Why Jay Hardway Ghosted Tiësto (and what it taught him)

Most artists wait their whole lives for a DM from a legend. Jobke got one, and then he stopped replying.

Ralph is back from his break, and we are diving straight into the reality of "making it" in the music industry. We discuss the mental traps of success, from accidentally ghosting Tiësto to selling your first number one hit for a tiny fee. We also break down the Ekboj challenge of 52 releases a year and answer community questions about booking agents, DJ fees, and why elevator music might be the most profitable thing you ever produce.

What we discussed:

- The 52 release challenge: Why Jobke is releasing a track every single week and how he manages the quality.

- Club energy vs. Elevator music: The difference in production effort between Lo-fi and club tracks.

- Ralph’s biggest failure: Selling a track that became a number one hit just two weeks later.

- Jobke’s biggest failure: The story of how he ghosted Tiësto because he was too proud to use certain presets.

- Meeting booking agents: What you actually need to ask to see if you are a priority for their roster.

- International bookings: Deciding if a 500 to 700 euro landed fee is an investment or a loss.

- Hosting events: Why security, ticketing, and bars make hosting your own show a massive headache.

(00:00) Welcome back: The combatant soldier mindset

(07:55) The 52 release challenge: Can you stay consistent?

(15:31) Why you should or shouldn’t release every track you finish

(19:57) Ralph’s biggest failure: Selling a number one hit

(21:33) Jobke’s biggest failure: Ghosting Tiësto

(27:11) Advice for meeting your first booking agent

(33:10) Are 2-hour DJ sets coming back?

(42:18) Negotiating DJ fees without being too Dutch

(46:50) How to get international bookings with 150k listeners

(51:00) The reality of hosting your own events

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