Most producers underestimate how long it actually takes to make money from music. In this episode, I sit down with Ralph (Bassjackers) and Jobke to talk honestly about timelines, consistency, and what it really costs to build a sustainable career as a DJ/producer.

We dive into why it took Bassjackers five years to break through with Mush Mush, how Jobke spent eight years grinding before getting momentum, and why so many artists quit right before things start compounding. We also touch on multi-genre vs signature sound, the DJ Levi debate, “real DJ” conversations, and how to build a long-term career in 2026.

What we cover:

• Why your career takes years, not months

• Mindset vs talent

• The unsexy reality of studio work

• Martin Garrix naming story

• Trend-chasing vs consistency

• Hype vs long-term respect

• Royalty expectations

• Goals for 2026

• Black Friday plugin picks

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(07:20) Why it takes YEARS to make money

(09:10) Talent vs mindset

(10:20) Reality of studio work

(11:50) Track titles & Martin Garrix story

(13:20) Romanticising the artist life

(17:20) Bassjackers & “Mush Mush”

(19:00) Jobke’s 8-year journey

(22:40) Gigs as a side effect

(24:20) Royalties aren’t a pension

(26:00) Consistency vs trends

(28:10) Two styles vs many

(33:20) DJ Levi & “real DJ” talk

(36:20) Short-term hype vs long-term career

(45:50) 2026 goals

(51:20) Black Friday plugin picks

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Rebranding as an artist isn’t a quick fix; it’s a long, uncomfortable process. In this episode, Portuguese DJ/producer KURA opens up about shifting from his EDM past into a darker techno/tech-house identity, building his own Darkroom concept, and what it takes to escape the box the industry keeps you in.

We go all the way back to his resident DJ days in Portugal, before YouTube tutorials, before the EDM boom, and follow the journey from mashups and club edits, to big-room stages, to now rebuilding the foundations of his artist brand from scratch.

KURA shares how the pandemic frustration became fuel for a new chapter, why many DJs get stuck playing commercial sets, how Darkroom started in an abandoned warehouse, and why content (even if you hate it) is the most important tool in a modern rebrand.

We also dive into how he uses AI tools like Suno and ChatGPT for inspiration in his workflow.

If you’re an electronic music producer or DJ trying to shift your sound or identity, this one will hit home.

• His early days as a resident DJ in Portugal

• Learning to mix and produce before YouTube existed

• How mashups and exclusives opened doors to bigger gigs

• Discovering the Dutch EDM wave

• Feeling stuck in the “big room box”

• Starting Darkroom in an abandoned warehouse

• The messy reality of rebranding your sound

• The Portuguese club scene and why DJs get stuck playing commercial music

• Hosting your own parties to push your sound

• Why content is the core of a successful rebrand

• Using AI (Suno + ChatGPT) for ideas and inspiration

• Genre-hopping vs choosing a clear lane

• Whether trance and melodic styles are making a comeback

(00:00) Intro

(01:25) “I was just a regular resident DJ” in Portugal

(05:26) Graveyard shifts and learning FL Studio & Logic

(13:36) Moving away from big room – “It feels like KURA 2.0”

(15:40) The struggles of rebranding and escaping the EDM box

(23:52) Getting angry after the pandemic and creating Darkroom

(25:35) Darkroom events in abandoned warehouses & the future label

(31:18) The Portuguese club scene and why DJs get stuck playing commercial

(33:43) Hosting your own parties + why content matters more than ever

(38:19) How KURA uses AI (Suno + ChatGPT) for inspiration

(44:06) Community questions: one genre vs many

(51:36) What fans expect from your set + side projects

(54:14) Will trance and melodic styles return?

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When you’re starting out, self-belief looks like delusion.

Every artist goes through that stage, when no one believes in you yet, and you have to back yourself anyway. In this episode, Ralph and I talk about why that mindset isn’t arrogance; it’s survival.

We unpack what delusional self-belief really means, how it helps you push through rejection, and where the line is between confidence and ego. Ralph shares his own story from early wins like “Beat Cut” and “Mush Mush” to working with Martin Garrix during the “Cracking” era, and how staying a little bit delusional kept him moving when things got tough.

We also touch on:

• How to keep believing when results don’t show yet

• The pressure that comes after your first success

• What Showtek taught him about simplicity and momentum

• Afrojack’s take on copying vs. authenticity

• Community Q&A: finishing tracks, self-promotion, contracts & exposure

🎧 Listen if you’re in that early phase where doubt is loud. This episode will remind you why you started, and why belief comes before proof.

(00:00) Intro

(06:10) Brutal honesty and clarity

(10:59) The value of delusional self-belief

(13:38) After the breakthrough

(17:29) “Mush Mush” moment

(21:23) Pressure & the dip

(23:18) Collabs & the Martin Garrix era

(28:03) Afrojack on copying

(32:15) Q&A: finishing projects

(34:47) Q&A: promo without cringe

(38:29) Q&A: studios

(41:25) Q&A: release rhythm

(46:40) Q&A: contracts

(51:01) Roast: LEGND’s Instagram

(57:56) Wrap-up & next guest

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He almost quit music. Then Martin Garrix supported his track, and everything changed.

In this episode, I talk with Marc “Arcando” Bandecchi, who opens up about the moment he almost gave up in 2023… and how staying consistent and authentic brought his career back to life.

We break down how his “Jungle” remix took off, what led to his collab “Set Me Free” with Martin Garrix, and the mindset shift that helped him fall back in love with producing again.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, lost motivation, or questioned whether it’s all worth it, this one’s for you.

🎧 Watch next: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMGoMHFJcnfhK68eb7wzQhJueBw-k3pL5

🔥 Join the Artist Coaching Community: https://linktr.ee/artistcoachingnl

⸻

💬 What we talk about:

• Almost quitting music in 2023

• Staying consistent when motivation disappears

• How authenticity builds trust & momentum

• The story behind “Set Me Free” with Martin Garrix

• Finding your sound again through simplicity

• Advice for producers feeling lost

⸻

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:43 Martin Garrix support & how the collab started

05:16 Almost quitting in 2023

07:01 Losing motivation and clarity

09:54 Staying consistent without big results

12:57 How the “Jungle” remix changed everything

14:14 Finding confidence again through authenticity

15:29 How “Set Me Free” came together

21:10 Writing songs that feel right instead of forced

24:19 Learning to enjoy the process again

27:47 Staying true to your sound in drum & bass

31:04 Overcoming doubt and staying consistent

35:40 Advice for producers who feel stuck

38:22 What’s next for Arcando

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This week, we recapped ADE, riffed on why the scene feels more alive than ever, and decided to add a weekly roast to the show, one community member gets live-roasted (with love) right here via a Discord raffle. We also pulled a “clip of the week” about aiming small vs. big, and landed on this: keep a big vision (your “Tomorrowland”), but celebrate the tiny wins so your motivation survives the long game. From there we hit community questions: how to handle A&R feedback without killing your core idea, what to do when opening your DAW makes you anxious, how we structure studio days, the simple way to handle remix rights, best practices for following up with booking agents post-ADE, and how to keep momentum without dropping your own output. We wrapped with a left-brain/right-brain chat (creativity vs. engineering). Next week: Arcando joins us.

(00:00) Intro

(03:29) Why the ADE roast worked (and our plan for weekly roasts) 

(05:05) ADE felt “more alive”: late pop-ups, awards, global crowd 

(10:55) Multiple genres rising at once (not just one wave) 

(14:14) Clip of the Week: Aim big and celebrate tiny wins 

(21:14) Community Qs start + Discord invite & roast raffle info 

(22:31) Should I tailor my sound to labels or DJs? (A&R reality check) 

(27:31) Triplet drop feedback—when to keep it, when to revert 4-to-the-floor 

(32:00) DAW anxiety: lower the bar, timebox, just start creating 

(41:01) Remix request: fees, rights, and a simple one-pager 

(43:03) Booking agents post-ADE: vision, fit, and rookie mistakes to avoid 

(46:19) Too many new contacts? Prioritise and keep your own output moving 

(47:52) What a studio day looks like (multiple tracks, phases, structure) 

(55:05) Left vs. right brain in production (split creative/engineering blocks) 

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I hosted a live roast at ADE where we reviewed artist pages and gave straight-up, practical fixes. We talked language (German content with English subtitles), why text-heavy posters kill your grid, using Stories vs. timeline for promoter flyers, and the power of a weekly live stream to create consistency.

We hammered on clarity: make it obvious what you do, who you are, and why anyone should care, fast. We covered captions that hook (“Would Jay Hardway play this?”), Spotify searchability, thumbnails that show the story, and when lower video quality actually helps authenticity.

Biggest theme: tell the story people can understand, then niche down for the nerds. Short-form snippets, pinned explainers, and platform-specific tactics win.

(00:00) Intro & why we’re roasting creators at ADE. 

(02:36) Sahara: language choice, posters, and a cleaner grid. 

(06:44) Consistency: start a weekly live stream (TikTok/IG). 

(09:02) Gasdrop: excitement, authenticity, and smarter captions. 

(16:49) Add carousels: storytelling that actually performs. 

(18:50) John & Mr. Smith: running + live melodic techno… tell the story! 

(23:10) Make it simple: cut livestreams into step-by-step shorts. 

(25:14) Show the setup: get filmed, add a pinned explainer. 

(28:02) Release the music you’re generating live. 

(29:31) Maski & Banga: less label spam, more you on camera. 

(34:50) 4YU: dry humor works—tighten formats and edits. 

(37:49) LILS: thumbnails, topics up front, show you can DJ. 

(43:52) Voiceovers & templates: add context, build a visual system. 

(46:01) Platform strategy: different hooks per channel. 

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During our own ADE Munch & Mingle event, I sat down with Jay Hardway for a talk on what actually matters in today’s dance music scene. The conversation kept coming back to authenticity and consistency, two things most artists underestimate. Jay opened up about reinventing his sound with his new Melodic Rave EP, why he stopped chasing Spotify numbers, and how content can be fun again once it’s just honest self-expression.

We talked about the rise of genre-blending (techno, trance, DnB), how social bubbles distort what feels “big,” and the difference between viral stats and real gigs. Jay also touched on setting boundaries, embracing your “weird,” and storytelling over polish.

(00:00) Intro & why your content has to be authentic 

(02:40) The scene right now: splits, blends, and social bubbles 

(05:07) Jay’s Melodic Rave EP: reinventing sound without chasing numbers 

(07:32) DJ growth, TikTok sets, and getting local gigs through content 

(09:57) Consistency in sound & being the same online and offline 

(12:22) Use your “weird” strengths and exaggerate what’s uniquely you 

(14:28) Boundaries: how authentic is “too authentic”? 

(16:23) Story > polish: experiment and stop fearing the algorithm 

(17:59) Hooks vs copying trends; empty metrics vs real community & gigs 

(20:18) Quality stands out in a crowded market (and cringe is relative) 

(21:20) Unfair breaks happen—focus on your lane and trust the process 

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It’s ADE week, the craziest time of the year for DJs and producers, and also the launch of my new book Happy in a Boring Life.

In this episode, Jay joins me straight from Amsterdam to talk about his new sound and rebrand: Melodic Rave. We dive into what it means to start a new chapter in your career, why trusting your gut is everything, and how to stay consistent when no one’s watching.

(00:00) Intro - ADE week & book launch

(09:41) The “Melodic Rave” story

(13:14) Finding confidence in your sound

(17:13) Doing everything yourself as an artist

(20:00) The importance of creative partners

(24:11) Dealing with insecurity and creative shifts

(27:04) Clip of the week – Axwell on finishing tracks

(30:25) The power of finishing what you start

(31:41) Community Q&A

(33:50) Maximizing small festival bookings

(35:33) Drugs, alcohol & artist health

(38:12) Copyright & uploading live sets

(39:18) Sending music to big DJs

(42:18) Age & career timing as an artist

(44:28) Ghost production stigma

(45:25) ADE networking & events

(49:42) Self-releasing vs labels

(51:11) Building consistency & deadlines

(52:29) Accountability & building in public

(54:02) Joey’s 50KM running challenge

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Happy in a Boring Life is the follow-up to Unhappy with a Dream Life.

In it, former international DJ JoeySuki shares how chasing success at full speed left him burned out—and how slowing down, creating rhythm, and embracing the “boring” parts of life became the fastest way to grow.

Through raw stories and practical tools, Joey shows how peace, discipline, and presence can replace chaos without killing ambition.

This audiobook is an invitation to design a life you don’t need to escape from—whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, or simply tired of the endless chase.

Chapters:

(00:00) Foreword

(03:03) The Dream That Broke Me

(13:17) Choosing Boring

(26:45) Activating Autopilot

(33:16) Designing My Days

(36:45) Discipline By Design

(39:10) The Levers That Keep Me Showing Up

(43:00) The Work Behind The Work

(45:15) Peace Over Pressure

(56:57) Independence Redefined

(01:08:47) The Boring Life = The Dream Life

(01:18:23) Acknowledgements

(01:19:35) Stuff That Helped Me

(01:21:41) A Letter To The Reader

(01:23:30) Keep Going

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In this episode of the Artist Coaching Podcast, WE discuss various aspects of the music industry, including the upcoming ADE event and effective promotion strategies. We emphasize the importance of community engagement, networking, and the evolving landscape of music promotion. The conversation also touches on the challenges of music production during tough times and offers insights into restarting a music career.

00:00 - Introduction and Setting the Scene

02:49 - Community Engagement and Upcoming Events

05:53 - Personal Updates and Music Announcements

08:46 - Music Promotion Strategies

11:51 - The Evolution of Music Promotion

14:41 - The Role of DJs in Music Discovery

17:49 - The Shift in DJ Culture

20:40 - The Importance of Networking and Community

23:50 - The Art of Crate Digging and Unique Music Discovery

30:35 - The Digital Scarcity in Music

32:36 - The Art of DJing and Networking

34:01 - Mental Health and Music Creation

39:31 - Rebuilding a Career in Music

41:50 - Navigating ADE: Tips and Tricks

47:36 - Mixdown Techniques and Production Tips

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