These days, it seems as though everyone is trying to breakthrough into the electronic music industry. EDM has become one of the fastest growing genres in the world, with only more room for growth. However, this also means more room for competition with old stars dimming and new stars shining their way to the top. To put it into perspective just how many up and coming DJs there are, Soundcloud receives over 12 hours of uploaded content per minute. With so much music being released every day, how do you make yourself stand out among the masses?
Nothing will help you get there better than hard work and dedication, but here are some tips that might help you expedite that process and keep you moving in the right direction.
Engulf Yourself into Your Music
This is the tip I cannot stress enough. If you want music to become your career, rather than your hobby; you have to put everything you have into it. Many of the world’s biggest producers mark their moment of clarity as when they took some time to be alone with their art.
An example: just a couple of months ago, I was having a chat with an up and coming producer who had tons of skill, but didn’t release remixes very often. I asked why this was, and he said he was a 5-A athlete as well as an honors student at a very prestigious college, and simply didn’t have the time. My advice was that he would blow up if he took a more serious focus on his music; he took it, and this summer he’s made his way onto a festival line-up with DVBBS, Kap Slap and other huge names. Not all of us can afford to quit our 9-5 to focus on our art, but trust me; you reap what you sow. Getting serious about your art is the first step to getting other people to take your art seriously.
I definitely recommend picking up a copy of The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, to help put things into perspective.
Get Involved in Your Local Scene
Not a night owl? Prefer to sit in front of your computer making music rather than going out and socializing with other people? If you want to get noticed, this has to change. The electronic dance music scene was born under bright lights in the wee hours of the night, so becoming comfortable in this scene is one of the first steps to moving forward. If you want to be recognized on a large scale someday, start small and work your local scene. Once you start to frequent clubs often enough, people will remember you and then you’ll be meeting people who are involved in your local scene and maybe have a few tips or, if you’re lucky a show could arise.
Now I’m not inferring to become a party animal and get wasted every night; in fact, it should be the opposite. Remember, first impressions are everything and you never want to come off as unprofessional. If you’re going to drink, do so in moderation and never think that’s how you get “in”.
Feel as though your city doesn’t have an electronic dance music scene? Create one! Find a group of people that share your interests and want to help out. Also, look on Facebook for EDM groups, almost every large city has a community where people can post about upcoming events, new music, and other things going on in your area.
Make Genuine Connections
Believe it or not, people can tell when you are befriending them just to get something. However, people are just people and appreciate genuine connections. Before the release of “#Selfie”, The Chainsmokers gained notable popularity and a solid fanbase which paved the way for their first original (“#Selfie”) to become such a massive hit. How were they able to do that?
Every e-mail The Chainsmokers sent out looking for coverage for their releases was personable, hilarious, and all-around genuine. This allowed them to create real relationships with people who wanted to help them out because they liked their personalities, and through this they gained a lot of real fans in the industry.
With so much great music coming out, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. So be real, be personable, be likeable, and make yourself stand out. Here’s a great podcast from Jake Udell from Th3rd Brain, in which he interviews The Chainsmokers and they talk a bit more about how they got people to notice them. (I really recommend watching all of the podcasts in this series, it’s an information mecca for those trying to become entrepreneurs in the music industry)
Have a Large Collection of Music
Just like any other creative artist whether it be a writer, painter, composer: you are only as strong as your portfolio. It’s very naive to have only a couple remixes under your belt and expect to get noticed. Any record company, label, other artists, or music publications will want to see that you can combat several different types of music. In your portfolio, you should include several remixes, mash-ups, full DJ sets and of course, originals. If you don’t have any original music, now is the time to start working on it.
Pro-tip: Make tons of music so that you are able to have only your best work in your portfolio and the collection will still be a nice size.
A large collection isn’t absolutely necessary, but it is important to be able to showcase that you are versatile and in for the long haul. Both Pretty Lights and Bassnectar didn’t start gaining notable popularity until they already had 3-4 albums released. So, don’t get discouraged if you have been working hard and don’t feel like you are getting anywhere because only after years of practice does one become an expert.
Get a Strong Team Behind You
Are you already a local opener with tons of music under your belt, but don’t know where to go from here? Start working on getting a strong team behind you. One of the best things to realize when your starting to grow, is you can’t do everything on your own. You’re great at making music, but maybe someone else is good at marketing and getting you shows.
Recognizing and highlighting other people’s strengths will be an asset to furthering your career. Also, having people that believe in you and support you during the questionable times will be one of your greatest blessings. If you feel like you have started to conquer, but need a hand, look for people in your scene and try to start identifying their strengths and see if they will be willing to join you on your journey.
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Above all: have faith, work hard and enjoy every moment. Success comes to those who do it because they love it, not for those who do it to become rich & famous. Love your art, love your craft, and believe in yourself.
“Luck happens when hard work meets opportunity.” – Fortune Cookie
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