Mark Ursa @ Dance Music 101

Mark Ursa was born in Belgium and he soon caught the virus of House Music, moving to Ibiza where he started his career of DJ in the early 2000’s being the first Belgian DJ to get a residence of a party in that town. Since 2006, Mark Ursa shares his time between several cities in Brazil, Miami, Las Vegas and Ibiza, playing in major superclubs and festivals around the world.

Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

I think that Dance Music really took a big place in my life 20 years ago when I decided to move to Ibiza. Before that, I organized few electronics parties, but also fashion events and marketing actions for brands (Bacardi, Playboy, MTV, ...). As DJs, I was just warming up my nights. This year I organized the model contest (New Face Top Model) in Amnesia for the famous agency Elite Model. After my first season in Ibiza, I decided to devote myself totally to electronic music. The next year in Ibiza, I was already organizing my own electronic parties at Privilege Ibiza, which was the biggest club in the world at the time, and I also got a weekly residency as a DJ every Sunday.

Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

I had real fun when I played at a Holi festival in my city, in Belgium. I don't often to Belgium so when I come back a few days, all my friends come to see me (which 'are completely nuts hahaha) and it always ends up like the movie "The hangover", often much worse... We Belgians, we are revelers, we love life, and we don't have too many limits when we are partying!!!

Love: name the one think you love more than anything – and why is that?

There are 2 things I love more than anything... my daughter and my life. My daughter, because it's a true and pure love, it's my blood. My life because I'm happy and I do everything I love. I worked, fought and risked a lot to be happy today. I didn't always have a dream life, I went through very difficult times too. That's why my life today, my happiness, my work are more important than anything.

Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

I went to the army for 10 years (from my 16 till 26 years old). I was in anti-aircraft commandos in a Belgian military base in Germany. In parallel, I organized parties on weekends. It was not the life I wanted, especially at this time because there were several wars (Somalia, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, ...) where we were sent as blue berets (peacekeepers) or for the Protection and repatriation of civilians as in Zaire. So the first event of Dance music important for me was a party that I organized in a Belgian club called Studio 411 and which made me earn good money for the first time. I realized that "maybe" i can live only with my second job (who was a hobby at this time), and i decided to take the risk of leaving the army and starting a new life. This decision has changed my life.

Present: what do you thing that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

The music has changed in the last 2 years and comes back to what we were doing 10/15 years ago, like House, Tech House and Techno. I am even sure that Trance will also come back strong this year. It's a good change, THANKS GOD, hahaha. I think club culture is almost dead, killed by festivals. Only the quality clubs survive, and it's the same for the festivals I think. It's a pity because there is nothing warmer than a small club with good music. But unfortunately today, it's not enough for a club to have good music to survive.

Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

This is really difficult to say because industry moves a lot and every year. The positive point is the Electronic music become also "pop" (Special thanks to David Guetta), that mean this brings a recognition of all musical styles, and a bigger audience of fans, and by the consequences, it brings also budgets and a lot of opportunities. Dance Music will grow up much more I think.

Mia Lucci @ Dance Music 101

Mia Lucci is a DJ, producer, host to her own radio show on Ibiza Global Radio for 3 years running and partner in Berlin based record label Kindisch. Mia has established herself at the forefront of the modern house and techno movement with a career spanning over 10 years behind the decks and 6 years in the studio, she has become a staple in the international house and techno scene.

Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

There wasn’t really a defining moment.  It was more a collection of moments that created the close affinity I now have with dance music. From what I've seen in life we're all a product of our environment and that includes developing a quality like passion. I began DJing when I had to pay my way through university but that led to me taking more interest in music, finding new records, travelling to Ibiza, starting a record label, giving up my profession as a Child & Family Psychologist and ultimately focusing full time in the industry. All of these experiences built my passion for Dance Music.

Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

Do you want me to tell you how it's a mission of mine to  make everyday fun or if are you looking for details about my last 2-day party bender? Both require a little more time then what we have here but I can tell you about them in person one day :)

Love: name the one think you love more than anything, and why is that?

I love "love". Mushy but true.

Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

I was having one of those moments where I was doubting myself.  A friend of mine said to me something along the lines of “It doesn’t matter how you begin or finish. There’s no right or wrong way to do music. You just do it. You will have your own journey as has and will everyone before and after you”. There are a lot of moments (and I still have them now) where something might happen or be said and it makes you doubt yourself. But having those words in my head and believing in my own individual path is what pulls me back in line whenever I get off track.

Present: what do you think is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

There is a huge shift musically across continents and generations. The biggest shift that I have noticed across continents and generations is that there is this increased burning curiosity for people to seek out something new, to be part of something fresh and also unique. I feel like music from  the underground (for lack of a better word) is really making headway because of this.

Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

Because the younger generations are becoming more curious and wanting to be part of something unique, this is opening the flood gates for increased exposure and general consumption of music in our industry.  And this means growth of the industry.  For me, the more the merrier. It is a great thing what is happening in our scene.

Matt de Plessis @ Dance Music 101

Matt de Plessis is Get Physical’s A&R manager in Berlin. He also manages Artists such as Marc Houle (Items & Things), Jazzuelle (Get Physical), Stephan Hinz (Second State) and he has run labels for Artists such as Chris Liebing (CLR), Nicole Moudaber (Mood), Groove Armada (Pack Up And Dance). His passion of Electronic Music dates from early 90’s and took him on a journey from Paris to New-York, Barcelona, London, Berlin and Rio de Janeiro.

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

It was back in 1984, I was 8 years old and I was dancing at my parents living room to bronski beat - small town boy as I got the 7inch record as a birthday present. I use to  play it again and again every day at any time of the day and dancing in front of my parents hi fi stereo system.

Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

Very hard to pick a moment! I usually try to laugh as much as possible on a daily basis, i can mostly turn anything into a joke if life gives me enough time. I had a real fun time in Rio during the last Rio Music Conference with my partners in crime Leo Janeiro and Roland Leesker… I think we have rinsed a lot of running punch line jokes that we have made up together and this was going on for days… Hilarious!

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?

The Sun cause everybody loves the sunshine!

Hip-hop and house music cause it’s the love of my life.

The rest is pretty much personal for now.

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

I think it’s a long endless moment that has started 15 years ago when I’ve first started to work as a pro with my music heroes such as Funk D’void, Groove Armada, M.A.N.D.Y., Chris Liebing and my beloved Get Physical Family.

Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

I will use my joker here and would simply quote  Antoine Lavoisier, French  chemist:

“Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed."

Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

I think industry is going to have to deal with more dematerialization when it comes to music itself as a media, especially with streaming, I think it will hit the djs, the festival and clubs’s dj booths very soon at some point. When that time will come we better make sure to learn how to rematerialize our Music and to celebrate it properly during parties and Share The Fun as chicago's pioneer Larry Heard says ‘Can You Feel it’.

Luis Estrada @ Dance Music 101

Luis Estrada is the Managing Director of Aftercluv, Universal Music Latin America’s dance entertainment division. Aftercluv is a 360 platform encompassing a record label, management and booking services, brand partnerships, media and event concepts. Based in the US, he heads operations in  9 countries and 12 cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, Mexico City, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid. In only two years Aftercluv is the leader in Iberoamerica with songs accumulating over 1 billion streams, a roster of over 15 artists with management and booking rights, 5 radio shows, 1 terrestrial FM station, 3 TV shows, the #1 edm online vertical and involvement in 3 festivals and brand partnerships with leading global brands.

Estrada has been with Universal Music since 2001, when he launched the New Trends Division in the Mexico office. Since then, he has had a range of roles including Marketing Director and in 2008 General Manager of Universal Music Latino. He subsequently took on additional GM responsibility, firstly for the Machete Music label in 2010 and then Capitol Latin in 2013. Throughout his time at Universal he has consistently developed new talent and worked closely with the most important artists on Universal Music Latin America’s roster on both a strategic and creative level, helping them achieve historic records in the charts such as Enrique Iglesias’ “Bailando” with 41 weeks in the #1 and J Balvin’s “Ginza” with 22 weeks in the #1 Hot Latin Songs Billboard chart, among many others. He also led the launch strategy for Aftercluv in 2015. Estrada holds an MBA from the University of Southern California and a degree in Marketing from Tecnológico de Monterrey. He lives in Los Angeles, is married and has two children.

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

Though my background as a musician started in rock, I had many friends in the early 90s that were both doing electronic music and attending raves, so I was really curious about those never ending parties with “smart drinks”, the first time I attended a techno rave in 1992, I was hooked with the hypnotism of the beats and the idea of being able to “dance with myself” and without caring about the rest of the world…

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun? Last Friday in my weekly date with my wife…we share a bottle of wine, charcuterie and we talk and reflect on the weekly happenings, talk about our greatest love of all: our family, she and I, our kids, our parents, brothers, sisters…

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?

God and my family. It’s all about him and them.

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

We recently hosted (March 17^th and 18^th) The Social Festival in both Mexico and Colombia, it is the #1 boutique house and techno festival in the UK but it was relatively unknown internationally…we worked really hard and were able to make it a great success in its first editions in Latin America, which happened on the same two days in two different cities, it was a huge challenge…

- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

Music is living the ultimate era of fusion and incorporating folk and ethnic sounds in pop, dance is pop and pop is dance, dance music producers compete with the greatest artists in the world right now, dance is mainstream but that also opens the door for underground sounds to be relevant again…clubs are taking less risks, they do more educated decisions, use more data and social media, regardless of many challenges, such as economic instability and local regulations festivals are growing into emerging markets in both Latin America and Asia, there’s a continuous search for new concepts/experiences that can engage with the consumers in the different demographics, this opens an opportunity for more underground events as techno and house lovers want to live a more exclusive experience…the importance of Los Angeles in dance music is huge, it’s the epicenter of the industry and that’s amazing…

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

Consistent but slow growth in general the industry will definitely have better years than 2001 to 2015, Latin America and Asia will both have continuous growth, new DJs coming from those emerging markets creating a more diverse offer, the world understands better the importance and relevance of these markets as the region plays a key role in the economics of all sides of the business (recording, live, sponsorships, etc..), in a complex transition there will be a consolidation of streaming services in maybe three options at the most as it’s difficult for everyone to survive and for the consumers to pay attention to so many options, virtual reality playing a relevant part with exciting experience, dance music always being relevant as it will always play the part of the futuristic and innovative sounds…US and Europe will align more stylistically as globalization continues to erase artistic frontiers, we’ll see new exciting ways of discovering new talent through platforms that will help us filtering the massive amounts of new music that will continue to be created…

Kim Knight @ Dance Music 101

Kim Knight is the Managing Director of Buddy Systems, communication technology to empower the crowd at events, Founder of Crazy Bones Music - Brand and Talent Management company based in Los Angeles and Co-Founder of MALLA - a boutique fitness brand that is dedicated in building a stronger generation through music and community.

Knight is also a Board Member Electronic Music Alliance, a not for profit organization, and global membership alliance cultivating, collaborating, and celebrating social responsibility within the Electronic Dance Industry. Entrepreneur with 20 years experience in the music industry, dedicated to culture and change.

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

My first boyfriend was a DJ, his first gift to me was a mix tape (on cassette) that I couldn’t stop playing, to the point that I nearly got suspended from my catholic school for hiding my earphones under my hair in art class. I used to record all the Colin Favor shows (naughty) - then progressed into me going to raves, clubs and really getting involved in the culture. Dance music became a part of my life and the rest is history!

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

It was actually in Rio. I was attending the Rio Music Conference with my business partner and we were on the beach till late drinking Caipirinha’s and rolling in the sand listening to a bit of Loose Ends :)

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?

My family, they are my strong unit that forever keeps me grounded.

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

When I worked in A&R and I realized the importance of believing in the music you work on and that you need to feed your soul, otherwise it can really kill your passion. Most of us don’t consciously choose to work in music, it’s our destiny.

- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

I think the big room sound may have had it’s moment as I’m noticing a resurgence in house & techno:)  I also see a lot of record labels coming up as big brands in their own right and hosting stages at festivals.

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

Such a difficult question to answer but I think most people would agree streaming will continue to be the norm for music consumption.  The challenge lies in curation, there is so much music available and it’s hard to manage the quality and be able to sort through it all. 

In the days of record shops the buyers would control what was sold in the shops, but with the distribution models of today anyone can upload music. Don’t get me wrong I am not against people being independent and sharing their work, but I know I am finding it more and more hard to go through all the tracks that are not for me. Most of us industry rely on promo lists, but what happens to the regular consumer?

How are they going to be influenced and find new music? Top playlists will become the new charts and ultimately the barometer for success. 

However on the flip side with the current platform that is available today most talent will realise that they can achieve just as much fame by releasing their own music.

Kristen Agee @ Dance Music 101

Kristen Agee - a classically trained violinist, bassist and sound engineer who resides in Los Angeles - is the CEO and founder of 411 Music Group, a company that provides synchronization licensing, publishing, administration and digital distribution for artists and composers. Agee secures global partnerships for 411 and oversees creative and strategic business development. Three years after starting 411, The Coca-Cola Company featured Agee in a Q&A with the head of global music marketing, Joe Belliotti. 
Read the full Coca-Cola interview at: Coca-Cola Unbottled

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant for you?

I went to raves and listened to Drum and Bass albums back in high school. I have a diverse musical background, so I’ve always been interested in multiple genres. I started playing drums at the age of 7, then guitar at 9, then violin at the age of 11, which is really what led me on a path of music. When I moved to LA at 18, I went to sound engineering school, learned to record and then picked up the bass guitar. Growing up, I listened to Classical, Punk Rock, Classic Rock, Alt Rock, some Jazz, Pop and Electronic. I expanded my horizons more when I started writing and working in synchronization and became more entrenched in the electronic music scene as I learned about recording and programming.

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

I have a lot of fun strategizing and talking about music. Being totally honest, coming to Brazil for RMC was a definite highlight of the year. I connected with a lot of producers, composers and fellow music publishers and record labels. Talking about music and hearing artists from all over the globe is educational for me and provides a more comprehensive perspective on the industry as a whole.

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?

Obvious answer: Music….and my dogs….and my friends and family, not necessarily in that order ;)

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

I didn’t have a career in Dance Music until I started 411 Music Group and signed DJs. When I was writing in the studio more, I used to watch various tutorials from my favorite DJs explaining how to create sounds in different programs like Pro-Tools and Ableton and learned how to use various plug-ins.  I always thought these producers are always going to be better at this than me, so I started curating music and repping artists instead. Artist-wise, I remember seeing Concord Dawn in LA back in 2006 and then Benga and Pendulum play at the Melkweg in Amsterdam in 2010. Those shows sort of took me down the EDM/Drum & Bass rabbit hole a bit.

- Present: what do you think is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

A lot of mainstream artists are borrowing beats and synth sounds from the electronic music scene. It’s different in every territory, but a lot of the electronic music trends start outside of the states and then slowly trickle over. The electronic music scene heavily influences a lot of the US hits. It’s impressive to hear each culture bring something new to the table in whatever music is being created. For example, hearing the Brazilian influences in the electronic music while I was there was really cool. The mixing of cultures and blurring of genres allows for more creative portals to open and possibly have another genre or new artists emerge. 

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

We’ve been moving towards digital for a long time now. That will continue. Creatively, I think we’re in for a shakeup. People can find and listen to whatever they want. So, it’s going to take some serious creativity and good songwriting to break away from the noise and grab people’s attention. I’m looking forward to hearing what that sounds like. 

Chiara Belolo @ Dance Music 101

Chiara Belolo, 28, started her career in electronic music in 2009, when she got a job as Business affairs at Sirup Music, EDX’s entertainment company. She experienced artist and event management, music publishing all while touring the world with renowned DJs. Currently Chiara is the in charge of the international development at Scorpio Music - www.scorpiomusic.fr -, an independent record label based in Paris founded in 1976 by Henri Belolo.

-Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

Probably when I figured that being a lawyer was not for me ;-)

I must have been 19 years old, and I was going out a lot when I got my first “weekend job” opportunity as a Tour Manager in Switzerland for famous DJs. Since then I have been enjoying all the travel involved with my job.

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

I have fun all the time! It’s really important to appreciate life’s little things and not take anything seriously. Especially in a stressed hyperconnected world where you receive so many e-mails daily…just laugh it off!

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?

The one thing I love more than anything is my family. It’s really important to keep balance in life and family allows me to reach that. And I love that my family is involved in my career as well. My son attended his first IMS in Ibiza when he wasn’t even 1, and last year at just 2 years old he rocked his first ADE in Amsterdam :) Also, working for an independent family run record label kinda puts together my two passions, family and music. I am very lucky!

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

I am still young, however I have had a few significative moments every time I got a new job. All the experiences I have had helped me being the person I am today. My first real job was at Sirup Music (Sirup runs Pinkstar Records among other labels). Working side by side daily with EDX, who owns it, taught me so much! Then the day my husband offered me a job position at Scorpio Music - after being a full-time mom for a while - was a challenge I welcomed gladly. Not only are we able to work together without fighting, but we also have stuff to talk about at night because we take care of different sides of the business.

- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

Today there are so many songs released that use samples from past HITs, but I appreciate artists that take risks musically and get successful on their own ideas. I am a huge fan of Major Lazer since 2008 when I first saw them live in Paris…and we just signed this new artist Willy William at Scorpio who also has this total different touch to his music, it’s super catchy!

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

The fun thing about music is that nobody can really tell where it’s going to go for sure. I wish I could, then I could be the most successful A&R in the world haha. Jokes aside, I believe we will have some revival…I heard disco is coming back! Let’s see.
Aside that I hope that we will have more meaningful lyrics. Through music you can reach so many people, I would love some important or educating messages to be thrown out there for the youth…

I am also a huge underground techno fan at heart, and I am glad that the scene is growing so much and hopefully will continue so. I mean, look at what Warung has become in Brazil. Everyone is talking about it all over the world!