I was missing as well. I stopped challenging myself in the studio eventually. And that’s boring.

People need to reignite the ‘fun’ in their productions. Think about what inspires you to make music. For many, it’s not the technical aspect, but it’s the creative part. For me, now I want to make Latin house, soul house, disco remixes. It still fits my style, but it’s something different, challenging, and fun. 

Joey: Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge and experience!

This interview has been paraphrased for consistency and clarity.

Let’s take a few steps back. Tell us a bit more about yourself and which company you currently work for. 

I’ve been working at Beatport for almost two years now at their Berlin office. I’ve had different roles at Beatport: I originally started in label management, then in marketing, and now I’m the partnerships manager. As the partnerships manager, I’m mainly dealing with outside relationships, working with brands, charity organizations, collectives focusing on diversity, and business development. Many of those partnerships encompass other departments, so I like having the freedom to work with the editorial team, the artist relations team, label management, and articles for Beatportal. 

How did you end up in the music industry, and eventually Beatport?

This is my 12th year in the industry now. Before Beatport, I lived in Los Angeles, where I worked for five years at WME, a talent agency, and focused on brand partnerships. This was also when electronic music was rising in the US around 2008-2009, and it was amazing to work in those teams and see that explode. We worked on Avicii’s Ralph Lauren deal and some other projects like Swedish House Mafia. After that, I got into artist management, but I missed being on the business side of things. I wanted to move away from LA and get creatively inspired again. I eventually moved to Berlin and got connected to Beatport. The rest is history!

Going back to your job at WME, why do big brands invest in artists?

Brands want to do something innovative and connect with their key audience in a more meaningful way. For example, 7UP knew that electronic music was booming, so they did a deal with Martin Garrix. They also knew that electronic music would be more attractive to their younger demographic, which consumes their drink. 

What could be the value for the artist – is it just money? 

For a lot of the artists, you get a massive paycheck for only a couple of days of production work. So you can make a good amount of money for two days of work, which would typically take five or six months. Sometimes brands pay for full tours, like Virgin Mobile and Lady Gaga. But also, it’s kind of cool if Nike or Red Bull wants to work with you. It means your fan base probably will grow, you’ll get a whole new audience; it’s also kind of flattering.

You mentioned living in LA, and later Berlin. One of the questions I get from artists is that they feel the need to move to places like LA or Berlin to get more involved in the industry. Is that valuable?

I think it’s smart to move somewhere where there’s a key scene from a business perspective. I’m not an artist, but I’ve worked with artists from different locations and would say it’s great to live in places like Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Los Angeles, New York, where it’s pumping in the veins of the city. In that way, you become part of a community, and  your network and ties become stronger. If you’re somewhere like Hawaii, you could definitely get your music heard, and I’m sure you can focus and stay productive, but then the networking side of things maybe get lost. If you’re producing, I think you can be anywhere in the world, but I think it’s also essential to live in a thriving place because you’re really plugged in. People end up building collectives, communities, labels – networking is a big part of your career. Human connections provide a lot more opportunities. 

What was the main thing you learned from your time at an artist agency and as a manager?

Artists are always overthinking their music, and they can be tough on themselves when the music is really good.

How did you deal with that?

I think it has to do with trust. A lot of artists overthink their music even though it’s already finished. As a manager, we can pitch the song to labels now, and the artist needs to trust us. 

It’s about having a relationship with the client and telling them that the music is good enough. 

What would you need as a manager to make an artist bigger?

I would say releases under your belt, and maybe a secret stash to show that there’s something to work with. The manager should know what you sound like and what you’re capable of. Having a pipeline of gigs or a booking agent also helps a manager because they have something to work with then.

You mentioned the importance of having releases under your belt. I often see that artists are ashamed of their previous releases, which leads them to delete their earlier tracks. I always tell them not to do that since it’s kind of like a resume. It tells something about where you came from and where you’re going. Do you agree?

Yeah, I think you should never be ashamed of where you came from. I think it’s fair to be proud of what you’ve made because it probably got you to where you are now. It helps you evolve as an artist. 

We met each other on the same panel in Munich about mental health. How do you think that mental health has affected the music industry in the last couple of years?

I think it’s amazing that people have talked more openly about the topic, and there’s less stigma. Unfortunately, people have had to pass away for this to happen, but there are some conversations you could have never had ten years ago, and now we can. Instead of a DJ being on the front of DJ Mag, the main topic is now about mental health. As a platform like Beatport, we must make this a global point to discuss. 

In addition to mental health, I think it’s also Beatport’s responsibility to educate people on other priorities like diversity and sustainability. With Beatportal, we can also highlight more of these topics; recently, we’ve been highlighting female and LGBTQ artists. It’s essential for us also to portray diversity and mental health in everything we do even on the store with things like feature charts, content, and editorials. 

Switching gears, how do you think that Beatport has been affected by the rise in streaming services? 

We recently introduced Beatport-Link, which is a subscription service and allows direct access to our entire catalog. For someone like me who’s wanting to learn how to DJ, it’s cool that I can get any track at my fingertips. We’ve also had some fantastic charity live streams recently with artists from around the world. Beatport is still thriving!

Thank you again for taking the time to tell us more about your work at Beatport and your experiences in the industry!

This interview has been paraphrased for consistency and clarity.

Joey: Let’s start from the beginning. How did it all begin for you?

Fabian: My mom and dad were jazz musicians, so I kind of had music in my blood. I didn’t start messing around with music until I was like 16 or 17. It just escalated from there. I started releasing music on Trap Nation and Elysian Records – basically, all the YouTube and SoundCloud labels because that was where trap music was back then. 

Joey: How did you get in contact with him? 

Fabian: I think I must have sent thousands of emails out to labels. I did the old spam thing. Eventually, it worked out. 

Joey: Do you put out much music, or are you specific with what you release?

Fabian: I used to be the quantity over quality guy. I was putting out more than one song every month for the first few years of my career. Now I’m way more nitpicky. I will probably release a song every few months now.

Joey: Yeah, it’s interesting because many producers will release a lot of music when they’re starting. Once the attention is there, they kind of start slowing down. Did you notice any difference when you started releasing your music on that bigger label?

Fabian: Of course, I did. It kickstarted my career. I didn’t earn much money doing it back then. The money was coming from DJ gigs. But basically, it helped spark my production career.

Joey: Did you notice any new gigs coming in after releasing on Trap Nation? 

Fabian: A little bit, but not that much. We don’t really have an EDM scene in Copenhagen. The only gigs that were coming in were a few shows in Germany and offers in Asia, Russia, and Eastern Europe, but it was very minimal. 

Joey: Is it better now? 

Fabian: Not really to be honest. It’s funny because my touring career never really took off. 30-40 shows a year was probably the most I’d ever played. My touring career never really went crazy. Right now, I’m good with not touring at all. I spend all the time in the studio, which I love, but eventually, I would like to start traveling. 

Joey: I think it’s good to think about it. I think most artists go into the touring mode directly without even thinking that they are probably a better music producer. It’s two different things, you know? 

Fabian: Exactly. I’m kind of okay with just being in the studio. 

Joey: I started digging online, and I think the way you market yourself on Instagram and Youtube is excellent. How do you manage to upload all those videos, and especially the vlogs? I know from experience that it takes a shitload of time. 

Fabian: To be honest, it was kind of a priority because I didn’t have a social life. I stayed in the studio, editing videos and making music for 10 to 12 hours every day except Sundays. In the future, I do want to do content regularly, but not that much. I admire people that can put out weekly content on YouTube. That takes a lot of work and much effort. I remember the vlogs would take me anywhere from 10 to 20 hours of work to edit. 

Joey: Where did you learn how to edit your videos? 

Fabian: YouTube University, man, haha. I learned everything on Youtube. Music production, video production, vocal recording… everything!

That’s my thing about music school. If you didn’t go to music school, and you would just produce for a year, I bet you would have learned more than just playing with your daw. Music theory is important. I mean, it can teach you a lot of things. It’s just a whole different way of working.

Joey: Let’s dive into the whole sample thing. How did you end up there? 

Fabian: I did sample packs for this Australian company called Zenheiser (not the headphone company). And then, when Splice launched, they heard the sample pack, and they approached me and asked if I wanted to do like a signature Fabian Mazur sounds sample pack. Bear in mind this was like the early days of Splice, so there weren’t many trap EDM sounding packs back then. A few months later, my manager told me they want me to start my own label on Splice. Two years later, I think I’ve done 18 or 19 sample packs by now. I would say it’s almost a full-time job just making samples.

Joey: How does that work? 

Fabian: There are multiple different ways of doing it. Sometimes I layer stuff until you can’t even notice the original sample. So I would layer say, seven snares – the low end from one, mid-range from another, and make new snare out of it. Some packs are different. I had the concept of doing a jungle sample pack, so I looked at the cheapest flights from Copenhagen to a big jungle. I went to Thailand and recorded all the local people, the forest, the birds, everything. 

Joey: On average, how much time would it take you to create a pack like that? 

Fabian: Usually, my sample packs take me about one to two months – and that’s like four to six hours a day.

Joey: Don’t you go crazy?

Fabian: I just did a sample pack called wubs, which is coming out in a couple of months. It’s basically only bass sound design. No drums, no nothing. I was going crazy, just like making serum presets and tweaking wobbles for many hours every day. That was pretty sickening. 

Joey: How do you get paid for that? Like, how does that work? 

Fabian: I can talk about it a little bit. I get a percentage fee of the samples used from Splice credits. Basically, I sell many thousand samples a month that amounts up to a certain amount of dollars, which I get paid out every month. 

Joey: I can imagine that that gives you a different way of income as well, aside from your gigs and your music.

Fabian: Very much. If it weren’t for the Splice thing, I wouldn’t be able to make a living making music. I’m super grateful that I have that. 

Joey: Yeah, I think that’s funny. So many starting artists don’t see how hard it is to make a living from music. From the outside, it might look perfect and easy, but from the inside, you have to make quite some money to actually make a living from it. 

Fabian: Many people write to me like, “Hey, dude, I’ve been making music for eight months in fruity loops. How do I make money from my music?” You’re not just going to be able to make a living off your music from day one. It’s a prolonged process. And I think many people don’t realize a lot of us have been struggling for like five to 10 years until we made an income that we could make a living from.

Joey: True. I still remember the first time I had this ten day tour in America, and I made like zero money. I think it’s a great thing that right now we’re in an age where it’s straightforward to make an extra buck on music; for example, the samples, streaming, or YouTube. It’s just something extra. 

Fabian: Exactly. And that’s one of the main points that I want to stress. When people ask me how to make a living within the music industry, you need to have different revenue incomes. You need to have money coming from different places. I have shows, royalties, Splice samples, and Youtube. I would encourage everyone to look at their career objectively and try to analyze where they can make money from. To be honest, not a lot of producers or music artists make all their income from like one specific stream.

Joey: What’s in it for Fabian Mazur in the future?

Fabian: So that’s a big question for me right now because I’m so I used to be in the trap/EDM space. Right now, I’m trying to bridge slowly into a more electronic urban type of space. I think that’s the space I want to be in eventually. But it’s a slow build. You can’t just release an EDM song one day, and then the next day you publish like a guitar vocal type song. I’m trying to go into a more organic sounding space and away from all the trap EDM stuff. 

Joey: Sounds cool! Thanks for taking the time to do this, man. I appreciate you sharing your story!