As we navigate the ever-evolving world of electronic music, we continue our exploration of its vibrant landscape. In a year marked by groundbreaking innovation, unwavering challenges, and the relentless pursuit of artistic expression, we have gathered candid insights from prominent DJs and producers shaping the industry’s trajectory.
Photo by Codioful (Formerly Gradienta) on Unsplash
From reflections on the profound impact of social media to intimate glimpses into the creative process, these 23 quotes, presented alphabetically, encapsulate the essence of their experiences.
“I mean, ultimately, as a community, we all just live and breathe the music and creativity. What else would we be doing? The art is maintaining the creative juices, avoiding burnout, and allowing the art to pay for you to stay in the art. It doesn’t matter how many projects you have as long as they are feeding you and you aren’t giving out more energy than you receive back from them. It is also important that you have those people in your life who remind you to step away from the projects and the lifestyle and be a husband, friend, or son at times, spending time in love, in meditation, looking after your health and your family are the other very important side of the coin that keeps the dance going.” – Anthony Middleton
“A lot of emphasis is now on social media, but I think a lot of that kind of popularity isn’t based on music. You really want to be rooted with real fans and release the best music if you want to be around for a long time.” – Claude VonStroke
“I personally cannot stand Instagram DJ videos or stories. Everything looks the same and is repetitive. I personally have been thinking of doing things differently. I can tell people are tired of seeing every pre-event story on my Instagram, so I might limit it myself and keep it more exciting. Instagram has changed our lives in so many ways, and for the most part, it’s horrible.” – DAVI
“When the crowd is in front of you, they’re immersed, and you’re feeding off them. My best nights have always been about the connection – and it doesn’t always have to be a small crowd. Argentina is one place where you can still have that intimate connection at a larger event.” – Danny Howells
“The most important thing is to stay connected to your heart and feelings. You know best which music is unique, and you also know when not to release it. I felt like closing the label for a few months. Some people thought it was crazy, but I needed to listen to my heart. When making decisions, it’s important to trust yourself.” – Guy J
“Listen to a wide variety of music, read, write, listen and listen deeply, and absorb everything you’re drawn to. Think about why you are drawn to those things and incorporate that in your work because that is you. Learn your tools, experiment, and make mistakes. Don’t feel the need to make one masterpiece before releasing it, nor should you release everything that comes out of your speakers. Keep making music, finish ideas, and don’t fall into the trap of making 500 16-bar loops. Finish the ideas, learn from them, and move on. Surround yourself with artistic peers you trust and admire; trust is important, and be honest with each other about your work, but at the same time, don’t make your music to appease them.” – Jamie Stevens
“This is my life, it’s my discipline, making music is my life’s work. Djing is how I express what I think a rave should sound like in my way. I have kinda struggled with normal neurotypical communication, so making music is how I talk to people. I love this music, and it excites me as much as it did 30 years ago.” – Jay Tripwire
“Follow your heart. It’s a very competitive market now. Do what you feel, and believe in your passion, regardless of the temptation of money or likes (social media), as money and social media have blinded us to see one thing…” – Josh Wink
“I’ve been trying to push myself away from the habits that I get into as a producer. I find myself going back to a lot of sound sources and techniques that I feel comfortable with… but I think it’s so important to evolve as an artist.” – Justin Marchacos
“I truly believe that the most important part of a back-to-back DJ set is to have fun. I’m always inspired and amazed by the tracks Dubfire picks, so it doesn’t get much better. It feels so good to experience the same rush as the audience on stage.” – Kölsch
“The only tech I’d say needs limiting are our phones on the dance floor! But something like that needs to get there organically. People are welded to their phones; obviously, social media and posting content is key to everyone’s experiences. I or any other artists telling them they shouldn’t do it isn’t going to go well. It’s the norm, but perhaps over time, the “disconnected from the now” experience might start to dissipate, and more people might return to being present” – Lee Burridge
“I wish the hunt for good videos from our shows and this permanent pressure to get nice pictures for social media weren’t a thing; it’s quite annoying but lately part of the deal. I’m not a model; I’m a musician, and I wish the audience were more present and not after capturing good moments for their stories.” – Mira
“Balancing dark and light frequencies in my productions is like creating a painting with contrasting colors. The ‘dark’ frequencies offer depth and intensity, reflecting perhaps the more profound, introspective aspects of my Iranian heritage and personal experiences. In contrast, the ‘light’ frequencies bring a sense of upliftment and brightness, resonating with the more joyful and vibrant aspects of my cultural background and musical tastes. This balance is a dance of contrasts, where each element complements the other, creating a dynamic and emotionally resonant soundscape.” – Niki Sadeki
“It’s of paramount importance not to overthink when you make music and just be a host that lets music find its way into existence.” – Peter Kruder
“The most recent and prominent change now is stats, numbers, and tailoring everything to the algorithm… music is becoming less and less important, and that makes me so sad.” – Raxon
“The process is still the same. I start jamming and experimenting, looking for melodies, chords, and cool textures, and I eventually build things up, adding layers with synths and effects until the ensemble is stable enough. I envision my music in terms of architecture, colors, and shapes.” – Rodriguez Jr.
“I see studio collaborations as an extension of my solo tracks/career. I hope every track I make with another artist has some big pieces or colors of me that you can recognize. I love collaborating because it brings new sounds, places, and ideas into the studio that I would not have otherwise!” – Saqib
“The excessive need for people to have ‘moments’ on Instagram has throttled creativity in DJ sets and productions I see and hear. If people weren’t always thinking about and looking for good Instagram content, then I feel the scene would have more creativity once again, and people would have a better experience when they’re out.” – Steve Lawler
“I’ve felt and experienced a shift from the industry changes, new standards, and expectations through social media. I had mixed emotions at first. I struggled to accept that it’s now a requirement to focus the most energy on strategizing how to market myself, stay relevant, and be in the spotlight rather than putting my music obligations first. It’s all about timing, and I was fortunate enough to get this far based on music and community.” – Tara Brooks
“While social media is undeniably a useful tool, it is also a massive distraction and should be handled with care.” – Stelios Vassiloudis
“I’m excited to see what will happen in this field and how AI will assist musicians in the long run. We’re starting to see an explosion of AI-assisted tools for music production, which have honestly made my life so much easier.” – Tim Engelhardt
“I have been a huge Formula One fan all my life. I grew up watching it with my father since I was one year old. I haven’t talked about it much over the years, as I found many people weren’t too passionate about it. Soccer has always been most people’s favorite sport. But it’s becoming more and more popular now, so it has been refreshing traveling the world and finding more and more people who are passionate about it.” – Tim Green
“Our tunes are so eclectic and quirky that we feel AI would have an impossible time replicating that feel. We aren’t against AI, though; if it helps us be creative, we are the first to use it. We have a dream of one day asking fans to generate AI versions of our music, and the best ones; we play live.” – Tijuana Cartel
