Atlanta-based Popeska is no newb to the dance music game. He first came on my radar years ago with his unique branding and light-as-a-feather, catchy sound. Then again, around a year ago with his “1 song a day” series that lasted an entire month.
The solo DJ/producer is carving out a new original path for himself and letting his fans knows exactly what the deal is via a powerful Facebook post that lays it all out.
One part I’m happy to disagree with is his point about all music sounding the same these days. I agree that artists who are looking to earn a decent living scout trends to conform to. Mainstream music has always been..mainstream. But fans and juggernaut DJs are the ones who typically influence what will be a trend, and they look for different sounds over time.
So, if there’s no one out there pushing the limit, then there’s no new sounds to be be discovered, genres will become dull, and fans will move on.
Two examples of this from two different sides of the electronic industry spectrum is Marshmello’s rise, which, at the beginning, got a major boost because of big names like Skrillex taking videos showcasing him and his sound. Another example is if you dig into the depths of SoundCloud, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of tribal collectives and producer networks that gravitate to one another due to their different sounds that they each happen to be aiming for.
Everyone should release what they love, it creates the ultimate win-win. This creates a greater pool for new talent and artists to be plucked by influencers. Popeska mindset, given his post, is right where it needs to be. In my opinion, the next step is just getting it in the right hands – marketing. But marketing today is getting music out there by any means possible, as long as it’s effective. It’s not the focus on only traditional marketing that makes artist marketing done right, it’s intense, creative, differentiated ideas that people will like combined with typical channels we all know works (streaming, HypeM, artist support, ect.). Easier said than done.
I’m pumped to see what Popeska will release next, because it’s his type of mindset that he presents in this post that breeds songs that “wow” fans. There are artists who make great music for years and never get noticed, there are kids who make one song and explode. A little bit a fate/luck plays a role, but a smart and genuine mindset has to be at the center, when producing, for any magic to happen.
I’ve always thought Popeska was talented, but I believe now his head is in the best spot possible that maximizes his potential. Different is good. On 6/6 we will see what happens.
Connect with Popeska
https://www.facebook.com/popeskamusic
https://twitter.com/popeska
https://www.instagram.com/popeska/
https://soundcloud.com/popeska
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