PSYCH DROP: The Psychology of Success in Electronic Dance Music

What started as a group of friends throwing house music parties has grown into a community helping reshape the electronic music scene across Westchester and Connecticut.   In this episode of Psych Drop, Dr. Sunni sits down with Goldie and Mike of Local Support to talk about the journey fromthrowing parties in a small speakeasy to helping launch The Annex Project in Stamford, Connecticut.   They sh...

Touring life looks glamorous from the outside, but burnout, self-doubt, and mental health struggles are the real story behind the music industry's biggest stages. DJ and Beatport Dance Curator Mandiz joins performance psychologist Dr. Sunni live from Music Week Montreal for an honest conversation about psychology, pressure, and what it actually takes to survive this business. Mandiz opens up a...

Camille Hamel co-runs Purple Tea Records, one of dance music’s most respected tech house and electronic music labels. But his journey started behind the decks as a DJ and producer, giving him a firsthand understanding of the music industry from the artist’s perspective. Now, he’s pulling back the curtain on what it actually takes to survive in the music industry and build a record label that lasts...

She stepped away from music for the better part of a decade. Then one night, something told her she wasn't done. This episode of Psych Drop dives into the music industry advice and mental health lessons Bexxie picked up on her way back to the decks, and why she now credits consistency, not talent, for everything that's happened since. Dr. Sunni sits down with house music DJ and producer Be...

What does it really take to survive the music industry when it's not about talent? Grammy-winning, multi-platinum producer Dom Did It (Domenico Randazzo) joins Dr. Sunni to unpack the mental game behind a lasting career. In this episode he opens up about the psychology most artists never talk about: why the era of the specialist is over, why success can feel scarier than failure, and how the self-...

Telykast spent ten years building a career in the music industry before Tomorrowland ever became a real possibility, and most of that time was spent hearing no. In this episode of Psych Drop, Dr. Sunni sits down with Trevor and Kyle to talk about what actually got them there. They open up about using rejection as fuel instead of letting it stop them, why their sports background shaped how they han...

The music industry looks glamorous from the outside, but most of the real work happens behind the curtain. Music executive Giancarlo Cordasco sits down with Dr. Sunni to talk about artist development, music promotion, and what actually builds a lasting career in dance and electronic music. Giancarlo has spent over a decade across major and independent labels, including leading US operations at Arm...

Music production looked effortless from the outside, but Amel's story proves mindset matters more than raw talent. In this Psych Drop episode, he opens up about performance anxiety, sobriety, and the slow climb to working with Afrojack. Amel grew up surrounded by music and started on violin as a kid, yet a career in it was never the plan. Everything shifted when he fell for the sound of Alan Walke...

What actually builds a sustainable music career? In this episode of Psych Drop, music industry veteran Chris Maltese breaks down the psychology behind lasting success in the music business and what most developing artists get wrong. Host Dr. Sunni sits down with Chris, who has spent over 25 years across every side of the industry, from MTV to artist management to running labels and distribution. T...

Music industry veteran George Hess gets real about sobriety, mental health, and addiction in electronic dance music, and why self-awareness is the thing that actually keeps a career alive. Hess has spent nearly 37 years in dance music, from running a record shop and a DJ pool in Connecticut to leadership roles at Arista and Strictly Rhythm, and today guiding artists like Armin van Buuren, Loud Lux...

Two music producers, one dorm room, a Billboard No.1, and a music career that has lasted over a decade. The Disco Fries sit down with Psych Drop to unpack what a real music industry career takes. Host Dr. Sunni, a performance psychologist and executive coach, goes behind the booth with one of dance music's most respected production duos. The Disco Fries have earned Billboard chart success and...

Techno DJ Conrad Taylor went from one of the country's youngest elected officials to a rising techno artist. On Psych Drop he opens up about reinvention, performing sober, and building a DJ career. Host Dr. Sunni, a performance psychologist and executive coach, sits down with Conrad Taylor for an honest conversation about reinvention and the inner life of an artist. Conrad shares how he walked...

What does it really take to survive the music industry? Performance psychologist Dr. Sunni sits down with Billboard charting music producer GT_Ofice to unpack the psychology and music business behind real success in electronic dance music. In this first episode of PSYCH DROP, GT_Ofice opens up about going from a fan in the crowd to a charting artist with millions of streams, an international radio...

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