EVERYONE IS A DJ
KLUB RECORD Founders Wesley G and Manu Naykene talk everything afro house and more. New episodes drop every Tuesday.
EVERYONE IS A DJ
EP. 31 WITH ALEX TWIN: HOW DO YOU GET BOOKED AT DUBAI'S BIGGEST VENUES?
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Cool. So back with another episode. This is episode 31 of Everyone is a DJ. I think today I'm very excited about the conversation that we're about to have. We have, I think, one of the most influential music curators in the events and nightlife space in the world when it comes to Affair House and Melodic House, Alex Twin, who is the music curator at Ushuaia NB Beach, Dubai. Alex, what's up, man? I'm very good. Thank you.
SPEAKER_01Thank you for the invite. I'm super happy to be here and super happy to see you.
SPEAKER_00Hey, I know you're you said you were you're quite busy, just come back from some time off. So you know you're back back straight back on it on this podcast with us. So I appreciate it, man. Thank you so much. That's right, yeah. I I couldn't miss the chance, so absolutely. So listen, man, of course, right now, Afro House, we know how how hot it is, we know the the energy, the the interest that is in the space. But tell us about from when you first kind of started getting into the industry to where we are now, and what has the journey been like to kind of see the progression of Afro House?
SPEAKER_01Well, um, I remember I'm I'm originally from Romania, so I can make the introduction. And I moved to Dubai 13 years ago. So um I remember back back then um there was no Afro House. There was like uh organic and and some new disco. And um I was uh in Ibiza before Dubai, and I moved to Dubai with the Ibisa background, and uh yeah, I had in front of me like 90 or 95 percent of the music that was played in Dubai was uh hip-hop, RB, EDM, mainstream music, and over the years music changed, it went into more organic and then into Afro House. So of course I felt the change, and uh step by step I approached the organic and then the Afro House. But uh yes, I think now the market is oversaturated with Afro House, so-called Afro House. But why I think is this happening at the moment is because the mainstream disappeared and all the music from the mainstream moved into Afro House, Afro House remixes, Afro House edits, and everyone, like let's say you have an RB song, right, and you put an Afro House beat, or you make it electronic, and uh you call it Afro House, but actually, in essence, it's not an Afro House song, right? So that's why people now they they are saying, okay, Afro House is too much, and I think the music now started to change, but I still believe the the pure Afro House will always stay there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think so too. I think um, you know, with the remixes, that was definitely I think like a year ago, the remixes was out of control. I think now a bit more creativity is coming back, and people are also kind of re-refinding themselves and what they actually liked instead of following trends. But in terms of the artists that you're booking now, I think two years ago it was very much Afro House, you know, artists like Alex Juan, um obviously Francis, Shimza, I think those were the ones that were kind of defining the sound. But how has it changed now? Is it a bit more indie dance? Is it a bit more melodic? What are you looking for in artists now in terms of sound?
SPEAKER_01Well, um, I think they they kept uh let's say Francis or Shimza or Alex One, um, they kept their authenticity into their music, and that fact helped them to stay above and to still get bookings and so on. And yes, we're still booking them because also their music changed. They they adapted to the new sound and they they started to you know adapt their their music, their releases, their sets. Uh, but yes, I think uh indie dance um is coming very strong, and the melodic house. So now I feel like the three genres that um dominate the market is like Afro House, uh Melodic House, and um and of course indie dance.
SPEAKER_00So tell tell us, and how did you become a music curator and how did you get to to become one for two of the biggest venues in in Dubai?
SPEAKER_01I moved to Dubai uh a long time ago, and um I started everything started as a DJ and producer. So I started as a DJ, and after that as a producer, because I'm a DJ for about 20 years and producer for 13 or 14. Since I moved to Dubai, I started to produce music as well. I started by myself without any help, without any courses or anything, like just practicing every day from YouTube, like watching tutorials and and practicing. So uh eventually I got to a point where um I was happy with my productions and then I started to release music. And uh which is like this this fact is very important that um I started from a point where now I'm like far away from that point, and you can see the the progress. This is a very important thing. You know, I just look back and I see the progress, which makes me proud, right? So um step by step I started to get involved in the venues, helping them to book some DJs, and um I was actually the the filter between the venue and the and the artist because sometimes they were doing like wrong bookings, um they were expecting different things when the DJ actually was giving or was delivering different things, you know. So I was like the one, hey, this is not right, this is right. And step by step I I've got uh I've got involved into the into the bookings, but more as a filter and as a music creator uh for the specific venues. So everything evolved, and eventually five years ago, I started working with Admind, uh, which is one of the biggest um groups uh involved into the nightlife and entertainment in Dubai. And I was always building, building up things, building up the reputation, consistency was the key, always. And uh yeah, I'm now involved into the bookings, music creation. Uh, but again, still as a filter, because I'm not uh 100% a decision maker, but I'm the one who says, hey, yes, this exactly.
SPEAKER_00I see, I see. So tell us, when did you start? Because you you mentioned earlier it was very much commercial music when you first moved to Dubai. And of course, now we know you know DJs are like the new rappers, right? Everyone wants to be a DJ. Yeah. But when did you do you remember when you started to see that change of like this is now what people want, and you should start booking these artists instead of these ones?
SPEAKER_01Yes, I remember it was 2016, 2017 when I got really involved into into the bookings, and uh together with another music director from uh from a venue where I was working, we're like you know, deciding, consulting each other, and uh deciding which DJ is appropriate for for our night because we had our night uh doing some some parties. Since then uh everything evolved into a nice direction, to say like that. And um, yeah, now uh I'm still doing the same thing.
SPEAKER_00So tell tell us, do you remember the first time you had to book an artist? What was that process like? And and do you remember, you know, we were there any things that you looked for in the artist? Was it just you went on the Spotify, or was it just the Instagram? But back then, the first time you booked someone, what was that process like? Yes.
SPEAKER_01Well, I'm not the person who's gonna take risks, uh, especially in the beginning. Uh I I was a beginner doing that uh at the time, and uh I didn't want to take any risk. And of course, um I got in touch with with DJ that I knew. I knew he's a good DJ, I knew he's a good producer. Uh I was listening to his uh mixtapes or like podcasts on SoundCloud, and I knew that uh you know he can deliver uh good quality set, and uh and then I got I got in touch with him because I knew him and uh yeah he did not disappoint. I was checking the music first, it was the music, and of course, him as a person.
SPEAKER_00Sure, sure. And then I guess back then, was it just an Instagram message, email? What was that process like back then?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, uh it was uh WhatsApp because I had his uh his number, he was the person that I know, yeah, and then uh and then we moved everything by email.
SPEAKER_00Interesting. Okay, and then tell us that process, what that process looks like now, because you know we have so many DJs and artists that want to get to play at the venues that you curate, right? So when you are analyzing and assessing artists to put on your lineup, to curate, to put forward, right, to to your your venues, what do you look for? Have you got like an Excel spreadsheet? Is it mainly like on social media? Do you I don't know, do you have playlists? But what is your setup of of how you you look for for artists?
SPEAKER_01Well, um when we look for an artist, um firstly is the music. That's the most important because we we pay attention on the music and we need to make sure that uh the audience and the customers um will get a very good musical experience. Uh the second factor is the demand. So we we do a very deep research on how a certain artist or his demand behaves in the in the in the territory, because let's say there are artists that they have a really high demand in Ibiza or Europe or the US, but it's not the same in Dubai. And especially if it's an expensive artist, then uh it's a it's a very big risk that let's say you take if if you want to bring an artist that it has a high demand in the US, for example, and then you want to bring him into Dubai, but you don't know how Dubai market will react to that artist because he's never been there. So we we calculate and and we we do our research uh very, very, very deep. So we make sure we like the risk is it's very low.
SPEAKER_00Sure. So okay, so you mainly you look at at the music and then how much does does their brand social media and how active they are online influence your your decision as well?
SPEAKER_01Well, uh I think the social media um the content, the Spotify, the streams, um also how active is is on on social media and how engaged is that they are with um uh with their audience together accumulated um represent the demand. We look we look at every detail and uh and then we take the decision. But I think all these details together create the demand.
SPEAKER_00And then I think I'm quite interested to know how how you guys kind of spread out the levels of DJs that you book, right? So in a certain month, you know, how many top top DJs are you booking and you know, maybe mid-level to low level? Like how do you kind of spread that out? Because I'm sure you're not every day you're not having the biggest DJ, right? I'm sure it's this uh level of of uh allocation finance-wise that you have to do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, uh, this is a very interesting question because Dubai market has changed a lot in the past, let's say, four to five years. Um and uh it has changed in a good way, but um the thing is that it became very demanding. So Dubai market now is very demanding, and um this is because it started to expand a lot. You have more venues, you have more promoters, and the um audience it became very, very spoiled, and also and also um they pay attention on music. They know more than before, that's for sure. They they are listening because they're listening to good music every day, and their expectations are very high. So now with the full competition that you have in front of you in Dubai, it's it's very difficult to say, okay, it's Saturday night, or like to look at in you know a Saturday in two months and say, Hey, I want to book this DJ. You have to make sure that the DJ can deliver a very good set, it has demand, because if you have an average an average DJ, you might have the venue empty. Because at the same time, you might have 10 to 15 events in Dubai, and they all they all have a guest DJ. And everyone wants to book the biggest or the best DJ. And this is where the competition um it's is really tough. And everyone's got the money, right? And everyone got the money, yes. Yes, exactly. And you know, they just put the money on the table and uh they they're trying to book the biggest, and uh and then the audience, they you know, they they all check uh okay, what's happening this weekend? And they say, okay, I have Carl Cox, I have Andrea Oliva, and then I have Pausa, and then I have uh Francis Mercier, like all in the same weekend, or Peggy Go, or I don't know. So they they will all go you know to their favorite DJ or to the bigger one, or to the biggest one. Sure, you know so that's why the the market is very tough, and we always have to be careful.
SPEAKER_00Tell us more about the the fees when it comes to to Dubai, because I think a lot of the times, and this has happened to me before as well, right? Where you know maybe you have a manager where he's always trying to negotiate more in Dubai than in other than in other places. I'm sure you deal with this on a daily basis. This is something that you deal with a lot. But how do you manage that expectation? And of course, everyone expects to get a lot more money in Dubai. Why that is, number one, and also how do you kind of check people?
SPEAKER_01It's uh it's a very sensitive question, but uh I will answer to it as much as the best way you can, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Don't mention any names, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, um well, um as I uh as I mentioned before, uh Dubai market is very very competitive, right? And everyone wants uh let's say a DJ, a certain DJ. So then uh you know they they just you know put money on on that DJ. Uh so of course the manager will get the biggest offer. Yeah. Okay and this happened for like uh a few years already. Uh it happens like regularly, and this is the reason actually the managers or the agencies got somehow spoiled, you know, because the there is a demand. And when when you have a demand, of course the price goes goes higher. And uh what I can tell you is that let's say uh if if the same DJ uh will have um let's say uh I will not give a name, but I'll just X DJ will have a fee in uh in Ibiza. Uh that X DJ will have a different fee in Europe, a different fee in US, um a different fee in Dubai, usually twice the money or maybe three times. It depends the the way they they negotiate, and of course it depends on the on the relationship between the promoter or the venue and the management. Uh it depends on the exclusivity, it depends on many factors. But yes, they tend they tend to ask for more in Dubai.
SPEAKER_00Okay. I think let's let's get into some some actual kind of DJs that that you've worked with. I want to see if you've got any any any recent stories of DJs that have been at one of your your venues and your events in terms of professionalism, right? What do you look for in a DJ and what are some some don'ts, you know, some some things that really you shouldn't do as a DJ when you're booked to to venues, especially massive venues like yours. But yeah, to to DJs that are listening now, what are some some do's and don'ts that uh you should you should be mindful of?
SPEAKER_01Well, it's very important um before everything to be a nice person because um I believe, and this is what I told to all the DJs that I take care of in the company because there are like around 40 DJs that are under me, and I'm trying to manage them and you know uh give them some of my experience. Yeah, um, I told them before everything you must be a good person. And if you're a good person and you're a talented DJ and you produce music, um it's impossible that you uh you'll not get um good gigs, you'll not get connections and appreciation. Because it's true I I had to deal with very talented DJs, extremely good music, great producers, but their personality and the way they were behaving was not the best, or their managers were creating problems on the booking, and then they were not booked again because they create like it was a tough cooperation, and of course, when you deal with with bookings every day, and uh you have to uh you know sort out like 50 bookings for the next uh I don't know, six months, you you have to be fast and the process must be you know flawless. And sometimes we we really had hard times with some of the DJs or the managers, and of course we finalize you, but then yeah, we're very careful. So, yes, I think I think it's very important to have a really good approach as an artist, and and not only the approach, but you have to be respectful because in the end we are working in the same industry and we're doing our best to make it smooth, but sometimes uh it doesn't really work and uh and yeah, we stay away.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's a it's a very kind of it's a people's business, right? It's all relationships, it's all positive energy. I think it's it's all about that, right? Because again, at the end of the day, everybody's working, right? Obviously, we're having a good time. Obviously, there's music, there's alcohol, there's drinks, whatever, there's there's beautiful people around, but at the end of the day, it's a working relationship, right? When something goes wrong, someone's gonna blame someone, you're gonna start pointing fingers, and the what was I guess uh what looks like a friendship turns turns sour very, very quickly. And in terms of DJs and promoters and booking agents, when they're reaching out to you, right, what is the best way to do that? And if you were someone's promoter, booking agent, manager, how would you reach out to someone like yourself? And what is the best way to do that?
SPEAKER_01Well, I'm I'm receiving uh a lot of requests every day. Every day, every day with without request. Um and of course, I'm doing my best to to answer to all of them. Um the idea is to to reach out, not on Instagram, uh on WhatsApp, you Yes, we you reach out when you have already a relationship with with the promoter, right? Or with the venue or with the management and and so on. So that's that is the shortcut when you already have a relationship. But usually by email is the most professional. And this is where you get to see the request, or like you see the email because you know I go, I go to the office and I open my emails and I'm checking the emails, and of course, uh I pay a different attention. But uh when I open my Instagram and maybe I'm driving and I see the message, and I say, I will say, okay, I will answer maybe later because I'm driving, right? And then I forget. And then they they may think that uh I'm arrogant or I don't want to answer or so, but it's nothing like that. It's just the fact that you reach out on the on the wrong channel.
SPEAKER_00So I think the email is the best. Email, email is the best way, and yeah, I think this is very interesting. On average, how many how many requests are you getting a week? Well, between 10 and 15, maybe out of those 10 and 15, how many are I guess valuable inquiries and and serious inquiries that you actually consider?
SPEAKER_01Maybe two or three. Because usually we are we are not booking DJs because they ask us to book them. We are booking DJs that we think they might fit and they can bring value through the music, through their um following, through their demand, and so on. So mostly like 95% of the bookings are done because we consider that bookings that booking is appropriate for us, yeah, for our concept and for our vision. So as a um let's say um to be honest, uh, if I have to to give an advice for the DJs is that they actually need to stand out somehow, and instead of like losing time on uh sending messages, hey, can you book me there? Can you book me there? Maybe you want to use this time on making music, good music, consistently, and that will make actually the promoter considering, hey, oh, this DJ, or like even the resident DJ, sometimes I'm getting booked because the resident DJs uh are playing my music consistently in their sets, warm-ups, or main or or so on, and they say, Oh, we are playing so much of your music, why don't you come and play for us your music? You know, and and that's the that's the best way actually to to get booked, to make music and let people know you, and for sure they will book you.
SPEAKER_00I think I think there's a lot of conversations now about more influences are getting it's more influences that are getting bookings rather than actual producers and and artists, right? How do you feel about that?
SPEAKER_01I was dealing with uh with some situations a few years back. I think now it started to decrease uh this percentage of like influencers, they they became DJs and and um and then you know they were getting booked. Uh, but they were getting booked by venues or by promoters that they really didn't know how to approach or the music it itself, because let's say you're in you're an influencer and of course you love music and um you're getting some bookings most of the time because you don't have enough experience. Let's say you have 500,000 followers, right? Yeah, but that 500,000 followers uh you don't have them because you have been producing music for the last 20 years consistently, and you have thousands of venues that you've played at, right? So you might come as a as an artist, let's say, sure, to to the point where you have to deal with some difficulties or like with some challenges, right, during your DJ set, and you don't know how to react, you don't know how to behave, you don't know how to fix it because you don't have the experience. But the promoter, because sees, oh, he's big because of his following, the promoter will expect that you will fix that thing like this, but it's not like that, you're not able to do that, you know. Or you have a difficult crowd and you still have to make it happen, and you have you must do some compromises, let's say, in order to, you know, fix the night somehow. And you're not able to do that because you don't know how. You don't have the experience, you you never went through that situation. So I think people started to understand step by step that uh the experience uh it matters a lot.
SPEAKER_00And who would you say are some very experienced DJs that you maybe you've had some nights where maybe the crowd was cold or just the energy wasn't as you expected, but then the DJ was able to fix that. Like, are there any DJs that you know, whatever the crowd, whatever the energy they can deliver?
SPEAKER_01Well, to be honest, I will not book any DJ that uh will not be able to fix a situation like that. I mean, I will not allow that booking to go through. Of course. Um, look, it it happened to me so many times, you know, by doing maybe the warm-up or like taking over the main set, or even after the main DJ, like doing the closing. You can you can imagine you have like DJs like Pausa or Michael BB or no, the biggest ones, and and then you have to take over after them. You yeah, you must you know do your best and at least you know keep the crowd for another hour or another hour and a half, and this is very challenging. Um and of course, um I I had some situations like this uh for myself, and uh uh it went well, it went well, but um, yeah, as a DJ, you you you have to be experienced to be able to play at BBC, that's for sure. Uh we we we don't we don't book uh really people that I think they will not be able to fix a situation where the like or adapt or be flexible. Nowadays, okay, you have your music, you have your style, uh you play your genre or whatsoever, but at the same time, if something goes wrong, if the crowd will not react to what you're gonna do? You leave? No, you cannot leave. You have to adapt, you have to be able to adapt your set and make it happen because in the end it's your reputation, right? Absolutely, yeah. It's all about reputation, yeah. Yeah, it's it's about you know keeping because okay, you produce music consistently and good music, but your DJ set must be at least the same. Oh, yeah. Experience will always help you to deliver consistently, right? Sure.
SPEAKER_00But of course, there's still DJs that have to be booked for the first time at your venues that haven't proven themselves to you or to the venue, right? And a lot of these DJs are listening to this podcast, but how can they put themselves in a position to be considered to be to be booked at B Beach or Ushuaia Dubai? And you know, Ushuaia Dubai, obviously, maybe it's like maybe too high of a step, but maybe like a surf club, right? How can you show that experience online? What does that look like to you so that you kind of feel confident? Oh, yeah, I can put this guy maybe as a warm-up before uh uh a headline DJ.
SPEAKER_01Well, I'm I'm always listening to the music, I'm always uh doing my research and uh I'm listening, I'm trying to listen. Let's say when when I ask a DJ or when I ask an agency to send me some music from the specific DJ, uh I'm always asking for like live sets, right? So let's say uh in my car while you know I'm doing stuff in the morning or whenever I have time, I'm listening to live sets. And through the live sets, you can listen to the transitions, you can listen to the music selection, and uh you listen to the flow because the flow is really important. As I said before, Dubai audience is really spoiled because uh they have access to every big DJ from all around the world. And they go to Ibisa and they go to Tulum and they go to Mykonos and then they come to Dubai because they live in Dubai and they understand music. And I think flow is really important and music selection and the way you you play the music and when you choose to play certain songs. So I'm listening to all of that. You can listen to live recording set. And then, you know, if I see okay, there is a potential. Oh, and I'm impressed because many times I was impressed by by DJs that were in the beginning. So of course I invited them to play. And uh, you know, I opened for them. If it's the first time, I always give them you know some insights. Let's say yeah, yeah, some direction. So I'm not trying to tell anyone what to play, I'm telling them from my experience what it worked for me, and and then they can do whatever they want because in the end, you know, if you did a good gig and you had a good show, then for sure you'll come back.
SPEAKER_00Sure. So live sets. So people need to record their live set so that gives you a true kind of feeling of how they perform in real life. Yes. Can you tell us some some recent live sets that you heard and you were like, yeah, I'm gonna book this guy? Uh any any any recent bookings that well that you like. This guy is really good. Or this girl is really good.
SPEAKER_01Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes, actually, I have received some some live sets from um from some like really new DJs, relatively new DJs, and um and then I've I've seen some like stories or posts on on Instagram um from that set, and I've seen the the people reaction, and I was like, oh, I think this will match BBC, you know. So then we we went uh we went through all the all the details and uh and uh yeah, I'm I'm going to to book him.
SPEAKER_00Uh I don't want to give names because you know you're not giving us names. I was like, but who is it? Okay, okay, you can't give names. But what about what about in the past? What about in the past? People that you've booked, if you can, that you kind of heard of a live set maybe you hadn't booked before, but seeing them and and hearing that convinced you.
SPEAKER_01Well, I need to think about it, uh, because usually like in the past, like all the big DJs that that we did, we knew them from before. So I had uh no I had no reason to listen to their live sets. Um but yes, usually I'm I'm listening, I'm listening all the time. Live sets, and uh sometimes I'm surprised, sometimes I'm disappointed.
SPEAKER_00Disappointed. No, no, listen. I definitely I definitely want to get some some names of people that you like listening to or hearing or watching live. Because you know, for me, I've seen Shimza play many, many times, obviously Black Coffee play many, many times. Kiddie Amore, I've got DJs that if you were to ask me, stand behind them in the booth, just watch them for two hours play. I can give you those names for me, right?
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00For you, for you, of course, as a music curator, who are those names with people that when you watch them play, they just kill it.
SPEAKER_01Uh well, uh, as you mentioned, Shimza. Shimza is one of the the DJs that that really um knows how to how to play. The way he he's he's mixing the songs, the way he uh approaches each song uh is is really interesting. Um and and this is because he has a very good technique. Very good technique. So uh and and music selection, of course. Uh who really impressed me, uh and it was very interesting to see him playing. It was Andrea Oliva. Um and and this is because uh his flow um it was actually one of the best uh I ever heard. Think about you know playing like two-hour set, and maybe he was mixing more than 40 or 50 tracks, sometimes like in two hours. In two hours, yes. Because sometimes he like he goes in with a new song, like can be it can be in the break, it can be uh after two minutes of of the previous song, like he he just goes with the next song, but with a flow that you like you don't understand how the song changed. So this is because of his techniques, like the way he's mixing and the way he's you know entering, and and he knows his music very well because sometimes uh the if the key, I mean, I mean if the key is off, then it will sound really bad, especially when you play melodic and you have chords and his flow was like unbelievable, and of course, uh it was something very interesting for me. I I usually approach the music um differently, and I like to let uh let the music flow from the beginning until the end, but sometimes, of course, I've got inspired and I tried it and it worked, but it requires a lot of attention, and of course, you knew you must know your music.
SPEAKER_00You must know your music, yeah, yeah. Do you I mean do you find that DJs when they're bringing in another crack, another track, sorry, in the break, do you think that's because maybe it's not working and they're like, okay, let me fix this quickly, or no? Why do you think that is happening sometimes?
SPEAKER_01In his case, he it was because he wanted like uh he wanted to surprise because let's say he mixed the next song into the break, okay, and then he came back with the previous song after the song finished. So it was like you know, mind-blowing. Something different. This is different. Technique, right? Usually when at this level, when you know your music, you don't really play music that you don't know or you don't believe it will work out. Of course, every DJ will take some risks and will play, you know, you play one song for the first time, but you listen to it before and you know exactly what to expect. So yeah.
SPEAKER_00Crazy, crazy.
SPEAKER_01It was very interesting.
SPEAKER_00Andrea Oliver. And and when when was the set of of his? Was it recently?
SPEAKER_01Well, I think I think it was uh a year ago, a year and a half ago. Yeah, in 2025. Yes, I remember.
SPEAKER_00I've never seen Andrea Oliver play, so okay, now he's excellent, excellent, really, really experienced DJ. I think again though, I like I like your selection because I would assume that his style is different to Shimza. Yes, yes, right. So I think I I think for me that's that's really good to show you don't have to play like this. No, you can also play like this, and you it's all about your personality and how you express yourself.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and of course, um it's very important to to have the crowd that will understand all this because sometimes it happened to me, sometimes I have a very good crowd which allows me to improvise, uh, which allows me to um to exit from my comfort zone and and do crazy stuff. And they will like be actually interested in to see and and listen to what I'm doing, and sometimes the crowd is quite stiff and they react to what they know, um, and then you cannot really express yourself that much because you know the the crowd doesn't allow you, the the audience doesn't allow you, so it's um it's very sensitive.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. How would you say the Dubai crowd is in comparison to I guess other hotspots around the world? Earlier you mentioned Toulouse, Ikonos, Ibiza, but and also how does a DJ that wants to get to the level of being booked at your venues and being active three, four times a week? How do they have to adjust their music knowledge accordingly, right? Because I think it's it's there's similar crowds, but it's different, right? Depends on the venue, of course.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um after after the the pandemic, you know, starting from 2021, I think, um the crowds change. They they have been listening to a lot of music online where while like I like while all of us were staying at home, right? Because you still listen to the music. And uh I think they got the patience to listen and to understand more. I mean, this is what I think, and and by crowd change. Um, now they are very educated and demanding, so they will always expect good quality music. And a thing that is really uh nice is that they will come to you and they will say, Hey, thank you so much. You made my night. Wow, what a music! Oh, the way you mix songs, like it's it's unbelievable. So the flow or like they they understand, and uh the nicest thing is that they come to you and they say, Hey, thank you, thank you so much, you know, at the end. So, yes, the the the Dubai audience is is really um demanding. They know music, they know music because they travel, and of course they got to see so many DJs, so many performances, and of course, they they got the experience.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, I think I think it's it's it's fascinating now how much respect DJs have, also when it comes to unreleased music, right? Track IDs now, just casual people, casual fans, casual music fans know about track ID and they listen to SoundCloud, right? And they listen to unreleased music on SoundCloud, right? This is something we've never had before, and it adds to the music knowledge of people. But before we go, man, I want to kind of get into what your ideal artist looks like, and if you can break it down into like percentages, right? So say for me it would be something like okay, for me, the ideal artist has to have 60% music, 20% brands, social media, and what's that, 20%, and then maybe I don't know, 20% kind of hard work or be a good person, right? But how would you break that down for your ideal artist to be booked at at one of your venues? What does that look like?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, as I mentioned before, and we're discussing about this. Firstly, I will look at the music, I'll listen to the music, um and I need to make sure he's a real artist, which he plays like good quality music, and he produces music, right? Um second is the is a clear identity, right? Because when when you come up with an identity and you you go to a venue, then um the the audience has a reason, like they will they will always have a reason to come to to see you because who you are and what you play. That means that you have a specific identity, right? And when you have your own identity, um people will will not be able Able to say, hey, like he played like Hugo or he played like uh Shimza or he played no, it's him, and he's you know he has his identity. And then of course the professionalism it's it's very important um to be to be a good person, to have good personality, to be able to communicate with with the audience. It's it's very important nowadays. Um the promoters are not looking at at a DJ necessarily, they look at the entire package music, uh, identity, uh, professionalism, and of course the communication between the artist and the audience. It's also very important. So to break it down, I would put um 60% good quality music, good quality music, okay. Yeah, identity, 10% professionalism, 10% communication, and of course social media. Social media actually will uh will always reflect. I mean, obviously, nowadays social media is uh it can be it can be spoiled with so many you know artifacts and you know you it can go fake, you know. Absolutely. But but a person who knows all these things uh or an experienced promoter can tell you from the first second if this is manipulated or not. It can be the Spotify, it can be it can be the Instagram or like any any other channel. I I mean if if you show me something, I will tell you in the first second, okay, this is real or it's not real. Yeah, you have the experience though. You have the experience, yeah. So I think all together, but the music the music will always be the first. Yeah, be the first one. And then then and then of course, because there are there are great DJs which I booked, they did not have an amazing social media, but the music was so good because they were in the beginning. Yeah. And it proved that actually the music is the one that that will always have uh will always wait the most. Have the best foundation.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Last last question. And I think this is what people want to know, right? In your view, what is the difference between a DJ that gets paid a thousand Euros and a DJ that gets paid three thousand, once that gets paid five and ten up? What is the difference?
SPEAKER_01Well, um honestly, there are DJs who gets paid 3,000 euros who who are technically better than the DJs that are earning you know 20k. So um the the problem is that the the market doesn't price the technical ability. It prices land, right? So the the one that um values 20k might sell 300 additional tickets and ten extra tables. I mean I'm thinking from my own experience.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_01This is the reality, and I want everyone to know that uh that the DJ that costs 20k, he costs 20k because he knows that he can sell, or the management knows, or the agency knows that this guy has a following, and he can bring you this, this, this, and this.
SPEAKER_00And um yeah, this will uh will generate how do you how do you see that that proof that they can sell? Is it from previous shows? Is it data that they show you? What does that look like?
SPEAKER_01Uh usually it's from the previous shows that previous shows, yes, yeah, and we know which one sells and which one doesn't. But yeah, uh there are other things, other factors as well. Let's say we we had uh we had an experience with a name, which it was 5k. He released a big e-cord, a big hit, and then he was 20. And the difference because of that record, like when we firstly booked him for 5k, he had maybe 200 people, and we had to invite a lot of people to make the venue.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, to make it look good.
SPEAKER_01Or or like to make it you know look good, and then he he released a big record and he had a sold out show with 3,500 people. So let's say a big record it was a major factor and and a realistic one, of course, because like he did a sold-out show, he asked for the 20k, and uh it was worth it. It made sense, it made sense, right? So, yeah, it can be it can be a big record, and I think everyone um is aiming for that. Uh as a side uh you know um advice, uh I think it's it's really important for the producers, new DJs, producers to make music that other DJs will play it. That's the most important. You like you, of course, you have the music that you'll be happy to play it, and other DJs will play it because let's say there are so many um so many situations when like newcomers they did a big record, uh Kiny music played it, and then they went to the roof, right? Just because one one song, one record, just because they were getting the support from the biggest. So, yeah, I think as an advice, yeah, just make music, good quality music consistently, and make sure you know other DJs will play it. So if they will play it, for sure you get so much exposure.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Alex man, thanks for your time. I think uh there's so much knowledge in this one. We need to have you back at some point. Maybe we do a a live a live podcast, maybe in Dubai. For sure. Uh listen, man, thank you so much. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_01I'm likely for sure.
SPEAKER_00We will speak soon. Come on. Peace.