“I was 13 when I first went to a music store. I remember it clearly: the store had 4 floors, and the upper floor was dedicated to DJ gear. As soon as I saw all the different equipment, I was sold. In that moment I knew I wanted to become a DJ. I started teaching myself things I saw in YouTube-videos. All the money I made with walking dogs and delivering newspapers I invested in buying new gear. I had my first ever gig when I was just 15 performing for 20 people. It was as amazing as it was horrifying.

Jan-Rosenthal

“It made me insecure about my own abilities. But I kept going and trying to be better.”

This summer, I went on my very first Summer Tour round Egypt, Spain and Morocco. Standing there, playing the tracks I produced myself and watching the crowd react: it still gives me goosebumps. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for me. When I first started producing my own tracks, no record label would have me because my music just wasn’t quite there yet. In that same period, I saw a lot of other DJs perform. Hearing what they had in store made me insecure about my own abilities. But I kept going and trying to be better. And guess what? A couple years, later my track got signed by a big label.

The Tomorrowland’s 2012 aftermovie was one of the videos that sparked my love for what I do, so I hope that one day I'll play on a big festival myself. I will never stop working on my dream. Nobody should ever do that. We only have one life, right? So, no matter what happens or what failures you go through, just keep going. See it as a motivation to get even better. Because achieving your goal in the end, gives a different kind of pride and happiness.  

Jan Rosenthal, Leisure & Events Management student