When Should You Quit Your Job For Techno? DJs Advise

The decision is not as easy as you’d think.

It often seems that successful musicians and DJs have struck the perfect professional balance—after all, they get paid for their passion and obsession.

But while this might be the ultimate end-goal, the reality is that for most musicians, “doing what you love” played a secondary role to “doing what you gotta do” for a long time. Just as important as raw talent is finding a way to bring work into harmony with what you love, and providing a solid platform so you can then launch to the next level.

In a fascinating thread based on this theme, six artists—including Berghain regular Anthony Parasole and Rex Club resident D’Julz—were asked to explain their transition from holding down regular jobs to making music work for them full-time. The answers are illuminating not only because they show just how hard all these musicians worked to get where they wanted to be. It also proves just how much planning, strategizing and timing is required for these things to fall into place.

You can read all their artists’ answers here. Listen to Parasole’s Dekmantel podcast below.

Read more: Read Jlin’s advice for aspiring musicians