How to build a successful Brand as a DJ - ANNABEL
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- čas přidán 21. 10. 2023
- Our special guest on this week's podcast is Annabel
Annabel was working multiple jobs and was juggling a full-time job alongside trying to build a DJ career on Twitch streaming on the side.
After deciding to leave her residency and focus on DJing full-time, she experienced feelings of isolation and vulnerability as she navigated the tough industry with low-income and limited gigs.
However, after posting consistently on social media, she gained a larger following that eventually led to more gigs and partnerships with brands.
She has now played major festivals and club gigs all over Europe.
This conversation really shows the importance of persistence and being authentic in order to connect with your audience and grow your brand as a DJ!
/ annabelstopit
/ annabelstopit
/ annabel
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Thank you for having me! It was an honour to share the journey so far with you 🖤
Thanks!!!
@@egnever.egnever of course I had to show love! Thanks for all the music 🔥
Lets gooooooooooooooooo
I remember seeing one of her early reels back in the day! Love to see the glow up
Inspirational
She seems excited to be in the industry. She made her sacrifices. Definitely deserves all the success and more.
My favorite thing about Annabel is her honesty. It has been about 50% success stories and 50% heartbreaking failures, which she posts about just as readily as the successes. Very brave. Very inspiring
She’s been djing 2 years,
Get a grip.
@@DiscoDrewyou’re maddddd 😂
@DiscoDrew actively since 2019, I believe. I've only been following her for 2.5 years, though
Couldn't agree more! Thanks for watching 😁
soooo true
Fair play. Annabel has capitalised on the power of social media to build a career and a following which is the route in these days. It’s always been about who you know to give you a leg up - but that goes for any career really… if you don’t have an ‘in’ it’s hard but still doable…
Not a huge fan of her tunes/genre but she’s clearly worked hard and put the hours into learning to Dj.
Good luck to Annabel
Sadly, brand > music these days. Followers mean more than DJ skills for bookings.
Love you, guys! And thank you so much for what you are doing. I'm 40 and on a swift career change from interpreting to DJing and production, and I really get cold feet sometimes when I think where it's gonna take me! :) Guests like this are VERY inspiring!!!
I'm so glad you found it inspiring! Thanks for watching and good luck with the new chapter of your journey 🖤
Thank you for this interview with this amazing guest, her authenticity is so refreshing!
What a journey ! 🙌🏽
Massive respect to Anna 👊🏽
Annabel, I just love your spirit and positive mindset, and I also recognized myself in that moment I quit my 9-5 job to go full time into music :))) and your souncloud refs blew my mind !!! Tera Kora, indeed love these vibessss
Great effort put into making a future for yourself. Lot of hard work. Take no notice of the bitter ones on here. Great going and and inspiration for those of us having a midlife crisis working to make it and get out of our shitty long term jobs/careers. Well done! 😊
Annabel, I appreciate your story sharing of how your DJing career launched, especially about quitting your salary job.
I love how for a whole week i was researching day and night about how to make my brand as a DJ and one day i go to youtube this is the first video I see that was uploaded that day. Ill take it as a sign from the universe 😮😮
It's definitely a sign! You got this 🖤
The mushrooms will tell you who you are
Thank you for your talk, this was great. Some people may say, fake it to make it, I say practice, practice and practice, then just take a deep breath and jump in. Make your dreams come true.
What a lovely person Annabel seems.
I dont know if the audio is clipping but there is a clicky sound when they talk, specially annabel. I didnt notice for like 10 mins, but once i heard it, could not stop hearing it the whole time
Thanks for the eye opener about the DJ world,it helps knowing the info about the journey,..I’m prep,prep,prep at the moment,.looking to break out next year.
I think the only real way forward is to also produce music. DJing is truly only half of the career, producing is the other half. DJs are a dime a dozen, as well as producers. Being both sets you that much further ahead of the crowd.
Another thing is if you’re not standing out in a niche, you’re likely not standing out (think of Jack of master of none). Claptone might be the one to pull this off, but because he’s all over, I don’t typically listen. Personally, I follow artists for the music and vibe they push. If you do it all then you’re likely not on my radar. Underground or bust!
Judge Jules has mentioned this many times. So much so that practically every interview he does, this topic is always touched.
That's what I tell most DJs when go shows where they are DJs who don't produce. Being a producer DJ makes you way ahead creating your own Sound and matching that sound with others
Skills wise no question about it, and then there's grit. When it comes time to marketing yourself I'd say this is where most people give up. When you work your tail off and get no support or worse get negative feedback this starts to eat away at you. You start to doubt yourself and suddenly here comes the endless parade of negative self-talk.
It happened to me with DJ'ing and and it happens now with voice over / audio engineering. I know this is natural so the fight continues but how sad it is when a talented DJ / artist does not push past it.
I don't agree that being a DJ and a producer sets you apart. If you're a good producer you'll get recognition, more so than a DJ who is an average producer.
@@hearmenow909 I only wish that were true..
Met her last thursday during ADE, an inspiring woman!
Definitely my favorite interview of the year! She’s a beast!
Wow! Thanks so much for watching 🖤
Oh yes. Soundcloud and Bandcamp are a treasure trove of music.....it also helps to know music from 30+ years ago to stretch your know and creativity....the majority of my sets are music from these platforms and then throw in an original to keep it real....
I absolutely loved this podcast, I am a beginner DJ and this gives me hope and makes me feel ok about where I'm at. Thank you ❤
Go and learn production
love the journey. keep pushin ❤
Annabel is the BEST!!!
A-Team! Annabel im excited to one day watch you in person
This video was overall helpful but just makes me miss the old ways of how creatives in the scene would organise themselves. Not necessarily their fault, but it just seems so synthetic towards the art of mixing music - that a good portion of this video was just talking completly about social media traffic.
We need to evolve backwards into the ways of a spaces where, nobody knows the dj, insane tunes and a banging soundsystem and the right people gathering together.
I fucking love mixing and playing to an audience but the shit storm that revolves around that these days is nothing but hedonistic for the lack of a better term.
I'm not pessimistic (as much as it sounds like it) but we truly are disconnected from the source of MUSIC and creating authentic safe atmospheres that bring like-minded people together.
I remember back in lockdown when Annabelle was streaming on Twitch and the we was all setting off the "Hype Train" with Bits taking it up to level 5 She was literally crying with all the support, she couldn't speak, not like Annabelle :)
I love this so much 🥺 I'll never forget those moments! 🖤
Mate, the struggle is real. Self employment is literally the loneliest place on earth. So cool to see how are able to reinvent yourself!
Amazing episode, I've come to realize that building an audience is step one in order to get booked. Going to try Anabels strategy of 90 reels in 3 months and see where it takes me! Her hustle has brought her to where she is now and I'm excited to see where she'll be a year from now!
We are right behind you in this! Glad you have been inspired to take action! 😀
i just started djing a couple weeks ago i honestly think its more so who you know rather than your skill set most the time. 😅
Yes, contacts are super important through all parts of life. But if you dont have the contacts then you need to start creating your own opportunities. I had to do that as I started as a DJ. It's easy to loose faith when you hear about famous DJs who is percieved to be elevated though contacts he/she had before. But just go mate. Everyone has worked hard contacts or not. DJ as a job is hard work. Good luck mate.
But you only had been Djing for a couple of weeks. It’s work, Social media is marketing yourself too.
Good on her, very inspiring 🙏🙏🙏
This interview is a perfect example of being consistent and also lucky to be at the right place at the right time. Imagine getting gigs without even knowing how to read a crowd? That's just pure luck and great branding. So take note marketing comes first then comes your skills. Also, this is probably easier if you're a female these days.
"probably easier if you're a female these days" lol total fallacy floating around as a result of male insecurity about the fact that they might not be as good as the girl dj who gets booked. look at the industry, the bookers, and the names on the flyers--most are still male. definitely not easier as a woman. if all you pay attention to are the woman djs and thats all you notice, 1. congrats you're a dude who think women aren't as skilled as men and are only booked for their boobs 2. seems like the girls dj sets are getting more attention just maybe just because...they play better than the men? idk just a thought
@@cherry-in5wg this is a fact. As a black male Dj I’m REALLY on the outside looking in so I have a different lens. People have to be realistic about their brand. Her being absolutely wicked behind the decks and a great curator was first and THEN the aesthetics. We aren’t going to pretend that isnt part of the package and she knows it and will leverage suit and tie misogyny and sexism to her advantage. she’s smart as hell. Another example is the green haired deep house Dj . Wicked technically behind the decks and good looking….. again leveraging misogyny and sexism to her advantage as the bonus. They both were sure to get there but the aesthetics got them there faster. Blossom DJ (Pink hair) is NEXT
Great journey that she went through and lots of takeaways for upcoming DJs who want to get their big break. Thanks for sharing Annabel and thanks Crossfader for putting this together.
One thing, the number 1 way to learn how to hold a crowd is to go fully Open Format for a little while as it will challenge you like no other style of DJing!
What’s “open format” DJ’ing?
@@patmer2087 Playing a set with different genres of music. Drum 'n Bass, Hip-hop, pop, R&B, EDM, Techno, Rock. Put it all in the blender to make your own cocktail of a set.
“Know the transitions inside and out” - key takeaway. Just like a comedians set
this is not meant as hate at all, but the DJs that have been interviewed on here have literally being doing it 2 minutes so when there are stories up 'ups & downs' , these are nothing compared the guys and girls who have slogged their guts off for years in sall bars/clubs, honed a craft both technically and how to read a room, and what is basically happening now is get a load of followers and social media profile...and THEN figure out how to mix basic tech house!
Everybody's journey is different. We in a new era where social media can actually boost your profile and make people want to see you. What you do when they arrive is up to you. I also agree with the aspect of reading the room, the practical aspects of it.
Christ, I wouldn't call it Tech House. To be honest the music on this channel is generally appalling anyway. Big bass awfulness to appeal to the 18 year olds that have zero interest in good music. It depends if you have any desire to stay true to yourself and play good underground music or pander to the masses and play some cheese to make money.... I could never bring myself to do that. And I won't be posing in my budgie smugglers on instagram for a few likes/laughs
That's the reality of the modern world. No one will invest in your brand and have you tour as a global DJ if you don't have a brand to sell, and the same applies for all musicians. The arts is not a purely skill-based industry, and I would argue that it never has been.
If you’re slogging it in bars you’re out of touch
I’m not being a jerk but I’m giving facts. I’m happy for her but I can’t be entirely impressed about a blond white girl (with more than passable looks l)who can REALLY play (Anna can really spin: wicked 🔥🔥🔥🔥)getting in the door as if it’s some. Sort of miracle. She took advantage that’s all of an industry that’s model looks Anglo obsessed with said demographic playing Black Music (Yes House Music is in its roots is:✊🏾✊🏽+🌈). That’s a tough sell to the demographic that NOW consumes it voraciously…. So Anna and the look are a lock the fact that she’s technically one of the best djs period is a double bonus
This is a fantastic podcast, I would say though that it could be a lot more listenable if you didn't repeat her words and add 'yeahs' quite as much. Sometimes things that feel natural in conversation don't always come across in a recording. Just my thoughts, but still great!
Wow never heard of Annable before but looking at her videos she knows how to party
💯
Dope interview and story. Wow
its crazy how now a person can be popular for djing before ever playing to a single party. no playing on an actual larger than life soundsystemm with subs, never working a dancefloor, never playing a 2++ hour peak set. you haven't even had time to suffer for your sound .
streaming income......ppffttt..... used to be when a new DJ needed to bring in extra income they had to sell pills and were expected to be adequate self starting entrepreneurs with ride or die street smarts....
like we got raided by task and jailed for our djing.... like being thrown on thee ground face first and handcuffed with gun at ur head because one of the promotion team just narced on us after 3 years history.... as we were lifting off. all that crazy stuff gets baked into your sound as a DJ. tik toc.....???... with djs self recording themselves dancing behind the decks while the dancefloor is growing roots. yuk.... watch old interviews with Franky Bones, kids.
While I don’t disagree that growth can come from adversity I don’t know that trauma is a prerequisite to success. Hard work and a bit of luck as the saying goes. We’re talking music not becoming a standup comedian. 😂
Good luck to her ..respect
...and again, she admitted she already had the connections.
Being good will only help you keep the gig. But the get the gig that depends on who do you know.
Of course, but I had the connections from years and years of doing community radio and running my own music blog on top of my 9-5 job. You still have to do the work to get the connections and build relationships in the first place 💪🏼
Really enjoyed this podcast, just some feedback for the next one:
Let the guest speak without interupting them with "mhm", "yeah", "totally" etc. Whilst I understand you want to make them feel understood, and that it's a conversation, I think you might be surprised where they take you when you give them a bit more space to think and talk.
yep, was really cringey
Totally agree with you @lucamarchal4534
Big up ❤ good info , i started DJ 1985 🎉
I often prefer remixes not known. Im nearly 36. Obsessivley collected and listened to old garage music before 97 and only just got some decks and found im not too bad. Ive always listened like a dj and wanted full version high quality versions of everything. Naming them all the same way. I noticed alot of djs i know tend to be music snobs and hate commercial tracks. My uncle terrible for it
ay man the cliffhanger😂😂😂😂
Great episode, inspires you to keep grinding 😎
Agreed
Why y’all taking away from what she’s worked so hard for? Yea she’s a beautiful woman but if she didn’t work hard on and off the decks and on and off the DAW her looks wouldn’t take her this far.
Once again folks - it’s not what you know it’s who you know
Tbh, that slavic orthodox tshirt is fireee ❤🔥❤🔥❤🔥❤🔥
Haha she will love this comment1
YES with the T-Shirt appreciation 👏🏼 worked overtime at Sainsburys when I was 18 for that 😂
@@annabelstopit where can i find that shirt tho
this has inspired me to upload a remix banger ive made & not worry about the copywrite....what could possibly go wrong lol
Great episode - so proud of the graft Annabel has put into her music career, so many highs and soooooo many lows but she is thriving. A-Team forever
so happy you enjoyed this ep x
Love you and love this comment 😭💗
Great video thank you so much. I have a quick question. When your offered a gig abroad do they pay for your flights or do you have to take that out of your fee ? Always wondered.
Same question here!
I mean... if a venue reaches out to you, then probably they are more than willing to get you there. Thoughts?
They're funded from the DJ's side. One reason why only a tiny minority of touring DJs make a decent living from it.
@@plentyofcalciumnah they’re not we always have to pay artist fee, booking fee and then hotels / flights on top of that. Altho im sure that differs from artist to artist
For reference I run a club night
really good episode🏆
Really appreciate you tuning in!
Love this episode!! But mics need to be fixed 😅
OMG Legend !!
🖤💫
She's is pretty my god what an angel
@annabelstopit is a BEAST!
Follow Annabel
instagram.com/annabelstopit/
www.tiktok.com/@annabelstopit
soundcloud.com/annabel
Should've had someone like Yaeji tell this story.
Doing the more commercial stuff may not be one’s thing, but, aside from the money, it really teaches one to read a crowd
True that, it’s like club DJ hazing 😂 🍭😎🫶
Whoop whoop 🖤🍭🫶
💯
Love her t-shirt. Where can I get one?
Kokon To Zai 🖤
Legend 💪🦋🦋💙💪🌶😎🔥🔥
👏👏👏
I hate to say this and am not a hater, but female DJ privilege is alive and well in the industry. A nice looking woman behind the decks either faking it or real, will garner much more attn than a male DJ.
I swear I say this all the time. It’s true. All they gotta do is take a pic behind the decks and here comes all the flame emojis and hype
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Annabelle's story is nothing short of incredible.
totally!
Big fan of hers but the industry is shagged if this Tiktok and Twitch approach is the only way. It's going to be a death of quality. Half of what I hear on beatport has a drop within the first 15 seconds. It's deadly crap.
Can someone write the names of the artists to follow please 🙏 ❤
list of the producers she was mentioning
Yeah, yeah. Yep. Yeah. Ohhhhhh, Yeah. Yep. Ye Ye Ye. eH Ehhhhh.
I wonder what kind of other credit social media DJs would have if we take out social media, certainly most of them would not cut it out on the musical or technical knowledge side, kinda sad actually, then again, its what people choose to support... Good old days are gone for good by now...
Whats the song playing in the intro?
EJECA - Jalek (Breaks Version)
@@Crossfader ❤️
Thanks @crossfader, earlier advice helped me to get myself out there on CZcams and that’s going great so far! Now need to get my first live gig hopefully 😅
dairy of a ceo intro style i see u
You've no idea how much this means to us 😂
My insecurity doesn't come from posting or building the brand. It's simply the fact I know I lack the producing skills to make it long term and feel like a fraud. Getting booked is easy.
Hi yeah I've been djing for 2 years.... 😂 you are not a Dj you are a social media whoever with a good marketing team. This is cultural for some of us and seeing this kind of thing where it's all about the $$ and marketing and other non Dj shit. Anyway I see an implosion of this branded poop. Stick with the people who care so much about it all they have done their adult lives is music. Not "I had to pay the rent" so I became a Dj. That's just disrespectful.
I have no team, so I'll take that as a compliment!
@@annabelstopitlol
hi
the t-shirt slogans though... russian speaking people would see this..
+
I rather hear a story of someone started from bottom rather than a privilege person who has all the support
😂
Love it! Thank you so much for this incredible content! 🫶
Its pretty easy with an instagram following and it isn't until this swelling boner over ...ehm..."what sells" goes down that cats with 23 years of experience and a few dubplates written will start to have more opportunities like this come their way. I sure af know it doesn't happen fast. Not this fast and there is only two reasons why nobody wants to mention. The saturation and what sells tickets.
Its why we see guys having to hump the mix lab on camera just to get people's attention,and attention is all its really about anymore, which is quite narcissistic. Its not about the music anymore. Back then, nobody but djs or aspiring ones paid attention to the booth. Food for thought.
you guys should buy a couple of chairs to sit on
We are absolutely aware of this 😂
Stools are cool too 😂
Twitch sounds like a lot of work and not a lot of money
You need to be able to what? TLDW. Timestamp pls
43:00 😎
Some salty men in here...LOL things just never change.
I noticed that too in the comments. I don't understand why people are salty for her success.
who is she? never heard
Well. If you listen to the podcast you will learn who she is.
If only you can let the guest speak without interrupting. I’ve watched most of your podcasts and is something that keeps happening were you guys keep interrupting right as the guest gets into the story.
She needs to make OF!
Clubs booking on followers has'nt been good for the scene.
*Have lots of followers and play slow boring music below 150 BPM* 😂
Being attractive is optional (with mask/helmet)
Sort her mic out!! What’s all that crackling noise
What an annoying guy, constantly interrupting her. Absolute stain
If you're a female you have more chances than a man to get gigs and shows even if you just know to play and pause a song and it's a fact even if you like or hate
No, you just have different chances. For instance some male DJs get the foot in the door by being stage/booth hands, carrying around and setting up heavy equipment. That's harder to get to do as a 100 pounds 5" woman than a 200 pounds 6" man. If you do that and know how to DJ, it's only a matter of time before you get to do the 1h warmup DJ set before the band plays on a Tuesday because you'll already be there, abd none of the resident DJs can be bothered
@@klausmogensen8691 Both of you have valid points but I have to say that with how Male saturated the DJ industry is there are often a lot more opportunities being provided for Female DJs these days. Whilst they still have to put the effort in, they still have more chances due to the industry trying to become more gender diverse and as a result we come across far more ads looking for Female DJs on social media these days. Anyway I wish all upcoming DJs the greatest success regardless of gender, age or sexuality
While there may be anecdotal evidence of female DJs having an easier time getting gigs, the actual statistics don't support this claim. According to CareerExplorer, only 32% of DJs are female, while 68% are male. This suggests that there is still a significant gender imbalance in the industry, and that male DJs have a much larger presence than female DJs. It's important to avoid making generalizations based on assumptions or limited information, and to acknowledge that there are still barriers to entry for women in the music industry. It's also important to recognize the achievements of female DJs and celebrate their contributions to the industry.
@@eeyorestonedthis is an equality of opportunity vs equality of outcome argument. There may indeed have been a lower opportunity for females in the past, and therefore we have a generation of predominantly male DJs today, that doesn't mean that it's still easier for a male to make it. In fact I expected that percentage to be more like 10% so they are already getting good representation and I bet if you graph it over the last 30 years it's risen exponentially.
@@chrisogrady28 While I understand the argument about equality of opportunity vs. outcome, it's important to note that there are still systemic issues that can make it more difficult for women to succeed in the DJ industry. For example, there is a gender pay gap in the industry, with female DJs earning less than their male counterparts. Additionally, there is still a lot of bias and sexism in the industry, with women being subjected to harassment and discrimination. So, while it's true that opportunities may be more equal now than in the past, there are still obstacles that can make it harder for women to succeed. The rising representation of female DJs is definitely a positive trend, but there is still work to be done to ensure true equality in the industry.
This guy needs to stop saying “Yea Yea Yea” all the time.
Her quick rise is nothing to do with talent.
It’s all about image these days.
And personality and interaction. The crowd doesn't care if the DJ produced their own music, they just want to have fun!
EVERY SINGLE JOB in the world has many more components which contribute to success than "raw talent". Even at my engineering job...engineering skill is the least important thing. This is life. Soft skills are king.
It's kind of wild how fucked up podcasts like this have the culture. They never talk about music outside of this random goo they just happen to dispense, it is all about money and branding opportunities. This is exactly why dance music is in the toilet right now.
Sorry to say no the DJs in the last 15 at least, did not have to work hard as is DJs who started early 90s.
Secondly, I see this a female DJs get a lot more clout, even if you’re not that good, and a lot of them do not have a lot of clothing on.
Again they are some again dj has worked very hard before the digital era, male and female. But the digital error just means everyone can be a DJ just have to learn how to simply beat much.
And every time the BPM is there. And historically the art of Turntablism is what a dj show is about. (In my opinion)
So for someone who is a selector, it’s not a disc jockey!
Sorry but your talking absolute bollocks. This is from someone who spun tunes in the 90's till now........... Djing aint about being able to pick out a BPM..... Its about song selection and reading a crowd. YOu must be off the fucking arc if you think no one is a dj because they use new tech.... I for one am more than delighted I dont need to cart 100's of vinyl tunes about.... Get wit the times and stop being a tit.
First of all, I would argue that no industry is the same as it was in the 90s - Internet and technology has made sure of that.
Secondly, the so called famed “disk jockeys of the hay days” also selected others music to play. They didn’t all create their own music to play. I would go as far at to say 90% the djs touring internationally have created their own music. “Working hard” is so subjective.
Thirdly, the representation in the world of djing is changing. It’s no longer a boys club. To say she is popular because she is a woman is sexism. I challenge you to close your eyes, choose three random mixes and *then * choose your favorite.
This is another “back in my day” statement. With all due respect, technology changes, culture changes. It’s an inevitable lifecycle for any art form. You can either adapt or stick to a set of beliefs or principles that defined a segment of time. There’s room for both philosophies. But there is no room for dogma.
LOL sure
@@the.afters.podcastwell said