20 May 2016 
Posted by Cassi Catsaros
The ‘Future’ Of Raw: D-Sturb talks about breaking through, remixing & ghost production!
Jorrit Popkema, or better known as forthcoming raw Hardstyle sensation D-Sturb is an example of an artist who has kick-started his career with a bang! Aside from his remix of Frequencerz and Warface’s hit “Menace” becoming the national anthem for ‘kickrolling,’ this fast-climbing DJ and producer has also released other remarkable tracks such as “Before The Start,” “Until It’s Gone” and “Unbeatable,” just to name a few.
Signed to UK-based label Gearbox Digital, the career of this young Dutchie has gone from strength to strength as D-Sturb has torn through crowds at Masters Of Hardcore, Beat The Bridge, Radical Redemption’s ‘One Man Army’ event, Dominator and many more. With the summer in his grasp, we decided it would be the perfect opportunity to pull Jorrit aside for a quick chat about his breakthrough journey, his signature sound and some of his thoughts about hot topics such as ghost producing and social media.
– Hi Jorrit! First of all, thanks for the interview. Secondly, for those who aren’t familiar with your alias D-Sturb, can you give us a little rundown?
Hey! I’m Jorrit, I’m 20 years old, I live in Utrecht and at the moment I’m studying at Herman Brood Academy, which is a university that’s focussed on teaching musicians. I’ve been producing music for almost 5 years now, 3-4 of those years have been spend producing Hardstyle and last of all, I’m currently signed to Gearbox Digital, but from July I’ll be joining End Of Line Recordings!
– What is your fondest ‘Hardstyle memory?’
I think my fondest memory thus far was the moment when Team Red opened their set at Hard Bass 2016 with my remix of Warface and Frequencerz’ “Menace.” The GelreDome was the place where I attended my first Hardstyle party, so I always dreamt about the moment when one of my tracks would be played in that huge venue!
– Many fans aren’t aware of an artist’s journey before they’re releasing on a well-known label or signed to a bookings agency. Can you speak a little more about your breakthrough journey?
When I was in high school I spent a lot of my classroom time and leisure time producing music. In the beginning I asked a lot of people for feedback on my work, however only family and friends liked my music as it didn’t sound that good. After lots of practising, good progress followed and other people aside from family and friends began to like my music which motivated me keep pursuing it. Now, I’m still ‘practising’ and developing; I guess that will never stop.
The moment I signed to Most Wanted DJ Agency it felt like ‘the beginning.’ Before that I already had some bookings, but since signing with MWDJ I can safely call this my work, which has been a big goal of mine. For me, making decisions when it comes to agencies or labels is hard when there are many different offers. Asking other DJ’s about their experiences helped for me to make choices, however the feeling I had after several conversations have been the most important factor in making decisions.
– Since signing to MWDJ at the beginning of the year your career has soared and you’ve scored bookings at many prestigious events. How does it feel to be climbing the ladder so rapidly? And does it ever worry you that your career is moving ‘too fast?’
It feels great! Seeing so many people enjoy my music gives me lots of motivation and inspiration. I’m not worried about my career moving ‘too fast,’ I’m just living the moment and enjoying how it’s going so far. For me it’s just a beginning, so I think it’s too early to worry.
– Nowadays, the use of social media is extremely important for artists to stay ‘significant,’ however some people feel that it should be all about the music. What are your opinions on this?
It’s true, social media is possibly even more important than the music. I think it’s a shame, but you can’t run away from it.
– Your recent remix for Frequencerz & Warface’s “Menace” was incredible! How does it feel to have generated such immense amounts of positivity from fans and fellow artists?
I didn’t expect it to become to popular. I was satisfied with the result when I finished it, however the positivity I received exceeded all expectations. Of course I’m really happy about how it all turned out as it also gave my career a boost.
– What were some of the difficulties you had when creating this remix? And how did you overcome them?
Remixing a track by two popular artists was a great chance for me to get more publicity, so I tried many things to create a cool remix that people would like. After jotting down some ideas, I figured out the best ones which I then decided to work with. I made the track in two different projects because in the first project I lost the overview and the project kept crashing too many times. It was pretty boring to export all sounds and organise it in a new project, but it was definitely worth it, haha.
– You’ve been releasing your music on Gearbox Digital since 2015. Can you tell our readers a little more about this platform and how it has helped your career?
Gearbox is a Scottish label which contains euphoric, raw and talent sub-labels. Gearbox helped me promote my tracks to their fans and other artists. When I first signed there, the reach of Gearbox was a lot bigger than mine which was great for me.
– Rumour has it that you’ve been working alongside the likes of Warface and High Voltage. How has it been working with such huge names and can you share some more info about the tracks?
Firstly, I’m honoured to work with such big names, of course. I really look up to Warface and High Voltage as artists, so it felt great when they invited me to collaborate. The track with High Voltage will be very rough and aggressive and with Warface we are working on two tracks. One is quite euphoric with nice summer-vibes and the other one will be dark and very raw.
– You’re evidently part of a new wave of Hardstyle producers. In your opinion, what are some unique aspects that you bring to this next-generation?
I find that hard to say because I just make what I like without any special reason. I try to be innovative with my screeches and kick effects, but on the other hand I also like to incorporate some euphoric ‘feels’ in the breaks so the track won’t only be only dark and raw.
– Your signature sound is intense and raw, yet balances melodies and huge atmospheres. Can you explain how you developed this sound over time?
I used to make euphoric hardstyle, so I don’t only like the raw sounds. For me, euphoric breaks and raw drops are the perfect combination. The contrast can also be stimulating, making the drop hit even harder!
– What are some of the difficulties you face with balancing university, producing music and marketing yourself?
At the moment I do have university exams, so right now I’m pretty busy. Sometimes it’s exhausting, but I’m almost finished with school so after one or two months I can shift my full focus to working on music.
– What are your thoughts on ghost production? And do you think that HS fans are too ‘rough’ on artists who have a ghost producer?
I’m not against ghost producing. Some people can’t or don’t want to perform on stage but do like to make music and with ghost producing there’s a way for them to make it their job. Music is also business, so when there’s formula which can produce money it’s undeniable that people will use that formula.
I can understand why people don’t like the whole ghost producer thing, because DJ’s with ghost producers aren’t really releasing ‘their music’ but are acting like it’s their music. What I don’t understand is why people hate on it so much. It won’t make any difference. It’s simple, just like the act or don’t like it.
– Where is the strangest place you’ve woken up after a heavy (and drunk) night out?
I think that would be just next to my bed on the ground. I don’t know why I didn’t reach my bed, haha.
– Most awkward fan-moment?
Fans that smelt badly of sweat wanted a photo with me and the ones taking the picture didn’t know how the camera worked, so it took longer than expected. It wasn’t my favourite moment, haha…
– Before we wrap this interview up; what’s on the agenda for D-Sturb?
There’s the collabs with Warface and High Voltage, of course, however I’ve also planned a collab with Sub Zero Project. There are many cool gigs which I’m really excited about, such as Dominator Festival (which will be my second time, but at a better spot haha) and Airforce Festival! Rumours say that this will be next level.
– Finally, what did you eat for breakfast today?
I ate brown bread with avocado, cherry tomatoes, turkey, rocket and a touch of pepper and salt. Do you like the recipe…?
Looks like D-Sturb’s breakfast-game is totally on-point! We’d like to thank D-Sturb for taking the time for this interview and we’d also wish him the best of luck with his final months at university. For those wanting to catch his performances this summer, keep an eye out on his social pages below.
FOLLOW D-STURB:
