Advertise on podcast: Artist Coaching Podcast

Jaime spent twelve years as one half of Tom & Jame. Tomorrowland, Spinnin’, Revealed. Two years ago, he stopped and lost more than a project. He lost his identity as an artist. Jay Hardway and I talk with him about the ego hit of a normal job, grasping onto his lo-fi label as a new identity, doing the work in therapy, and why stepping away isn’t giving up. Plus a practical Spotify playlist tip and his new project, Jamie James. Timestamps:(00:00) Intro: Jaime from Tom & Jame(01:08) Looking back on Tomorrowland and the Dannic collab(05:36) 2018: when doubt crept in(07:43) COVID and starting HiMood Records(10:42) Lo-fi vs dance music marketing(14:55) How music ends up in Instagram Reels(18:08) Spotify tip: find playlists that actually stream(19:57) Losing your artist identity(22:31) Rebuilding in therapy(24:48) Why rebranding is harder than starting over(27:12) Mental health and the superficial side of the industry(32:35) Making music as a hobby again(37:05) Why do we make music?(40:01) The new album(44:40) Why a side job protects your creative process(50:54) Stepping away isn’t giving up(52:17) The ego hit after leaving music(55:56) Nobody is thinking about you(57:15) Finding community(1:01:03) Wrap up

Henry Himself has been making music for fifteen years. Hardwell played his track. He remade Infinity with Guru Josh Project. And still, for years, it often felt like nothing was moving. Last year he figured out why. He had spent years chasing trends across every genre. So he went back to the house music he loved in high school, and for the first time his music sounded like him. I talk with Henry about finding your sound, making content without overthinking it, and staying in the game long enough to give yourself a chance. (00:00) Intro: Henry Himself (00:29) Finding an artist name (02:12) Hardwell support and the Melbourne bounce era (04:04) Remaking Infinity with Guru Josh Project (08:49) Ten years of chasing trends (11:02) Going back to his roots in house music (14:03) Why your authentic sound breaks the ceiling (15:44) The split-screen content formula (17:59) A love-hate relationship with content (20:35) The fan funnel: visibility and relatability (22:49) Wanting to quit and who kept him going (25:07) Slow growth and the compound effect (28:17) Where he found inspiration and support (31:05) Becoming brave enough to network (34:04) When momentum builds and doors open (37:11) Finding a gap in the industry (39:12) Henry's keys for DJs and producers (41:47) What's next and ADE

Ustrell released on Spinnin', Stereo Productions and Nervous with his first project, Wow and Flute. Then the fun disappeared. A few years ago he started over with a new name, making music only for himself. Now he has a job he loves, a family, and music is fun again. You'll hear why music not paying your bills isn't failure, how he produces with only an hour in the studio, why he finishes every track, and what he'd do if a track blew up. Plus a simple test: if you swapped your name on your track, would anyone notice? Timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:13) Wow and Flute and releases on Spinnin'(04:30) Starting over as Ustrell(06:09) Producing for a small dark club(08:02) How to stop following trends(12:30) Why music not paying the bills isn't failure(16:31) What he underestimated about the music industry(18:07) Production workflow and samples(19:56) Why he finishes every track he starts(26:37) Music as art versus product(27:26) What if a track blows up?(31:53) The name swap test

Tickets for our ADE event -> https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/1998946014339?aff=oddtdtcreator If someone took your name off your tracks, would anyone notice? Jeffrey, aka Da Goose, is a full-time mastering engineer who started as a DJ and producer in the vinyl days. Today he hears a lot of music that sounds the same. We talk about sample packs, the missing gatekeeper, and why a track he made in six minutes became one of his best sellers. Plus the music a label called too experimental, right before it became a hype. An honest talk about signature sound, and why playing it safe means no one remembers you. Timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:13) Vinyl and listening consciously(06:31) The email that started this episode(07:38) Why music used to be more original(11:23) Signature sound(12:54) Too experimental, then a hype(17:03) Sample packs and Splice(19:36) A track made in six minutes(21:04) Deadlines and perfectionism(21:49) How to be original today(23:22) Belgium vs the Netherlands(30:36) Stop making music for the listener(32:51) Outro

Old school catch up episode with Ralph from Bassjackers. We get into whether deadlines actually help you finish a track, how Bassjackers test unfinished music before release, what's coming on their new album, and whether ADE is still worth the cost in 2026. Honest, unscripted conversation for DJs and producers who care about building a sustainable career instead of chasing hype. Timestamps:(00:00) Old-school catch-up with Ralph(07:38) Do deadlines help you finish a track(10:41) Testing tracks before the real release(11:14) New Bassjackers album and killing your darlings(15:11) Talking ADE 2026 with Ralph(16:10) Is ADE worth it for artists(18:17) Why ADE got so expensive this year(24:33) Live chat questions and label hype tactics(28:14) Wrap up and where to find us

Sonan made music in his bedroom for ten years without releasing anything. Then he posted one piano clip to 50 TikTok followers, went to bed, and woke up to a million views and every major label in his inbox. This episode is about what came after. Why he signed with a niche label instead of a major, why he finished three tracks before releasing a follow-up, and why he put a two-month trial period on his management deal. Honest conversation about building a career that lasts longer than one song. (00:00) Intro (01:00) Who is Sonan (04:49) The TikTok that changed everything (06:26) A music industry crash course in one week (07:53) Choosing a niche label over a major (10:06) Ten years of making music before releasing (12:34) Using a hit as a runway, not an identity (14:49) The part nobody admits: having nothing ready (17:06) Building a music buffer (18:09) Finding your sound without getting boxed in (20:12) Building a team and finding a publisher (25:01) Why you need a trial period with your manager (27:54) Vision, ambition and being a little delusional (31:17) Sonan and Friends and building community (35:23) Celebrating wins instead of chasing the next one (41:33) Work smart or work hard

Most artists post content and get views, but almost none of it turns into real fans. That is not a content problem, it is a structure problem. In this solo episode, I walk through the Fan Funnel, the model I use in coaching with DJs and producers to explain how a stranger becomes a superfan. Four layers: visibility, relatability, connection, and community. Most artists never leave the first one. There are slides in this one, so watch the video version if you can. Free document and Discord details are in the YouTube description. (00:00) Intro (02:26) What the Fan Funnel is (06:51) Visibility (10:56) Relatability (14:08) Connection (16:43) Community (17:58) Rewarding your community (20:15) Why growth is slow (22:03) Using the funnel in your content (24:52) Closing

Mike Boyd runs the music department at VaynerX, the agency he helped start with Gary Vaynerchuk when it had eight people. He decides which artists get brand money, and he once signed a country artist with 300 monthly listeners on Spotify. In this episode, he explains what he actually looks for, why content often matters more than streams, and why most independent artists rule themselves out too early. We also cover local brand partnerships, free gear, why niche artists are becoming more valuable than famous ones, and what separates an artist from an artist brand. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro(01:04) Who Mike Boyd is and what VaynerX does(03:10) Sitting on the side that decides(04:35) The artist with 300 monthly listeners(05:57) What brands look for beyond streams(07:41) Budgets from 5,000 to 5 million(08:02) Content versus music(09:55) Why post about things unrelated to your music(12:01) Being liked before being heard(14:06) The biggest misconception about brand deals(16:53) Small brands and local partnerships(18:25) Free gear and knowing your value(21:54) Why niche beats famous(24:32) Why dance music is missing this(26:22) NFTs, utility, and what survived(29:44) What separates an artist from an artist brand(34:00) A question for the next guest(37:04) Posting for free is not a mistake(38:30) Choosing the right platform

Being online is probably good for your DJ career. It also takes something, and nobody talks about that part. We are back from the summer break with Ralph from Bassjackers and Jay Hardway. Jay banned himself from doomscrolling four days before recording. Ralph came off a Tomorrowland run and explains why the smaller stage beat the main stage. Underneath both stories is the same question. How much attention does an online career cost you, and what are you willing to trade for it? Plus an announcement about where this podcast goes next. Timestamps (00:00) Back from the break(00:50) The doomscrolling ban(02:00) This would have looked dystopian(05:20) Ralph on Tomorrowland(08:30) Main stage versus the Great Library(11:40) Calling the streamers from the headset(15:20) Online criticism from people who were never there(23:15) Why vlogs are coming back(25:30) Focusing on how you come across(27:30) The restaurant analogy(29:20) The cost of being chronically online(31:10) An announcement about the podcast(33:20) Discord and closing

Alex Vasi has mixed and mastered more than 30 number-one records in the Netherlands. Last year he started his own artist project, and within twelve months he was playing AFAS Live and the Ziggo Dome. From the outside it looks like it happened overnight. It did not. We talk about what a fast breakthrough is actually built on, why knowing more music theory can make it harder to finish a track, and why he thinks the best producers are simply the best decision-makers. If you are comparing your timeline to someone else's, start here. (00:00) Intro (00:56) Who Alex is and how he started (03:34) Thirty number one records (05:01) Going back to the decks (06:13) What classical training gave him (09:10) How important is music theory (10:08) Why knowing more makes music harder (12:09) Getting back to the kid brain (13:29) What a mixing engineer actually does (15:55) Artist or the person behind the artist (17:17) Being valuable in the room (19:59) Having a say in the creative process (22:17) Should you pay for mixing and mastering (24:17) Is AI mastering any good yet (26:31) The best decision makers win (26:44) Starting at the end of the mix (28:27) Cleaning your project first (30:24) How the project moved so fast (31:22) It's one Google away (33:38) The bootleg strategy (34:37) The ten minute clip (35:53) Stadiums and viral moments (37:15) Getting taken seriously as a producer (38:46) The best sounding song nobody hears (39:25) What artists need from lawyers (43:12) This is how we always did it (44:48) Question for the next guest

Josh Le Tissier calls in from Bangkok mid-tour to talk about the honest side of building a DJ career. We get into what happens when things slow down after a big year, why he spent maybe too long in the local club, and how he still holds a full time day job while touring internationally. The heart of it: 20 people showing up for you is actually a lot, even when social media makes it feel like nothing. A grounded conversation about longevity, real fans, and building something that lasts instead of chasing numbers. Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(02:14) Struggles this past year(02:49) When things slow down(04:28) How long it really takes(06:00) Too long in the local club(07:47) Viral vs being ready(09:11) Why nerves are good(11:45) Does the excitement fade(14:06) Touring alone(17:26) Touring with a day job(20:26) A day job and your ego(21:28) What he'd do differently(22:13) Depth over width(24:54) Why 20 people is a lot(26:33) The Christmas test(30:58) What's next

Fake copyright claims are the newest scam in the music industry, and most producers don't know it exists until their music and royalties are frozen. Music lawyer Sander Petit joins me to explain how it works, and why it's so hard to fight when anyone can file a claim. We also get into AI and why AI-generated music isn't protected by copyright, what those new AI clauses in your contracts actually mean, and how to release a bootleg the right way without getting a claim yourself. Sander came up inside dance music as a DJ and bootleg maker before becoming a lawyer, so this is practical, honest, and grounded in real cases. Essential listening if you take your career seriously. Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(00:25) What Sander does and Backstage Legal(02:47) Bridging the legal world and the studio(07:50) What clients are asking now(12:33) The new fake copyright claim scam(15:00) The account set to zero(17:56) Fighting an anonymous claim(19:55) The damage to the algorithm(21:30) Why every artist needs a lawyer(24:04) AI and the music industry(26:55) Why AI music isn't protected(31:35) Platforms fighting AI music(33:41) The Kraftwerk sampling case(35:42) Bootlegs: releasing one legally(39:06) Reperforming vs using the master(42:30) Legal fees and making the pie bigger(46:34) Closing questions

Dannic has been DJing since he was 17 and he's still here while most of his peers from the EDM era have moved on. In this episode we get honest about why. We talk about the four-year cycle every artist hits, the moment his team pushed him to flip his sound completely, and why that's the decision he regrets most. It's a grounded conversation about longevity, creative identity, and what happens when you stop believing in your own sound. If you've ever questioned yours because someone told you to, this one's worth a listen. Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:16) Who Dannic is(02:45) You never fully figure it out(03:53) DJ first, producer second(07:44) When fun turns into pressure(09:29) Passion over discipline(10:43) Staying relevant(12:04) Monthly releases vs quality(14:19) The good old days(16:33) What changed for the better(17:45) AI, authenticity, and vocals(20:16) The advice he regrets(25:09) Questioning your own sound(27:15) A healthy dose of delusion(29:00) The ear injury scare(30:29) The Dyro back-to-back(33:20) A new fan base(34:41) What success looks like today(37:17) A question for the next guest

An AI-generated track hit number one on Beatport, and Joey and Ralph do not agree on whether that should be allowed. What starts as a debate about AI turns into a harder question: is using AI actually any different from ghost production? Nobody wins this one cleanly. Second half, Ralph breaks down how he builds a 58 minute Tomorrowland main stage set for a crowd that is not there for him. What gets cut, what stays, and why only playing the safe records is how careers stay short. Recorded live the week before summer break, with no plan and an open chat. (00:00) Intro (06:00) An AI track hit number one on Beatport (07:35) Ralph: using AI is completely fine (08:00) Why AI levels the field for unknown producers (09:15) Dance music has always been built on new technology (10:44) If it sounds good, is it good? (11:01) Is AI any different from ghost production? (12:47) Recognising AI vocals by ear (13:00) The world is flooded with AI content (14:53) What happens to singers and songwriters (15:40) AI replaces mediocrity, not talent (16:16) Why mediocrity still matters for creativity (17:24) Loving a track until you find out it was AI (18:38) Moving to the Sun started as an AI vocal (19:39) Ralph's Tomorrowland schedule (21:19) Building a 58-minute main stage set (22:16) The balancing act: hits vs your own identity (24:48) Talking to front of house during a set (26:42) Are DJs playing prerecorded sets? (28:12) Summer break and guest episodes

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 you make is always shaped by what's going on around you. A real, unfiltered conversation about building a career that lasts. Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:22) Ralph on Ibiza(03:24) The Old Spice brand deal(07:02) Guest episodes and VaynerX(09:52) Brand deals in the DJ industry(10:22) You don't need to be big(10:47) The thousand true fans idea(15:21) Tomorrowland lineup(18:45) How artists get booked(23:35) Calvin Harris and finding your sound(25:07) Being influenced by the world(29:42) Heading to Discord