Rebranding as an artist isn’t a quick fix; it’s a long, uncomfortable process. In this episode, Portuguese DJ/producer KURA opens up about shifting from his EDM past into a darker techno/tech-house identity, building his own Darkroom concept, and what it takes to escape the box the industry keeps you in.
We go all the way back to his resident DJ days in Portugal, before YouTube tutorials, before the EDM boom, and follow the journey from mashups and club edits, to big-room stages, to now rebuilding the foundations of his artist brand from scratch.
KURA shares how the pandemic frustration became fuel for a new chapter, why many DJs get stuck playing commercial sets, how Darkroom started in an abandoned warehouse, and why content (even if you hate it) is the most important tool in a modern rebrand.
We also dive into how he uses AI tools like Suno and ChatGPT for inspiration in his workflow.
If you’re an electronic music producer or DJ trying to shift your sound or identity, this one will hit home.
His early days as a resident DJ in Portugal
Learning to mix and produce before YouTube existed
How mashups and exclusives opened doors to bigger gigs
Discovering the Dutch EDM wave
Feeling stuck in the “big room box”
Starting Darkroom in an abandoned warehouse
The messy reality of rebranding your sound
The Portuguese club scene and why DJs get stuck playing commercial music
Hosting your own parties to push your sound
Why content is the core of a successful rebrand
Using AI (Suno + ChatGPT) for ideas and inspiration
Genre-hopping vs choosing a clear lane
Whether trance and melodic styles are making a comeback
(00:00) Intro
(01:25) “I was just a regular resident DJ” in Portugal
(05:26) Graveyard shifts and learning FL Studio & Logic
(13:36) Moving away from big room – “It feels like KURA 2.0”
(15:40) The struggles of rebranding and escaping the EDM box
(23:52) Getting angry after the pandemic and creating Darkroom
(25:35) Darkroom events in abandoned warehouses & the future label
(31:18) The Portuguese club scene and why DJs get stuck playing commercial
(33:43) Hosting your own parties + why content matters more than ever
(38:19) How KURA uses AI (Suno + ChatGPT) for inspiration
(44:06) Community questions: one genre vs many
(51:36) What fans expect from your set + side projects
(54:14) Will trance and melodic styles return?
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