Music producer DJ Bander recently released his single, “Said and Done,” following on the heels of “Dream Land,” “Count on Me (Old Days)” and “Fast.”
DJ Bander has shared bills with EDM heavyweights like the EC Twins, LA Riots, Dwntwn, and AC Slater and completed remixes for artists like Katy Perry, Taryn Manning, and Automagic. He worked as a production assistant to the music editor on the global hit movie Day After Tomorrow and as the producer for New Age Music Group. He’s headlined California festivals Emerald Dream and Hot Summer Nights.
His single “The Vision Is Clear” achieved a Top 10 iTunes chart position for Electronica. He also took home a Hollywood Music Media Award for Best New Producer, and bagged Top 100 spots on Beat Port for his singles “Last Sunset” and “NASA.”
Multi-talented, DJ Bander was recently featured in Forbes and LA Weekly – ‘Top 10 Entrepreneurs to Look Out for in 2023’ – for his entrepreneurial skills and bridging high finance, real estate, stock investing, and music to grow an 8-figure valuation media label Bander Productions.
CelebMix spoke with DJ Bander to find out more about the inspiration for “Said and Done,” how he got started in music, and how he became an entrepreneur.
What three things can’t you live without?
Sky views, a music studio, and a good bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.
What inspired your new single, “Said and Done?”
It’s about closing out relationships and moving in a direction that’s best for you.
How did you get started in music?
I studied piano and drums since the age of five. I also studied at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and extensively at Musicians Institute and USC for orchestration. Later, I mentored under legendary film composer Emanuele Arnone and studied MIDI production and track development.
What’s the backstory there?
My mother took me to the park in Brooklyn to play live instrumentation in the drum circles. In general, I was around a great deal of both musicianship and entrepreneurial influences that inspired my career.
Where are you from?
Brooklyn, NYC.
Did your hometown impact your sound?
My hometown is the birthplace of hip-hop, and home to much of the jazz renaissance. So, it influenced my drum composition and melody technique in many ways. I was into jazz and indie in other bands for years before developing my own digital music sound.
If you had to describe your sound to the uninitiated, what would you say?
Moby meets OVO40 meets Markus Schultz. Progressive and sonically refined with a blend of many musical styles.
You’re also CEO of Bander Productions, a label and marketing firm. How did a DJ and producer become a capital manager and all-around creative entrepreneur?
Interestingly, I was involved in real estate and capital management as long as I was doing music. I took interest in the stock market even before college, which helped me to form a business-minded outlook and vision for my music and entrepreneurial endeavors. As monetizing from streams and downloads alone has become increasingly difficult, the key is to utilize popularity from one’s music as a way to build a brand that also offers services and value to the public.
From your unique perspective, what is the biggest problem with the music industry right now?
The biggest problem is that the industry, which used to be based on talent and unique artists, is now flooded with criminals, from extortionists to scammers, artists, and producers that don’t actually understand music but portray an image as actual composers or producers when in reality, they are just glorified loop editors.
Which artists in your opinion are killing it right now?
Metro Boomin, Alina Baraz, and Naomi Sharon are some of my favs at the moment.
What’s your definition of success?
Being able to take care of your family and loved ones and enjoy the way you spend your time.
Looking back over the last few years, what have you learned?
Be careful who you trust and love yourself first.
Musically, what can your fans look forward to over the next six months? Music videos? Live gigs?
New singles are on the way, exciting collabs, and an album goal of late 2023!