Dirty Workz is the world’s leading hard dance label with big names like Coone and Da Tweekaz. They’ve started the collaboration with VIRPP to help them spot new talent. We talked to director Jaime Hansler and label manager Ryan ter Heerdt about the importance of new blood, music and passion.
How would you guys describe Dirty Workz?
Jaime: “21 years ago, we launched Toff Music and Dirty Workz became one of its labels. The way we work is unique and attracts a lot of talent.”
Ryan: “Another unique thing is the way we look at our artists and fans. We see them more as an ever-expanding extended family and are mega dedicated to them. The most important thing in family is that you always support and look out for each other. Yes, we are a big and professional label but every fan can always reach out to us. With social media that has become quite easy for them.”
Jaime: “Dirty Workz is a Belgian company with a worldwide vision. We believe in a global village and have artists all over the world in places like the States, Australia, Mexico, Chile and even Asia.”
New talent is important, how do new artists or producers reach Dirty Workz?
Ryan: “We get hundreds of demos every week and sadly we have a backlog of a couple of thousand. It’s regrettable, but it’s really hard to listen to everything. That is frustrating because you get messages from fans asking why their demo has not been listened to. In a perfect world, we could set aside one day a week to listen to them all, but that’s just impossible.”
Jaime: “Dirty Workz is an artist label in the truest sense of the word. For every artist we sign, there is a multiyear plan. We like to build, and to realize that, you need new talent. So, we have created the platform ‘DWX Copyright Free’. This is a great way to get the first taste of new artists. The platform has become very popular and we have seen numbers of demos that we receive growing by the day.”
Ryan: “The coolest thing about it is that we have already signed three or four artists from the DWX Copyright Free’ platform to the artist focused Dirty Workz label.”
How did the coloration between Dirty Workz and VIRPP get started?
Jaime: “The manager of one of our artists [Coone] said we should talk to these guys. VIRPP has created something that could be a real good fit for Dirty Workz.”
Ryan: “To be honest, we were already in the process of centralizing the demo stream but we started talking and saw that this was so much more. I see VIRPP as a talent platform but also as a new form of social media. A place, where producers and artists get together and talk. Hopefully, that will ultimately result in great new music.”
What are you hoping to find on VIRPP?
Ryan: “Every music style has a certain sound and vision. What we are looking for is music that is just a little bit different than the norm. Music that adds something new to the mix.”
Jaime: “In the end, everybody is looking for the next Garrix. But it is always fun to spot a new artist that you can help develop to possibly be the next superstar. Tech like VIRPP makes that search a bit easier.”
What should a potential Dirty Workz artist do to get noticed?
Jaime: “Make sure that you can hear ambition in your music. What I mean is, every song has a beginning, middle and an end. There is a flow. If you are serious about a career in music, you think about those things and deliver the best demo possible and not drop something you made hastily. Put some creative thought into everything you do.”
Ryan: “The best advice I can give to artists is, be yourself. Don’t try to make music that sounds like other artists. Be creative and true to yourself. Professionalism is also important. Make sure you have a picture or logo that represents the quality you want to stand for. So do not use a meme or something you think is funny.”
