Elevated Frequencies

When success starts destroying you, do you walk away or do you rebuild on your own terms?
Sam Divine spent 25 years grinding her way to the top—from handing out flyers on Ibiza streets to becoming the Queen of Defected. But the journey nearly broke her. Depression, addiction, relentless touring, and the loss of her mother pushed her to a breaking point where the music that once saved her started hurting her.
In January 2025, she checked herself into rehab. Not just for the drugs and alcohol, but for exhaustion. For being a workaholic who couldn't remember the last time she just breathed. What she found there changed everything.
If you've ever felt like giving up, like the industry is too much, like you're losing yourself in the chaos—this conversation is for you. Because on the other side of rock bottom, Sam found something unexpected: a new era, a new label (555), and a profound new energy that's redefining what success means.
Key Takeaways:
Why being a workaholic is just as dangerous as being an alcoholic
How Sam went from hating her first sober gig to thriving in sobriety
The real cost of 25 years on the road and how burnout compounds over time
How rehab unlocked her creativity and led to writing "Scars" about addiction and faith
What it means to rebuild your career when you can't even listen to music anymore
The art of the 5-hour set and why going back to grassroots venues matters
How losing her mother became the catalyst for finding herself
Why the industry needs more female producers, not just more female DJs
How to maintain your standards while the industry evolves around you
Sam's journey proves that hitting rock bottom doesn't mean it's over—it means you finally have solid ground to rebuild from.
Want personalized guidance on building a sustainable career in dance music? Book a consulting call with me on GreenRoom and let's map out your next move.
Connect with me: @oliviamancuso__
Video Editor/Audio Engineer: James Fixx

Will Clarke posted that he was retiring. For 48 hours before revealing it was a remix album announcement, he experienced something unexpected: complete freedom. "I woke up the next day after retiring and was like, my god, this is so free."
That moment revealed a truth most artists won't admit - this career is both a calling and a cage. Will's been doing this since he was nine years old, DJing longer than he hasn't, and sometimes the only way to remember why you started is to imagine walking away.
Key Takeaways:
- Why the artist career is gambling  - and what that really means
- The truth about sacrifice: how to know if what you're giving up is worth it
- Why playing more bad gigs than good gigs is the only path forward
- The windscreen vs. rearview mirror: why regrets are valid but what's ahead matters more
- Why dating outside the industry might save your sanity
- The real question: would you still make music if no one was listening?
If you're struggling with whether this career is worth the sacrifice, this conversation will give you the framework to decide.
Need personalized guidance on building your career and protecting your mental health in this industry? Book a consultation with me on GreenRoom. and let's create a strategy that works for your life.
Connect with me: @oliviamancuso__
Video Editor/Audio Engineer: James Fixx

Think running a label is just passion and good taste? Charles D is learning the hard way what it actually costs to build something from scratch.
With releases on Drumcode and Pryda Presents, Charles has earned his stripes in techno. But now that he's launched KONKRTE, he's pulling back the curtain on what nobody talks about: the $2,500 per release, the £1,000 promo campaigns, and why most artists have no idea what they're signing up for.
We get into his bootcamp tour with Eric Prydz (9 shows in 12 days, every set different), the imposter syndrome that comes from calling yourself an artist when you grew up in an immigrant household, and the difference between being a producer who makes things sound good versus being an artist who has something to say.
Key Takeaways:

• The actual breakdown of what it costs to release music on your own label
• Why promo companies are eating most of your budget (and why you need them)
• The difference between producers and artists - and why most never make the shift
• Why imposter syndrome doesn't go away even after you've "made it"
• The economics of running a label without burning your artists
Need help building your artist brand or navigating the business side of dance music? Book a call with me on GreenRoom for personalized strategies that actually work: https://greenroomnetwork.com/creator/OliviaMancuso
Connect with me: @oliviamancuso__
Video Editor/Audio Engineer: James Fixx

New year, same you? Good. Because I'm not here to tell you to hustle harder or add seventeen new habits to your routine. The artists crushing it right now aren't doing MORE than you - they're doing DIFFERENT. They've figured out how to stop being a full-time employee in their own career and start being the CEO.
In this episode, I'm breaking down the one framework that separates DJs who plateau at year three from the ones who build sustainable, growing careers: Working ON your career versus working IN your career. And by the end, you'll have a four-week action plan to map out your entire 2026 strategy.
Key Takeaways:
• The difference between working IN (day-to-day tasks) vs ON (strategic planning) your career
• Why most DJs spend 95% of their time on the wrong things and plateau as a result
• How I built Chicago Music Nexus by spending 6 months exclusively working ON the business
• Why some gigs are strategic moves and others are just survival mode
• The 5 key areas where you need to work ON: strategic planning, content & releases, marketing assets, relationship building, and career development
• The Weekly CEO Hour: How to implement strategic thinking without adding more work
• The post-performance analysis framework (featuring insights from Rituals founder Rami Dabura)
• Your 4-week action plan to completely map out Q1 and set yourself up for success
Why This Matters: You cannot build momentum if you're constantly in the weeds responding to DMs, tweaking tracks that are already done, and staying busy without actually growing. Strategic thinking is what separates successful artists from everyone else - and it's the one thing most DJs completely skip.
Want help building your 2026 strategy? Book a 1-on-1 artist development call with me on GreenRoom where we'll map out exactly what you need to focus on to reach your goals.

Connect with me: @oliviamancuso__
Video Editor/Audio Engineer: James Fixx

Think learning to DJ means mastering your equipment? You're missing the entire point.
Your Shot just wrapped their first-ever US competition after 15 years of success in Australia, and what I witnessed at the LA finals completely shifted my perspective. Hundreds of people across LA and New York signed up for six weeks of free DJ training - most had never touched a deck. The LA finals drew 4,000 people (the largest crowd Catch One has ever hosted), and NYC brought 3,600 across two days.
Nobody was competing against each other. Complete strangers were hyping each other up like lifelong friends. No one was on their phones unless they were recording their friends perform. Pure community, pure support.
The LA winner was Ashley Wilkins (@jellybean.dj), a 29-year-old wellness consultant from Santa Clarita. NYC's champion was Jade Letlow (@punkybutter), a 34-year-old Senior Claims Examiner from Brooklyn. These aren't industry insiders - they're regular people who committed six weeks to betting on themselves.
In this conversation, Rashna Krishnan explains why Your Shot teaches the soft skills and industry etiquette that no one else does. How to approach promoters correctly. Why showing up for your scene matters more than your mixing ability. The difference between networking and asking for gigs. And why putting yourself in uncomfortable situations is the fastest way to grow.
Key Takeaways:

• Your DJ career starts on the dance floor, not behind the decks
• Industry etiquette and soft skills matter more than technical ability
• Show up for your scene before expecting your scene to show up for you
• The right way to approach venues, promoters, and other DJs
• Why building genuine community beats competition every time
• How six weeks of pressure with a deadline creates transformation
• Creating your own opportunities when they're not presenting themselves
Registration for Your Shot 2026 is now open. Even if you never do the competition, the principles in this conversation will change how you approach your career.
Follow Your Shot: @yourshot_usa
Connect with me: @oliviamancuso__
Video Editor/Audio Engineer: James Fixx