Artist Coaching Podcast

Ralph from Bassjackers is back, and we get into something the DJ world doesn't talk about enough: brand deals. Not just for the huge names either. If your audience is small but genuinely engaged, that can already be worth something to a brand. From there, we break down the Tomorrowland lineup and the honest answer to how you actually get booked, plus a bit on Calvin Harris and why the music yo...

DJs are actually paying to play shows now, and we talk about why that's a problem for the whole industry. We also get into festivals canceling due to extreme heat, one major festival asking fans for donations to survive, and how artists are building extra income through merch and sample packs. It all comes back to one question: what are you actually worth, and who should be paying for it. Hone...

Every number online can be bought now, streams, views, followers, even comments. So what can you still trust? We get into the one signal that doesn't lie: a real room reacting to a real DJ. It starts with a Sonar weekend where a friend didn't even notice three DJs change, until one of them shifted the whole room. From there we get into the James Blake post about a faked industry, AI traini...

SoundCloud just cut its connection to Hypeddit, and the follow-for-download trick a lot of producers leaned on is gone. We get into what happened, why nobody's sure of the real reason, and the bigger lesson underneath it: if one platform can break your growth overnight, you never really owned your audience. Then we get into the genre problem in electronic music, why there are now so many genre...

This week, it's a full community Q&A with Ralph from Bassjackers. We get into why going viral didn't convert to streams or listeners, how to think about social media when you don't have shows, and what to post when you're building from scratch. Ralph also talks about the mental weight of following up Mush Mush, whether he could rebuild his career from zero with only his skills,...

Joey and Jay Hardway talk about the gap between online success and real career traction. Why does so much music and content feel the same right now? They break down the Purple Cow theory and what it actually means to stand out as a DJ or producer in 2025. Plus: content fatigue, why studio videos don't bring bookings, Jay's process for releasing music, and why the biggest skill might be kno...

Tiesto is going back to trance, and it might be the realest creative decision he's made in years. Joey and Jobke break down what that move says about authenticity and creative longevity, then get into Dom Dolla's content strategy, the Spotify and Universal AI deal and what it actually means for your music rights, and your questions from the Discord. Including how to find vocalists, whether...

Are labels still relevant in 2026? Joey, Ralph (Bassjackers), and Jobke (Jay Hardway) dig into the real power shift happening in the music industry and what it means for working DJs and producers. They break down why traditional A&R is basically a spreadsheet job now, when a label still makes strategic sense, and why cool-by-association is still a real thing. Plus: does releasing music every s...

Fresh off the Artist Coaching Retreat, Joey, Jobke, and Ralph break down what actually stuck. The conversation covers why having a career vision matters more than most artists realize, what an A&R session revealed about the gap between good production and a real career, and how far ahead of the curve is too far. Plus: how to warm up for a headliner without burning the crowd out, what to do whe...

Every artist knows they need to release music. So why does the track keep sitting in the folder? This week, Joey and Ralph get into the real reasons behind procrastination and perfectionism and why the insecurity around releasing never actually goes away, even after 20 years in the industry. Plus a Diplo clip on the future of nightclub culture, and community questions on getting your first gig, ap...

Does it matter who actually made the music? In this episode, Joey, Ralph, and Jay get into the ghost production debate, the gap between what DJ sets look like online versus in the room, and how social media has replaced Spotify as the place where music actually gets discovered. Plus: tips on promoting a release for brand awareness, making the most of DJ support, and a retreat announcement with two...

Most producers think getting ignored is a taste problem. It is not. There is a production quality threshold your music has to clear before a DJ even decides if they like it. In this episode, Ralph, Jobke, and Joey get honest about what actually happens when your demo lands in someone's inbox, why paid promo services can never guarantee support, and what it really takes to get bigger artists op...

Jay Hardway paid for Google ads, crossed 100,000 views on his live set, and watched everything stop the moment the budget ran out. Was it worth it? What does it actually take to turn views into a fanbase that actually follows you? Joey, Bassjackers, and Jay Hardway talk through it honestly. Jay explains what he thinks the ad investment was actually for. Joey breaks down why getting someone to watc...

Most artists sending demos to DJs already know on some level the track is not ready. This episode is about what happens when you ignore that. Joey, Ralph, and Jobke answer your questions about networking, getting your music heard, and what actually moves the needle in a music production career. They get into why music quality is still the baseline before networking works, how to build an honest fe...

Sarah Landry and Amélie Lens played 11 tracks from the same unknown producer in a single Ultra set. He wasn't there. He wasn't booked. His music was everywhere, and nobody in the crowd knew his name. That moment kicked off one of the most honest conversations we've had on this podcast. Joey, Ralph, and Jobke break down why streaming disconnected music discovery from artist identity, wh...

Does visibility beat talent? In this episode, we get into one of the biggest tensions in modern music careers. We talk about why visibility, consistency, and output matter if you want to make a living from music, but also why authenticity still has to stay at the center. A real conversation about deadlines, community, radio, content, quantity vs quality, and building a DJ or music producer career...

Most artists think getting signed starts with sending demos. In this episode, Jay Hardway explains why labels usually come later, and why DJ support, strong music, and real-world proof matter more than just chasing inboxes. We also get into free downloads, Spotify strategy, pitching tracks, genre choices, and what beginner DJs should focus on. Timestamps (00:00) Intro (01:00) Artist Coaching retre...

For DJs and music producers building a career today, one question keeps coming up. Do you still need record labels to succeed? In this episode of the Artist Coaching Podcast, we talk about how independent releases, SoundCloud, and social media have changed the way artists build a DJ career. For years, record labels were the gatekeepers of the music industry. If you wanted to reach a global audienc...

You spend weeks finishing a track. You finally release it… and then nothing happens. In this episode we talk about one of the most frustrating realities of being a DJ or music producer: the moment after releasing music when the algorithm seems to completely ignore your track. We discuss why most releases don’t immediately take off, why the algorithm isn’t something you can control, and why buildin...

Is music still the most important thing in a DJ career? In this episode, we end up in a conversation that feels uncomfortable but necessary. We talk about discipline vs motivation in the studio. About finishing tracks even when nobody is waiting for them. About releasing music without external validation. And then we go deeper. If festivals use your music in promos but don’t book you… what does th...

You don’t need another tutorial. You need to release music. A lot of DJs and producers feel busy. Watching studio breakdowns. Buying plugins. Saving ideas. But nothing is getting shipped. In this episode, we talk about: – The education trap that keeps producers stuck – Why motivation won’t build your DJ career – Discipline vs inspiration – Finishing music consistently – Age pressure in the music i...

Most producers think talent is the key. But if that was true, the most talented person in every room would win. In this episode, we talk about why discipline, consistency, and vision build sustainable DJ careers. We break down talent myths, social media numbers, bookings, and why showing up weekly matters more than perfection. For serious DJs and music producers who want longevity. Timestamps: (00...

At some point in your DJ or producer career, doing more stops working. Real growth starts when you learn what to say no to. In this episode of the Artist Coaching Podcast, we talk about the shift every artist runs into sooner or later. When saying yes to everything no longer helps your career, your creativity, or your life. We discuss touring versus studio time, finishing music, creative disciplin...

Joey, Ralph, and Jobke discuss the 'Golden Combo' of music production and marketing in this episode of Artist Coaching. Learn why legendary DJ Benny Rodrigues still handles his own management and how to navigate early-career label contracts (00:00) Welcome back & Jobke’s China tour (07:04) Substance vs. Packaging: Why our last episode went viral (10:53) Benny Rodrigues: The case for to...

Most artists wait their whole lives for a DM from a legend. Jobke got one, and then he stopped replying. Ralph is back from his break, and we are diving straight into the reality of "making it" in the music industry. We discuss the mental traps of success, from accidentally ghosting Tiësto to selling your first number one hit for a tiny fee. We also break down the Ekboj challenge of 52 r...