Owen: Pleasure to be chatting with you, Desro! First question, how did “Before Fajr” come to be? Tell us what happened from start to finish; from when you exported the beat/loop to when the song was initially released.
Desro: Same here, sir! Looisey and I were working on some collab melodies last summer. I would send him a few starter ideas (simple melodies with lots of space to add / change some stuff). Original name of this loop was "Desperate Measures,” made in August 2022. Few people used this loop in the following months, but nothing really came out with this one. Fast forward to March 13th, a snippet of Lil Durk pops up going crazy on a very hard beat. Few hours later, Looisey let me know Smatt from 808Mafia made the beat using our loop. I was in total shock.
Owen: Wow, that’s pretty damn cool. Since it’s release, how has this placement made an impact on your career as a producer & what has the reception been like?
Desro: This placement definitely had a huge impact on my musical career, in a positive way, of course. It made me understand at this very point that any dream is achievable if your goals are clear and you put your mind to it. It gave me so much motivation to go even harder. Reactions were pretty wild too. As I'm writing this, “Almost Healed” is projected to sell between 125 and 150K units in the first week. A lot of people reached out to me to tell me how “Before Fajr” was their favorite of the album, which is so crazy to me. I received lots of support and congratulations from my people on Instagram, which I'm super thankful for.
Owen: So well deserved! What non-musical skills helped you land this placement, or other placements in the past?
Desro: Great communication skills, definitely. I feel like a lot of young producers nowadays are just reaching out to bigger producers / engineers and DMing them by asking for an email directly, which is not that great. Solid skills for communicating come in handy when you're trying to expand your brand and take your craft to the next level. As far as I know, I always was a very responsive and listening person, which opened a lot of doors for me. Not just music wise.
Owen: Love it man. Any music production-related sauce you can offer the community?
Desro: Strive for having your own sound. Mimicking other producers will work sometimes, but always ends up failing. My ultimate goal is to establish my own sound so when people hear a song that I produced they can be like, "Oh yea that's definitely Desro". In order to achieve that, you will be forced to step out of your comfort zone and try new stuff. It's really all about experiencing and seeing what works for you. While I'm here, I might as well just drop some of my favorite plugins at the moment too: Mellotron V, Opus (Orchestra), Delay Tape-201, UAD LA-2A, Dual Spring Reverb (Physical Audio).
Owen: Great advice and plugin drops! How large of a role has BeatStars/BeatStars Publishing played in getting to where you are today in your career, and what has your experience been like since joining the team/platform?
Desro: BeatStars helped me from the very start to get my beats out there on the market, and to generate my first sales. BeatStars Publishing allowed me to collect my royalties with just a few clicks. Super convenient platform, very simple to use. Linking up with Sony, BeatStars Publishing allowed me to access SCORE, an amazing platform that allows me to see every single analytics about my music publishing. BeatStars Publishing played a huge role in my music production. Since it's so convenient, I can really focus on making music and not worry about collecting my royalties, because I know they always got me covered. Last thing I must say is, amazing staff! Always available to answer your questions and help you out step by step (big shoutout Mike!!).
Owen: Haha, Mike is the best! What is your advice to up-and-coming producers who hope to make a living off their music and/or get notable placements someday?
Desro: My BEST advice for upcoming producers that wish to make a living off their music would be to learn how to build genuine connections. Music has always been about collaboration and will always be. That's why building connections with other producers and artists is essential, but not just securing an email. I'm talking about getting to know people outside this music thing. People can smell when someone is just trying to eat off their plate and they don't like that, trust me. Building genuine connections will open doors for you. I'm not saying you need to rely on other people, of course you gotta get on the grind and work hard, but surrounding yourself with the right people will help you tremendously.
Listen to Desro and Lil Durk’s song “Before Fajr” and make sure to check him out on socials for everything music moving forward!
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Owen: Guys! Excited to finally make this happen. First things first, can you tell us the story of how you initially connected with Anees & give us an inside idea of what it's like to create together?
Tantu: Been looking forward to this, Owen! I discovered Anees in 2019 because he did a couple of freestyle videos on Instagram to my beats. They were fire, so I reached out to show some love. He hardly had any following at that point. We kept in touch over the years and last year when I was in Los Angeles, we met up for the first time. This was the bridge to me inviting Sekko to fly out to Virginia together to work with Anees in-person. The creation process was an amazing one. All 3 of us respect each other's work and listen with patience to our ideas. It's a safe environment to create in.
Sekko: Likewise, this is really cool! I first connected with Anees in the beginning of 2020 when he wanted to use a beat of mine that I posted on YouTube. This ended up becoming the song “slip”, which he released a year later and is also on his album summer camp. From this moment, we kept in touch and I would send him beats, or he would use my YouTube / BeatStars beats. This led to one of my beats becoming the beat for his song “sun and moon”, which took everything to a different level. I also met Tantu through Anees, and we decided to fly him into the US to work on the album. Working with both Anees and Tantu was amazing; we each complement each other very well. It essentially happened like this: I made a melody, Anees came up with lyrics instantly, and Tantu laid a foundation for the beat while we all helped each other by gluing it together. It was truly a beautiful and fun process to be a part of.
Owen: I love it, thanks for sharing that fam! How has working with Anees made an impact on your career as a producer & what has the reception of the songs/project been like?
Tantu: The biggest impact I've felt from this project has been the amount of love I've received from older people. Usually my family doesn't fully understand the music I'm creating with young artists. However, the sound Anees is capturing from his songs resonates a lot better with people with more life experience, causing my direct family and older friends to show more love than usual, haha.
Sekko: To me, working with Anees has made a big impact in several ways. We've created songs that have been recognized worldwide. From being appreciated by Justin Bieber, to Anees performing live on Jimmy Kimmel, to our song charting #1 on Billboard in the Philippines, it's safe to say I've reached amazing milestones through working with Anees. Also, the reception of the songs is always very positive. I've received amazing feedback for summer camp from a lot of people. If you haven’t yet, make sure to check it out!
Owen: What non-musical skills/factors helped create the feeling in this music?
Tantu: The respect and friendship Anees, Sekko, and I built. During the three trips we made to Virginia to work on Anees' album, we spent a lot of time just having fun. Playing basketball outside, hanging out with Anees' friends and family, and just having good conversations in general. This amazing, friendly environment puts all of us in the mood to create warm music. Music that translates love.
Sekko: While I only had remote contact with Anees, he always came across as a very friendly person through our conversations. Once we met him in person, he was very hospitable from day one. When we were all kicking it together, he introduced us to his family and showed us all the places where he had his best childhood memories. I also spent a lot of time traveling and making beats with Tantu while we were there, which was a lot of fun. It allowed us to understand each other on a different level, and I feel that really resonated in making the music.
Owen: All facts! Can y’all give some music production-related sauce to the community?
Tantu: When you're working on a song with an artist, listen to the vocals. The subject matter, melodies and vocal intention of the artist tells you A LOT about the decisions you'll have to make in the production. Try not to fall into your habitual choices. For instance, we decided to tone down the drums on some of the beats for this project since we all felt it helped the vocals stand out more. For one of the tracks “so long”, we didn't even use any drums at all. Something we would never do when making 'just a beat'.
Sekko: Firstly, I would say learn how to play an instrument, haha. At least for me, playing guitar helps a lot when coming up with melodies. I incorporate guitar melodies frequently, and I always use the RC-20 plugin to make them sound nice. It's magic, haha! Also, I would suggest recording your guitar melodies panned separately left and right. It’s a bit more work, but sounds amazing. Lastly, what worked well when collaborating with Anees was making a lot of small song ideas (guitar, voice, beat) and then quickly moving to another idea. In this way, you can let the ideas rest while starting a new idea, and when you're done, you can listen to them with a fresh ear and make adjustments. With this process in mind, we were able to come up with a lot of great stuff while also quickly learning what didn't work.
Owen: Super smart! How large of a role has BeatStars/BeatStars Publishing played in getting to where you are today in your career, and what has your experience been like since joining the team/platform?
Tantu: BeatStars has had a big impact on the way I'm able to automate and handle my beat selling business. I can actually easily run artist sessions, like the ones with Anees, while uploading and selling beats on the side. If it weren't for the BeatStars, this would have been so much more time consuming to do and I might not have been able to work with artists of this caliber.
Sekko: BeatStars has played a big role in getting me to where I am today. In late 2019, I joined BeatStars, and through the platform I’ve been able to make a living off my own music. Through BeatStars, I’ve been able to connect with a plethora of different artists and producers around the world. BeatStars Publishing has helped me immensely when registering my songs. Also, my contacts at BeatStars are super trustworthy and helpful; I know I can always count on them when I don’t understand something.
Owen: What is your advice to up-and-coming producers who hope to make a living off their music, get notable placements, or have such a strong connection with an artist someday?
Tantu: Take this story as an inspiration and don't be afraid to invest in an artist early on. If you truly feel that an artist has potential, follow that gut feeling, because growing with an artist is the easiest and most fun way to expedite your status as a producer. It will add more weight to your beats and the willingness of other artists to buy them.
Sekko: Work on your craft as much as possible, and try to make and find a sound in which you can express yourself with the best. Also, don't hesitate to share your music with the world, because you never know who's watching. BeatStars is a great platform for that alone, and I highly recommend using the platform. If you use it consistently and try to connect with people, you'll find yourself growing quicker than you think.
Listen to Anees’ album summer camp on Spotify and make sure to follow Tantu and Sekko on socials to keep up with their music endeavors!
Instagram | YouTube | BeatStars
Owen: ¡Emocionado de estar contigo hoy, tío! Primera pregunta, ¿cómo surgió "La Bebe"? Cuéntanos qué pasó desde el principio hasta el final; desde cuando exportaste el beat/loop hasta que la canción se lanzó inicialmente.
Hasa King: ¡El placer es todo mío, Owen! El beat se creó en 2019 para venderlo en mis plataformas. Mi idea era que el estilo del beat fuera simple, pero al mismo tiempo bailable, con capas de notas pulsadas, acordes y un pad en la introducción para que sea reconocible cuando alguien lo escuche. Además, quería una melodía que acompañara el estribillo y algunas percusiones habituales en el género. En 2021, Yng Lvcas me contactó para adquirir la licencia del beat a través de BeatStars, que eventualmente se convirtió en parte de su álbum LPM.
Owen: ¡Me encanta escucharlo! ¿Cómo ha impactado "La Bebe" en tu carrera como productor y cómo ha sido la recepción?
Hasa King: El impacto de "La Bebe" ha sido muy positivo para mi carrera. Muchas gracias a Yng Lvcas y su equipo por la oportunidad. Gracias al éxito de la canción, he logrado alcanzar una meta personal, que era estar clasificado entre los 10 mejores productores latinos y los 100 mejores productores de Hot 100 en Billboard. El tema ha sido una tendencia en todas las plataformas digitales, acumulando millones de reproducciones que han logrado estar entre los 10 primeros de TikTok Music y los primeros en las listas globales de Spotify. En cuanto a mi carrera como productor, ha sido un gran logro y espero que me permita trabajar con otros artistas importantes de la industria musical.
Owen: Eso es realmente increíble, y además inspirador. ¿Qué habilidades no musicales te ayudaron a obtener esta oportunidad u otras oportunidades en el pasado?
Hasa King: Creo que la capacidad de adaptarse y funcionar en diferentes géneros y estilos me ha llevado a tener una variedad de recursos para llegar a los artistas. Ser capaz de relacionarse con las personas ha sido fundamental para asumir nuevos proyectos o colaboraciones. Contribuir de manera positiva a un equipo puede conducir a resultados increíbles.
Owen: ¿Puedes darle a la comunidad algún consejo relacionado con la producción musical?
Hasa King: Experimenta con diferentes plugins y VSTs, cada uno tiene sus propias características y beneficios únicos. Para desbloquear la creatividad, los loops y muestras son una gran herramienta. Puedes usarlos como base para tu beat o como layer.
Además, ser organizado es esencial. Cuando tienes muchos proyectos o archivos, es mejor tener todo a mano para que tu creatividad no se diluya buscando sin rumbo en carpetas donde pensabas que vivían ciertos sonidos que creaste.
Owen: ¿Qué papel ha desempeñado BeatStars/BeatStars Publishing para llevarte a donde estás hoy en tu carrera y cómo ha sido tu experiencia desde que te uniste al equipo/plataforma?
Hasa King: BeatStars ha sido fundamental para que comparta mis beatss con una audiencia global y resuelva eficazmente los problemas de cobro de licencias. Es mi plataforma favorita con diferencia. BeatStars Publishing me ha permitido registrar fácilmente los porcentajes de mis canciones y, a su vez, la plataforma se encarga de recolectar el dinero de las canciones en cada país. Mi experiencia con la plataforma ha sido positiva, ya que me ayuda a crecer como productor y monetizar de manera efectiva.
Owen: ¡Es genial escuchar eso, Hasa! ¿Cuál es tu consejo para los productores emergentes que esperan vivir de su música y/o obtener oportunidades destacadas algún día?
Hasa King: Enfócate en mejorar constantemente, colabora con otros artistas o productores, aprovecha las plataformas en línea y no tengas miedo de correr riesgos. La producción musical es un proceso continuo de aprendizaje y mejora. Con dedicación y trabajo duro, puedes alcanzar tus metas y hacer realidad tus sueños.
¡Escucha la canción completa “La Bebe” en Spotify y asegúrate de brindarle amor a Hasa King en las redes sociales!
Owen: Pumped to be with you today man! First question, how did “La Bebe” come about? Tell us what happened from start to finish; from when you exported the beat/loop to when the song was initially released.
Hasa King: Pleasure is all mine, Owen! The beat was made in 2019 to sell on my platforms. My idea was to have the style of the beat be simple, but at the same time danceable with layers of plucks, chords, and a pad in the Intro so that it’s recognizable when someone is listening. Also, I wanted a melody that accompanied the chorus and some usual drums in the genre. In 2021, Yng Lvcas contacted me to acquire the beat license through BeatStars, which eventually became a part of his album LPM.
Owen: Love to hear it! How has “La Bebe” impacted your career as a producer and how has the reception been?
Hasa King: The impact of “La Bebe'' has been very positive for my career. Huge thanks to Yng Lvcas and his team for the opportunity. Because of the song’s success, I’ve been able to hit a goal of mine, which was to be ranked among the Top 10 Latin producers and Top Hot 100 producers on Billboard. The track has been a trend on all digital platforms, accumulating millions of views that have managed to be part of the Top 10 of TikTok Music and Top Global on Spotify. As for my producing career, it has been a great highlight and hopefully it will allow me to work with other major artists in the music industry.
Owen: That’s really amazing, let alone inspiring. What non-musical skills helped you get this placement or other placements in the past?
Hasa King: I think that the adaptability of being able to function in different genres and styles has led me to have a variety of resources to reach artists. Being able to relate to people has been huge for taking on new projects or collaborations. Contributing positively to a team can lead to incredible results.
Owen: Can you give the community some music production-related sauce?
Hasa King: Experiment with different plugins and VSTs, each one has its own unique features and benefits. To unlock creativity, loops and samples are a great tool. You can use it as a base for your beat or as a layer. Also, being organized is essential. When you have many projects or files, it is best to have everything on hand so that your creativity is not diluted by looking mindlessly through folders where you thought certain sounds you made lived.
Owen: What role has BeatStars/BeatStars Publishing played in getting you to where you are today in your career and what has your experience been like since you joined the team/platform?
Hasa King: BeatStars has been instrumental for me to share my beats to a global audience and effectively solve license charging problems. It’s my favorite platform by far. BeatStars Publishing has allowed me to easily register the percentages of my songs and, in turn, the platform manages to collect the money for the songs in each country. My experience with the platform has been positive, as it helps me grow as a producer and monetize effectively.
Owen: That’s awesome to hear, Hasa! What is your advice to emerging producers who hope to make a living from their music and/or land prominent placements one day?
Hasa King: Focus on constantly improving, collaborate with other artists or other producers, take advantage of online platforms, and don't be afraid to take risks. Music production is a continuous process of learning and improving. With dedication and hard work, you can achieve your goals and make your dreams come true.
Check out the full song “La Bebe” on Spotify and make sure to give Hasa King some love on socials!
Owen: Guys! Super excited to be speaking with you both. First question that came to mind was how did “Bounce When She Walk” come about? Can you tell us what happened from start to finish?
KXVI: Been looking forward to this, Owen! I had no idea about the song until I was scrolling on TikTok one day and I heard the sound. It felt familiar, but I didn't know why. Then, I searched for the sound and realized it was my melody… crazy! It was just another melody that I made; I didn't think anything of it.
3Dawg: Likewise, fam! I was looking for a loop for my next beat and settled on this “evil melody” from KXVI. It is noteworthy that the loop included synth bass and it seemed to me a good idea not to add 808 to it. Once I finished it, I posted it on YouTube and BeatStars. I first met OHBOYPRINCE in August. Unique Musick from his team purchased a beat for her song "I Put That On You". A little later, he left me a comment that he was doing something on one of my beats. Now we know that it was "Bounce When She Walk"!
Owen: Damn, that’s really cool. How has “Bounce When She Walk” made an impact on your career as a producer & what has the reception been like?
KXVI: It's been super cool to see all the people making videos using the song. Seeing numbers on Spotify is one thing, but actually seeing people connecting with your music is super dope.
3Dawg: Totally agree. When I first heard those claps in "Bounce When She Walk", I was like WOW… this is bound to go viral… and it happened! It's fantastic to see millions of people who are rocked by your music.
Owen: Yessir! What non-musical skills helped you land this placement, or other placements in the past?
KXVI: For me, this placement just came about from me putting myself out there on platforms like BeatStars, YouTube, and Instagram. Most of my placements have been from people finding my work on social media.
3Dawg: I have always strived to grow YouTube and BeatStars. Most of my placements came from there.
Owen: Can y’all give me some music production-related sauce for the community?
KXVI: Don't overthink your stuff. The beats or melodies you might not think anything of could be the ones that go off.
3Dawg: Always learn something new. YouTube is full of various tutorials for any genre.
Owen: How large of a role has BeatStars/BeatStars Publishing played in getting to where you are today in your career? What has your experience been like since joining the team/platform?
KXVI: BeatStars and BeatStars Publishing have been a CORE part of the success in my career. Everything from helping me collect my money on the big songs I’ve had to giving me my biggest source of income on the platform itself. If producers aren't on BeatStars, they're trippin!
3Dawg: BeatStars is my main platform I use for income. BeatStars allows you to conduct legal transactions with artists and without lawyers, which is very convenient and important for producers all over the world.
Owen: Great stuff guys. Last question - what is your advice to up-and-coming producers who hope to make a living off their music and/or get notable placements someday?
KXVI: My advice to producers would be to build your brand first. Everyone is trying to network and sneak their way into the game, but if you build your brand up, people start to come to you. Also, you have your own brand, which you can leverage to make money, even without big industry connections.
3Dawg: Consistency is the key. Straight up.
Owen: Appreciate you taking the time man! Just a few questions, how did you find the beat for “Bounce When She Walk”?
OHBOYPRINCE: No problem man, happy to take the time. I was just going through YouTube and I went to 3Dawg’s page because I already heard some fire on there from recent beats. I went back one day and boom, this beat was the one!
Owen: Sometimes it be like that! How often do you use BeatStars to find new producers to work with?
OHBOYPRINCE: When I go to YouTube and they have BeatStars in their description box, I’ll click it and go through the beats on there. Usually I’ll buy them too.
Owen: How has this song changed the trajectory of your career? What kind of opportunities have come across since the release?
OHBOYPRINCE: The song is super viral on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Man… all the apps have the song in a choke hold right now… I don’t see people getting 60 million views just dancing to the song.
Owen: How did the TikTok trend to “Bounce When She Walk” start?
OHBOYPRINCE: I have artists/influencers signed to me and they created the dance. It went viral with the push from the rest of our team and supporters. Really appreciate all the help from the BeatStars squad with that!
Scope out the full song “Bounce When She Walk” on Spotify and make sure to give the producers and artist some love on socials.
Instagram | YouTube | BeatStars
Instagram | YouTube | BeatStars
Owen: It’s really great to finally speak with you both! My first question is how did "ppl plsr" come about? Tell us what happened from start to finish, from when the beat was made to when the song was initially released.
Jonah: It’s really a pleasure, Owen! I met my friend DNL here who is a very talented vocalist at a networking event in Los Angeles. We decided to do a session together and record vocals for this piano part I had written. I finished the rest of the beat afterward, which became the beat for “ppl plsr”. I posted it on BeatStars and a few months later, I got a random DM from DNL, who sent over a demo of the finished song. I was so moved by it that I had to get on call with him and introduce myself. 6 months later, we dropped that song and it's doing better than we could have ever imagined.
DNL: Thanks for having me, Owen. Jonah said it best, but here’s my commentary - I was feeling very uninspired one day as I had been mindlessly scrolling through beats for about an hour, until I stumbled upon one called ‘ppl plsr’ on BeatStars. When I first heard it, I knew it was something I would love to record on, so I did. After about 45 minutes, I finished up the first demo of “ppl plsr” and sent it to Jonah. A few days later, he reached out to me and wanted to have a session. Ever since then, we have built up a very strong catalog of music and finally released the song.
Owen: That’s so dope! Going off of that, how has “ppl plsr” made an impact on your careers & what has the reception been like?
DNL: This song has completely changed my life! If not for “ppl plsr”, I would have never met the amazing, talented people I have so far in my career. I would have never been able to travel to LA or NY. The reception has completely blown me out of the water - 25k streams was not a number I saw as fathomable for a long time, especially for my debut release. The love and support from many blogs and curators has inspired me to continue pushing forward with more great releases.
Jonah: You said it best, DNL. The song's movement equally surprised me with it getting on 3 major Spotify editorial playlists, 20k streams in less than two weeks, and positive recognition from various blogs and influencers.
Owen: Damn... that is a lot of movement! What are some non-musical skills that helped make this song happen?
Jonah: My ability to network and A&R has allowed me to find capable talent to bring into my world to create the best music possible. The success of the track would not have happened without our managers, Caleb, Khron, and Jack Kirby. Our loyal team has stuck with us since the beginning and kept believing in us when no one else did.
DNL: For me, it’s definitely being able to recognize and deal with my own emotions.
Owen: Love it! Can y’all give some music production-related sauce for the community?
Jonah: My most used plugin without a doubt is RC-20. I put that on almost everything. It makes things sound more natural and real. In terms of my production composition, I find ways to create space for the artist while making sure my head is bobbing. If I start to get a little bit bored, I'll change the section. Also, I sing what I want the melody of the beat to be, so I try to make that be memorable and catch in my head.
DNL: Straight facts. My tip is learn how to mix your own vocals. There are plenty of great tutorials sprawled out across the internet. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but knowing how to mix can make a world of difference, especially for demos.
Owen: This is all great insight, guys. How large of a role has BeatStars/BeatStars Publishing played in getting to where you are today in your career, and what has your experience been like since joining the platform?
Jonah: BeatStars and BeatStars Publishing have actually made my dreams come true. I am able to make a living off of BeatStars alone, and I’ve been able to build a following. Now, talented artists are coming to me wanting to collaborate.
DNL: I don’t really have any feedback for this one, but I really do appreciate BeatStars and what the company has done for music creators.
Owen: What is your advice to up-and-coming creators who hope to make a living off their music someday?
DNL: Always keep pushing, even when you feel like it’s never gonna work, because that’s what will make you successful in the end.
Jonah: Stay consistent and hold yourself accountable to a strict posting schedule. Even if they are not your favorite beats, posting and making beats consistently will improve your abilities as a producer and inevitably increase eyes on your art.
Check out Jonah and DNL's song “ppl plsr” on Spotify and make sure to follow them on socials to keep up with their future music creations!
Instagram | YouTube | BeatStars
Owen: My man! Great to finally talk with you. My first question is how did "Rodeo" come about? Tell us what happened from start to finish, from when you exported the beat/loop to when the song was initially released.
DJ Pain 1: Likewise, Owen. Really appreciate the time! I didn’t want to sample the original track (“Pony” by Ginuwine,) especially since it was filled with drums and would’ve been nearly impossible to sample cleanly. Also, the “Pony” beat is one of the greatest tracks ever produced in my opinion, so I wanted to, at very least, reverse engineer the melody. I learned from YouTube that the main melody was created with a preset from the Morpheus sound module by E-MU. My first sound module was an E-MU, so I grabbed the original present and replayed the melody in my DAW. From there, I added different drums and sounds— I didn’t want to copy the original. The artists and their management liked it, but requested a slower version, so I dropped the tempo and that became the final version.
Owen: Totally makes sense. How has "Rodeo" made an impact on your career as a producer & what has the reception been like?
DJ Pain 1: Honestly, it’s just crazy to have a trending TikTok song. I’ve never experienced that. And scrolling through TikTok and randomly finding a video with our track in the background is surreal. My supporters were surprised to find out that I made the beat once I started posting about it.
Owen: What non-musical skills helped you land this placement, or other placements in the past?
DJ Pain 1: Being stubborn is my greatest skill. Just putting my head down and figuring out how to create a custom track the most effective way. Lah Pat was an unsigned artist when I made this beat for him.
Owen: Haha, I definitely feel that. Can you give some music production-related sauce to the community?
DJ Pain 1: My biggest trick is to make space for the artist’s voice. Once you have a catchy top line, just fill some of the lower mids with additional instrumentation— don’t crowd the frequencies that the vocals generally occupy with extra counter melodies or extraneous sounds.
Owen: How large of a role has BeatStars played in getting to where you are today in your career, and what has your experience been like since joining the team/platform?
DJ Pain 1: The BeatStars platform has changed my life. I have met so many amazing producers on the platform— Dreamlife for example— with whom I’ve gone on to create songs on hit albums with. But ultimately, BeatStars taught me marketing, it inspired me to make and upload beats daily, and ultimately connecting with so many unsigned artists all over the globe has led to amazing songs and relationships.
Owen: What is your advice to up-and-coming producers who hope to make a living off their music and/or get notable placements someday?
DJ Pain 1: Form consistent and healthy habits. Making beats, uploading beats, giving good customer service, etc are all habits. So if you’re in the habit of forming habits— going to the gym, meditating daily, taking a daily walk, etc— you will be used to self-discipline and structure. Because beat selling is just self-employment, that structure is everything.
Check out DJ Pain 1’s YouTube channel, follow him on Instagram, and listen to the track “Rodeo (Remix)” that he produced on Spotify! Also, be sure to grab his latest sound kits off his BeatStars for your new music creations!
Owen: Excited to be chatting with you, Madenka! First question I had was how did “DOPE” come about? Tell us what happened from start to finish; from when you exported the beat to when “DOPE” was initially released.
Madenka: Same here, Owen! I made the beat in September last year, posted it on my YouTube channel and sent it out to artists. A few months later, I got a DM on Instagram from Fivio Foreign who told me to contact his manager and connected me to his team. Later that day, I got a text from NLE Choppa’s A&R rep at Warner Records telling me that I got a song with Fivio & Choppa on his upcoming album Cottonwood 2, and he sent me a version of it. It has been a long wait since then, and some negotiations to sort all the details, but I’m very happy that it’s officially out now!
Owen: Yessir, it’s a good one! How has “DOPE” made an impact on your career as a producer & what has the reception been like?
Madenka: The reception has been great and I’ve received a lot of positive comments from people! The streams have been solid so far and the music video got over 600k views the first day, so I’m excited to see how well it performs in the future.
Further to that, I’ve come across a lot of great people thanks to this song and I’m excited to keep working and building relationships with everyone. Hopefully, this placement opens up for more songs in the future. It’s the result of hard work over many years and I see it as a great step in the right direction towards my goals. I will stay consistent every day to achieve more.
Owen: What non-musical skills helped you land this placement, or other placements in the past?
Madenka: Having my own business for the past few years along with previous business administration studies in college has helped me a lot. There will always be negotiations and a business element in securing and tying up placements, so communication and surrounding yourself with people you trust is key.
Owen: FACTS! Can you give some music production-related sauce to the community?
Madenka: I got one simple goal when making beats: I don’t want the listener to sit still while hearing my music. When you show someone a beat and they start nodding along, you know it’s a good beat! It’s often the simple “bouncy beats” that get placed with artists. So keep it simple, leave some space for the artist, and do what you like to listen to yourself.
Owen: How large of a role has BeatStars/BeatStars Publishing played in getting to where you are today in your career, and what has your experience been like since joining the team/platform?
Madenka: Huge! The platform is essential for me and has opened up a lot of opportunities ever since I joined. I recently started working closely with the team, and they have played a critical role in negotiation and ensuring a good deal for me with this song. Very grateful for everyone involved and excited to keep working together - a special s/o to Mike, Greg, and Kyle for their efforts!
Owen: What is your advice to up-and-coming producers who hope to make a living off their music and/or get notable placements someday?
Madenka: First of all, focus on making music and learning your sound. When you’re happy with the quality of your music, it’s all about being seen and heard. Building a base of followers on social media and sending out your beats to artists and people around them are both great ways. It takes time and patience to get there and it will feel hopeless at times, but it is vital to stay consistent and just keep going.
Check out Madenka’s YouTube channel, follow him on Instagram, and listen to the track "DOPE" on Spotify! Also be sure to grab some tracks off his BeatStars profile for your new music creations!
Peep the winning remixes, handpicked by Friyie himself:
Tisma OnTime (1st Place)
🇫🇷 France
Dao Beats (2nd Place)
🇫🇷 France
Beatz by Wuga (3rd Place)
🇮🇪 Ireland
Congratulations to the winners! Now, who’s ready for the next challenge?
Afrobeats has been the flavor for some time, with heavyweights like Beyonce and Drake getting in on the game. So it’s no surprise that TXT dabbled in the booming genre to likely transcend cultures and garner a new following. Leave it to BeatStars producer and publishing member Dystinkt Beats to grace the #1 album with a track that carries a beat with an infectious and Dystinkt sound stemming from West African music styles, particularly highlife music.
Known for his work on Lil Tecca's “We Love You Tecca” which debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 and reached #1 in the Top R&B/Hip-Hop and Top Rap Albums, Dystinkt Beats is no stranger to creating chart-topping tracks. His work can be found in other hip-hop and R&B jams, including tracks for Lil Tjay, Jackboy, and Ace Hood. One would think that making it into the K-Pop sphere with an Afrobeats track is a farfetched notion. On the contrary, Dystinkt Beats isn’t married to one genre, noting that K-Pop has been a goal of his for some time.
“I'm a big fan of great music across all genres, so I never want to box myself in creatively. The idea is to continue learning, trying different things, collaborating, and creating music for the world to enjoy.” - Dystinkt Beats
Dystinkt Beats has his sights set on working with a variety of artists from Bad Bunny to BTS. Considering he’s on a roll, we look forward to hearing this limitless producer’s next hit.
Check out Dystinkt Beats' work on BeatStars.com.
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Working towards one million streams on your music is no easy milestone.
It takes consistency, networking, diligent marketing practices, and the constant honing of music skills and style. Reaching a million streams is reaching a million people from all over the globe with one powerful connector - the universal language of music.
Grab your headphones and get ready for some major ear candy. We're excited to introduce you to the BeatStars Creators that have reached one million streams.
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Keeping in mind that up-and-comers in the music industry need more opportunities to learn about the business hands-on, BeatStars’ Campus Marketing Program allows students from any 2-4 year college the chance to hear directly from professionals about what it’s really like to work in careers like A&R, publishing, marketing, music law, and more. This Spring we awarded nearly twenty Campus Marketing Reps (CMRs) with certificates of completion for their contributions to our marketing team and overall growth in their knowledge of the music business.
After closing out our fourth semester of the BeatStars Campus Marketing Program, we’re proud to congratulate Juan as our Top CMR. Juan is finishing up his third year at Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente in Guadalajara, Mexico. He is a second semester CMR and was the first student to join the program from Mexico! Juan majors in Media and Communications at ITESO while running his successful beat-selling business called “The Beat Locker” under the name Cyclope Music.
My mother is a piano player; my parents signed me up for piano lessons since I was very young, however, I decided to leave due to the amount of time it took from me and maybe even losing my passion for it (I currently regret it). Years later, some weeks after my 12th birthday, I fell in love with electronic music and started making song attempts on my computer. When I turned 14 I started to experiment with trap beats because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, and when I turned 17, I started to focus on betaking for other artists. I have been working with rappers and selling beats on my beat store since then.
I downloaded a demo version of FL Studio when I was 12. I couldn’t save my projects, so I would either try to finish music in one sitting, or just exported a wav file and work on top of it. I learned most of the basics of producing by myself through trial and error, and then got more knowledge from YouTube tutorials. When I got more involved with my local scene, I also learned a lot about betaking and producing from DJ Maxo, one of the most influential Hip-Hop producers in my country whom I consider my mentor.
I love making latin trap beats and have also experimented with reggaeton, but I also enjoy going for oldschool boombap beats with a fresh twist. I also produce electronic music as a side project.”
The CMR program taught me half of the things I know about the music industry. It gave me access to information from industry professionals that can share their experience to guide new people in the music industry. I was in the CMR program for two semesters and it was honestly one of the most fulfilling experiences of my music career. And even though I did learn what “A&R” stands for, what is the worst quarter of the year to release music in, and how publishing works, I think the most valuable thing that I learned is having a taste of how people work in the music industry: deadlines, the need for innovating constantly, being open to feedback and criticism, having to work your schedule around your external responsibilities, and all of those not so fun aspects of the industry, will always be part of a career in music and can become really stressful, however, passion, tolerance, team communication, and mutual support are also part of the industry and makes the effort worth it.
The CMR program taught me how jobs work in the music industry, it gave me access to panels with professionals who shared their knowledge, and it made me realize that being a producer and content creator is a dream I want to pursue. I was actually enjoying the program so much, I got genuinely sad when the semester ended.
I think any student who is an aspiring producer needs to make the most out of the “student life”. It may be hard for most people to balance school, a job, personal life, and also trying to grow a business as a producer, however, being a student gives you access to a potential networking space with people who have common interests and can eventually become coworkers or partners (other students or even professors).
I think people have a special empathy for students, so looking for internships, working with professionals, and “getting yourself out there” is a bit easier as a student.
Make the most out of your classes, have fun, but do invest time in your producer career. Every industry is competitive, however, successful music careers take a lot of time. Putting in work today might translate into passive income and the opportunity to work exclusively in what you love in the future.
If you’re a student considering applying into the CMR program, or a similar internship related to music, don’t hesitate. I have no regrets about these past few months of practice and learning and wish that more students make the most of it in semesters to come.
I want to become a full time producer to help other artists experiment with different sounds. I would love to work with already established artists in the latin music scene, but at the same time, I love working with new artists and supporting them as they grow and create their own style.
I recently found my passion for content creation and music marketing, and wish to motivate and teach aspiring producers the things I have learned through my social media platforms.
Launched in early December 2021, the BeatStars Song Challenge called for motivated artists to create an original song for a chance to win over $3,000 in prizes. Competitors were challenged to purchase a beat from our embedded Blaze Player and craft the perfect song with an accompanying video. After careful review from the BeatStars Music team, we’re excited to announce that indie artist Seth Benjamin has taken home the first place title!
We connected with Seth and got the 411 on his winning track Sleepless Eyes.
I actually started writing the lyrics for Sleepless Eyes about ten years ago. I’m in my 30s, and in the year 2021 my wife challenged me to finally take music seriously. I had to put out 21 songs, and Sleepless Eyes was actually the last song of the year - the 21st song! I wrote the lyrics when I was 19, and I had this idea of being on the road, making music, living my dreams, and doing what I was made to do. When you’re young and a kid you dream endlessly, and I wanted to capture that feeling within my song when I wrote it at the time. While I feel that I didn’t really get to experience that when I was younger, my wife helped me see otherwise. Revisiting this song later made me reclaim that energy and those feelings! I still have more to share with the world, and I’m not done yet.
I had already purchased tracks off BeatStars to use for my 21 songs in 2021, and I was following BeatStars Producer 100Grahams who is in my creative space. 100Grahams posted about the Song Challenge, and I needed my 21st song to end the year off. I felt like the stars were aligning, so I decided to join in on the Challenge.
My advice for other creatives and artists would be to not focus on other people. Focus on YOUR craft. You’ve been given something that you want to share with the world, and that’s been put inside of you for a reason. The world needs that art, creativity, and message, so if the opportunity presents itself, don’t focus on other people and what they’re doing - focus on what’s been put inside of you. There’s always two outcomes that could happen- you’re either going to win or get better because of the work that you do. Both of those are wins to me.
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In early December 2021, we teamed up with Swede of 808 Mafia, in partnership with Artists and Relations, to bring BeatStars Producers the ultimate beat challenge. To participate, producers had to download Swede’s Trap Secret sound pack to create a brand new beat with their unique spin. After weeks of review and careful deliberation, a winner has been picked to win the ultimate production prize pack.
Congratulations to Producer Makeszense for winning the Swede Beat Challenge! Makeszense took home the gold with his track Eternal, putting the perfect spin on Swede’s sound pack. Makeszense’s use of sweet guitar riffs over a bouncing beat delivers a flowing and unique creation.
Listen to the full song below, and follow Makeszense on BeatStars to follow along with the magic he’s creating.
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