Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Anthony
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been DJing for a little bit under 3 years and producing for about 2. I bought my first DJ controller in December of 2021 and practiced on it every day for about 3 months. I got my first gig in March of 2022 and from there started to play at different venues all over Orlando. My DJ name at the time was Genie Aero and I focused more so on House music. At that time I will admit I wasn’t fully in it, I was playing shows and doing it because I enjoyed it but I wasn’t trying to do anything more with it than just play. Around that time I also started to learn how to use Abelton, Abelton is a Digital audio workstation or DAW, which is a computer software program that allows you to produce and make music. I was told that if you want to grow in the music scene you need to start making original music. I took that to heart, sitting down at home on Abelton watching YouTube videos, and reading articles I eventually got to a point where I could make a song. However, the more time and energy I put into Abelton the harder and more complex the software began to become. I realized I was at a point of being stuck, so I started to do my research on schools that can help teach you how to produce and understand music theory better. I ended up enrolling at Full Sail University and started majoring in music production.
Then in July of 2022, I got into an accident causing me to have to take a step back, take time to heal, and work on myself. During that time I came to the realization just how much I wanted to do this, I began to realize that not only did I enjoy playing shows and making music but I also loved it. I love being on that stage and being able to uplift everyone, making people dance and feel free. Knowing that I can help make people smile and forget about the world brings me nothing but joy. I ended up having a long conversation with myself one night, I told myself that this journey was going to be hard and that I would most likely run into moments of feeling like I should quit and give up, but the ones who made it, and became successful, they are the ones who never gave up, and never stopped growing. I made a promise to myself, that I will never give up and I will never stop growing.
When I got back into the scene I started to take it more seriously, and started to hang around like-minded people, who were motivated, and just as dedicated to their art and this scene. I ended up going through a rebranding, changing my artist name from Genie Aero to Jake Anthony, and taking full ownership of my art and my work. I met my friend and manager Jessica in May of 2023, she had this idea of throwing a house party and wanted me to play. We threw the party in July and since that moment everything changed. My friend ended up falling in love with throwing shows so much that she created Ethereal Sounds, which is a techno collective, and asked our good friend Yari if we would become her artist and her manager. Together we began to work on a vision to grow the Techno scene not only in Orlando but throughout the state of Florida. If it wasn’t for my Manager, I’m not sure if I would be at this level in my music career this fast. Since July of 2023, I have played main stage at Gilt Nightclub, I played my first music festival with HomeBass, got my first record signed, started my Radio show called Magic Lamp Radio, and played shows outside of my city.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey has its moments, with some days feeling easy, and some days being a struggle. There are days when it feels like everything is just falling into place by an unseen force. Some days it’s just so easy that it doesn’t feel like real life. But of course, with everything in life, there is always the good and bad, the yin and yang, the ups and downs. There are days when it feels so hard and impossible that you have to be honest with yourself, you have to tell yourself that it’s ok, you are just learning and still trying to figure out how to navigate it all.
Some of the struggles that I have faced are common issues in the music world, not getting paid, dealing with drama, losing bookings/shows, and dealing with people who aren’t in it for the right reason. These are all things you face anywhere in life, but you have to learn to be the bigger person, learn to let go, not take things so seriously, and move on. One big issue that I do face every once in a while is imposter syndrome, I get this feeling sometimes that I don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t believe that what I am doing is working, and it’s not anything more than just a feeling, because when I take a step and look at my journey as a whole, there is no way I would be where I am if I wasn’t doing something right. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement, there always is, we can always be learning and growing, but when I face these moments of feeling less than, I just remember that promise that I made to myself, that this journey is going to be hard but that I will never give up.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a DJ and Producer from Puerto Rico but grew up in Orlando Florida. I play at different venues in and out of the Orlando area, I’ve played at multiple nightclubs, warehouses, and festivals. I have played at GIlt Nightclub, Elixer, McQueens, and Siagon Blonde in St. Pete, and at HomeBass Music Festival. I have my first headlining show on July 12th in Tampa Flordia at the TK Lounge, this is my biggest show to date and I am beyond excited about it. I make my Miami debut on the 25th of July for a company called “The Black Room”, I am excited about this as well. With more shows in the works, I will be making another debut in a new city in the coming months, I just can’t share more information about it right now.
I specialized in all the different sub-genres of Techno, Trance, and Psytrance. I am mostly a Techno DJ however, with my favorite genre being more peak time/Driving, but of course, I will throw down whatever I need to, to get the crowd moving. I also make Techno tracks, with two releases being on Vantablak Records, and a new one in the works for release on a different label. I am beyond excited to share that new song with everyone. Not only am I known for being able to keep the groove going with a crowd and for making hard-hitting techno tracks, but I am also known for my brand/image. Whenever I am on stage I wear a pair of glasses that have three eyes. To me the third eye has always played a role in my life, I remember talking about it with my grandmother as a kid, and one day I saw those glasses, I bought them, and they have stuck with me the entire time I have DJ’d. To me they signify the power of 3, which means support, they signify manifestation and more of this mystical aspect of life, where science and magic meet.
I also have a radio show called Magic Lamp Radio, which focuses on Techno, Trance, and Psytrance, we are online based and can be found on SoundCloud and Apple Podcast. We featured talented DJs who are located all overall the world, and who are looking for a way to showcase their music. We featured a 45min-2hour DJ Mix from those artists and helped promote them on our social media pages. I also work with my collective group, Ethereal Sounds and we host showcase shows where we bring out these artists and have them play live. I really love doing this because I feel like I can give back to my community in a way that isn’t happening often. You can find more information on our Instagram page, @magic.lamp.radio
I’m proud of myself for not giving up. When this journey becomes complicated, or difficult and I lose sight of the path I feel like giving up, but I am proud of myself for not doing so. every day I continue to grow, I keep gaining followers, I keep getting new bookings, and continue to perfect my craft/art. So I am most proud of myself for not giving up, and I will continue to keep growing and succeed.
What sets me apart from others is my dedication to this. I knew very little about music theory and how to make music when I first started so what did I do? I signed up for classes at Full Sail Unviersity because I knew this is what I wanted and I knew I needed the extra help, then when I got stuck and felt like my career wasn’t going anywhere and my production wasn’t going anywhere I signed up for an artists development school called Cosmic Academy. I am someone who isn’t afraid to ask questions, who isn’t afraid to get help and continue to learn and grow. I am not sure that everyone is like that or is even fortunate enough to do that. I am lucky to be able to attend school that is for sure, but every time I feel stuck or feel like I need to learn something new, I’m not afraid to go out and find the answer to that question. I am a hard worker and have been since I was in high school, got my first job at 15, not needing one but just because I wanted my own money. I am someone who will work for what I want, and if that means going to school, asking questions, or spending hours on my computer practicing, then so be it, and I think that’s where I set myself apart from others. I’m doing this because I am passionate about it. After all, I love it.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
There have been times when I do feel like luck has played a role in my career. I believe the times when my friends and I go out to a show or event to have fun and we end up meeting someone important in the scene is completely up to chance and for me, that’s luck because it’s being in the right place at the right time, Then there are times when either my manager or I will get a message about people wanting to work with us or we work with them, so that can be a mixture of luck and hard work in my opinion.
Sometimes people believe that only some people are lucky and they got to where they are based on luck, and at times I do believe that can be true to some degree, but in my case, I’m not sure if luck has played a specific role in my career or if I am just overall lucky enough to be able to be doing what I love. I have friends who are just as talented as me that seem to be stuck and not getting shows, so to me I am very lucky that I’m not at that place. I have moments sure of feeling stuck and lost but then I remember everything that I have gone through up until this point and I realize I am very lucky to be where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeanthony.music?igsh=MXVsbXJ5M2w1aDZkZQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010138451344&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Twitter: https://x.com/j_anthony_dj?s=21&t=WrM-gMx6zUiuZumMYqL1-Q
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/jh2CpSfM7jmttmsg8
- Other: https://on.soundcloud.com/tfi1FNU8bRpgs1P98
Image Credits
Instagram: @eemyaj.visuals (All photos are from here)
