Episodes

This episode is sponsored by Trackstack: the operating system built for music professionals who invest in each other. Trackstack Pro gives you access to a network of labels, curators, and artists where every connection you make is yours to keep. No algorithms, no platform holding your contacts hostage. Just real professional relationships that can turn into collaborations, bookings, and opportunities that can change the trajectory of your career. Use code ELEVATED for 50% off Pro for 3 months a...

This episode is sponsored by Trackstack: the operating system built for music professionals who invest in each other. Trackstack Pro gives you access to a network of labels, curators, and artists where every connection you make is yours to keep. No algorithms, no platform holding your contacts hostage. Just real professional relationships that can turn into collaborations, bookings, and opportunities that can change the trajectory of your career. Use code ELEVATED for 50% off Pro for 3 months a...

This episode is sponsored by Trackstack: the operating system built for music professionals who invest in each other. Trackstack Pro gives you access to a network of labels, curators, and artists where every connection you make is yours to keep. No algorithms, no platform holding your contacts hostage. Just real professional relationships that can turn into collaborations, bookings, and opportunities that can change the trajectory of your career. Use code ELEVATED for 50% off Pro for 3 months a...

This episode is sponsored by Trackstack: the operating system built for music professionals who invest in each other. Trackstack Pro gives you access to a network of labels, curators, and artists where every connection you make is yours to keep. No algorithms, no platform holding your contacts hostage. Just real professional relationships that can turn into collaborations, bookings, and opportunities that can change the trajectory of your career. Use code ELEVATED for 50% off Pro for 3 months a...

This episode is sponsored by Trackstack: the operating system built for music professionals who invest in each other. Trackstack Pro gives you access to a network of labels, curators, and artists where every connection you make is yours to keep. No algorithms, no platform holding your contacts hostage. Just real professional relationships that can turn into collaborations, bookings, and opportunities that can change the trajectory of your career. Use code ELEVATED for 50% off Pro for 3 months a...

Mark Knight went from freezing on a construction roof to running Beatport's number one selling label. Host Olivia Mancuso sits down with the Toolroom founder. He explains why making a record is like managing a construction project, and why he never took a single day off building the company. Inside Toolroom: 24 staff, 45 plus releases a year, fully self-funded with no investors, surviving on integrity, A&R, and artist development. They also dig into burnout, protecting your mornings, and the fu...

At 38, Bontan still looks 23. He quit school at 17 to DJ pubs five nights a week, took a 6-month pay cut to chase the Bontan project from his parents' house, and just launched his own label North Drum at Fabrik London. He's signed to Hot Creations, releases on No Art, and his latest track just went viral overnight after a major pop star used it on a reel. In this episode, Olivia sits down with Bontan to talk about what it actually takes to build a sustainable career in dance music, from survivi...

From a perfect SAT math score to a residency at Hï Ibiza, Francis Mercier built his career on networking, not luck. Olivia Mancuso sits down with Francis Mercier, the Haitian DJ, producer, and Deep Root Records founder. He breaks down spinning $300 frat parties at Brown and throwing his own New York parties when no club would book him yet. Francis also shares the seven-year grind to earn a major artist's recognition, and why connecting with people beats raw studio talent. For any DJ or produce...

What does it really take to get signed to a respected electronic label? Hint: it has nothing to do with your follower count. Olivia Mancuso sits down with DJ Tennis, founder of Life and Death, who didn't earn his first real DJ recognition until he was 40. He traces his path from Italy's punk and DIY scene into Italo disco, house, and techno, and explains why wedding DJ work is underrated training. He also shares the rejected record that went Beatport number one for a year, and what he actually ...

Most of what you call career work isn't actually moving your career forward. In this one, I'm breaking down the four habits quietly stalling most DJ careers right now. I get personal about why I'm giving up my studio over a $1,100 rent hike, and why "knowing your worth" can be a costume for ego. I cover Instagram hack culture, the prerequisites you invent for yourself, and the feedback habit that quietly kills creative vision. These habits feel responsible. They feel like progress. But in actu...

What happens when one hate comment almost ends a 30-year career? Olivia Mancuso sits down with Laidback Luke, the Dutch DJ behind Mixmash Records and mentor to a generation of EDM giants. He opens up about losing the underground scene after his first hit, and the silent year that followed his MTV breakthrough. But he's still here. Still hungry. Still winning. This conversation goes deep on what it actually takes to survive — and thrive — in dance music for three decades. Luke opens up about bui...

Going viral takes the same time as making the song. That's the mindset shift Tres Mortimer credits for breaking out of the Chicago local DJ scene. Olivia Mancuso sits down with Tres Mortimer, the producer behind Optics Records and the new party brand Slavic House Society. They unpack the local to touring jump, why content has to be funded like studio time, and how hate comments means your content is working. They cover why remixes are losing grip, and his fresh Planet X signing with Ben Sterlin...

AJ Christou went from hanging out at Sankys with a fake ID to becoming a resident at the same club, signing with The Martinez Brothers, and playing his first official Miami Music Week set at Wynwood Studios. In this episode, Olivia Mancuso sits down with AJ to break down how a Manchester teenager who hated electronic music the first time he heard it built a career in the global house and tech house circuit. AJ shares the random chain of events that started his DJ journey: buying CDJs that sat u...

Laylo is the drop platform and CRM used by artists and promoters like Fisher, Chris Lake, James Hype, Mochakk, Whethan, and TekSupport to create hype around big moments and build a direct line to fans. With Laylo, you can capture phone numbers from social media and message your biggest supporters when tickets or merch go live, plus reward them with exclusives. It works across SMS, email, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs, with integrations like Shopify and Spotify, voicemail hotlines, and a complete t...

What happens when billions of streams stop meaning anything? In this episode of Elevated Frequencies, Olivia Mancuso sits down with multi-platinum artist Jonas Blue to talk about the moment commercial success stopped being enough. Jonas opens up about the summer of 2024, when years of touring and making EDM left him feeling creatively empty and personally unhappy in London. Instead of staying comfortable, he made a drastic decision: sell everything, leave the major label system, and move to Mia...

Ever wonder what happens when two brothers make 500 tracks before one finally breaks through? In this episode, Olivia Mancuso sits down with Murphy's Law, the UK brother duo taking the US dance music scene by storm. From growing up in a studio at the end of their garden (their dad played with Stevie Wonder) to making rap music as teenagers, Sonny and his brother Finn built their careers through relentless grassroots hustle. They share the full story behind their breakout remix of Christina Agui...

What does it actually take to go from bottle service gigs to touring techno DJ? Flashgea has a very specific answer. Olivia Mancuso sits down with Flashgea, a Bronx-born, Ecuadorian-Trinidadian producer and DJ who discovered rave culture at 20 years old on an illegal boat party during COVID lockdown and never looked back. They cover the story behind Took the Night, his biggest track to date, how a single caption about the genre police triggered a viral moment that brought Hannah Laing, Sarah L...

Laylo is the drop platform and CRM used by artists and promoters like Fisher, Chris Lake, James Hype, Mochakk, Whethan, and TekSupport to create hype around big moments and build a direct line to fans. With Laylo, you can capture phone numbers from social media and message your biggest supporters when tickets or merch go live, plus reward them with exclusives. It works across SMS, email, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs, with integrations like Shopify and Spotify, voicemail hotlines, and a complete t...

Ever struggle to finish tracks because of endless screen time and studio distractions? Host Olivia Mancuso sits down with underground house heavyweight Josh Butler to discuss how strict time limitations actually fuel his creativity. Josh reveals how balancing fatherhood with his DJ career forced him to embrace constraints, proving you can produce a great track in just three hours by stepping away from your phone and protecting your creative flow. They also dive into his hands-on workflow with ...

Laylo is the drop platform and CRM used by artists and promoters like Fisher, Chris Lake, James Hype, Mochakk, Whethan, and TekSupport to create hype around big moments and build a direct line to fans. With Laylo, you can capture phone numbers from social media and message your biggest supporters when tickets or merch go live, plus reward them with exclusives. It works across SMS, email, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs, with integrations like Shopify and Spotify, voicemail hotlines, and a complete t...

Laylo is the drop platform and CRM used by artists and promoters like Fisher, Chris Lake, James Hype, Mochakk, Whethan, and TekSupport to create hype around big moments and build a direct line to fans. With Laylo, you can capture phone numbers from social media and message your biggest supporters when tickets or merch go live, plus reward them with exclusives. It works across SMS, email, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs, with integrations like Shopify and Spotify, voicemail hotlines, and a complete t...

The music industry's trend cycle is moving faster than ever, but surviving for over a decade requires more than just bowing to the algorithm. Host Olivia Mancuso sits down with iconic DJ and producer Valentino Khan (@ValentinoKhan) to dissect his unique journey from making hip-hop beats on basic software to dominating the dance music scene with decade-defining hits like "Deep Down Low." They dive deep into the reality of modern music consumption, discussing how bringing a hip-hop perspective i...

Viral fame looks like overnight success, but building a sustainable music career often takes a decade of grinding behind the scenes. Host Olivia Mancuso sits down with tech house artist OKAYVAL ( @OKAYVAL ) to dissect her journey from making beats in 2013 to dominating charts with viral hits like "Techno" and "Designer." They dive deep into the reality of modern music production, discussing how to evolve your sound design and mix engineer skills across genres like House and Big Room to finally...

Creating a cohesive body of work is the ultimate challenge for rising artists. We explore the pressure of music production while balancing a relentless release schedule and touring. Host Olivia Mancuso sits down with bass music powerhouse ALLEYCVT to discuss her journey from professional songwriting to becoming a headlining EDM producer. We dive into technical sound design, the complexity of mixdowns, and the workflow required to bridge melody writing with professional electronic music product...