Artist Coaching Podcast

• Music First, Content Second? ft. Bassjackers’ Ralph

  Is music still the foundation of your artist career, or has content taken over?In this episode, Ralph from Bassjackers and I talk about the tension every DJ and producer feels today: creating music vs creating content.From viral ideas to vlogs, unreleased tracks, DJ support and dealing with stage anxiety, this episode is a real look at what actually moves your career forward in 2026.Chapters:(00:00) Intro(09:09) Virality vs real fans(13:02) DJ support as real reach(16:33) Making your “weird” bigger(23:48) Authentic brand pillars(25:55) Finding your content pillars(29:38) Community Q&A (30:06) Tools for visuals(31:51) Dimitri Vegas & audience(35:07) Remixes & evolving sound(41:00) Stage anxiety(45:17) Vlogs: worth it?(47:22) Posting unreleased tracks(48:30) Do big DJs play other artists’ music?(49:59) Sending promos(51:35) Knowing your lane(55:48) Favourite tracks

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• Why Most Artists QUIT (with Bassjackers, Jay Hardway & JoeySuki)

  Most artists quit at the exact moment things are finally about to take off.In this episode, I sit down with Ralph (Bassjackers) and Jobke (Jay Hardway) to talk about momentum, rejection, slow growth, and why consistency always wins in the long run.We dive into how long it actually takes to build a real artist career, the pressure that comes with success, and why the “boring” phase is where most people give up. We also talk about label rejections (including the story of Mush Mush), AI-faked DJ support, starting from scratch today, and why discipline beats motivation.If you’re a producer or DJ who feels stuck or impatient, this episode might be exactly what you need.Why artists quit right before things accelerateSuccess, pressure and protecting your timeWeekly consistency and the growth of the podcast“Not for us,” rejection and the Mush Mush storyAI fake DJ support and promo scamsStarting from scratch: demos, self-releases, contentTools like LabelRadar & DoomDoomTechOne genre vs blendingBig room in 2026Techno running, sleep and creativityBuilding things with your hands(00:00) Intro (04:26) When success starts feeling heavy(08:13) Time, presence and switching off(11:18) How consistency grew the podcast(13:48) First spike and why most quit(14:50) The valley of despair(18:08) Clip of the week(20:00) AI fake DJ support & scams(27:19) AI-faked videos(28:32) Community Q&A(29:02) Mush Mush & “not for us”(32:10) Starting from scratch(36:48) Tools for filtering tracks(39:21) One genre vs blending(43:24) Big room in 2026?(44:26) Will Joey make music again?(45:16) IRL episodes(47:19) Windows vs Mac(56:38) Outro

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• Why it takes YEARS to make money

  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 monthsMindset vs talentThe unsexy reality of studio workMartin Garrix naming storyTrend-chasing vs consistencyHype vs long-term respectRoyalty expectationsGoals for 2026Black Friday plugin picksChapters:(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 picksJoin the community / coaching / socials:https://linktr.ee/artistcoachingnl

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• KURA: Rebranding My Sound Was Brutal

  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 PortugalLearning to mix and produce before YouTube existedHow mashups and exclusives opened doors to bigger gigsDiscovering the Dutch EDM waveFeeling stuck in the “big room box”Starting Darkroom in an abandoned warehouseThe messy reality of rebranding your soundThe Portuguese club scene and why DJs get stuck playing commercial musicHosting your own parties to push your soundWhy content is the core of a successful rebrandUsing AI (Suno + ChatGPT) for ideas and inspirationGenre-hopping vs choosing a clear laneWhether 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?🧑🏼‍🤝‍🧑🏼 Join the Artist Coaching Community:https://linktr.ee/artistcoachingnl🙋🏼‍♂️ Get coached by us: https://linktr.ee/artistcoachingnl❤️ Follow us on:https://youtube.com/@artistcoachingnl?sub_confirmation=1https://www.tiktok.com/@artistcoachinghttps://www.instagram.com/artistcoachingnl

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• Why Every Artist Needs Delusional Self-Belief

  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🧑🏼‍🤝‍🧑🏼 Join the Artist Coaching Community:https://linktr.ee/artistcoachingnl🙋🏼‍♂️ Get coached by us: https://linktr.ee/artistcoachingnl❤️ Follow us on:https://youtube.com/@artistcoachingnl?sub_confirmation=1https://www.tiktok.com/@artistcoachinghttps://www.instagram.com/artistcoachingnl

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