Sydney DJ Mo’funk shares his insider knowledge from ten years on the Ibiza scene

Sydney DJ and producer Mo’funk is one of our dance scene’s finest exports. He cut his teeth at the SAE Creative Media Institute in Sydney, and has now been active on the legendary Ibiza club circuit for a decade. We asked him to share some secrets to success.

You’re a former host of Inthemix Sunset on FBi Radio, and now a regular on the Ibiza club scene. Has there been one secret ingredient in achieving your goals?
If there is one thing, it’s confidence. Confidence in your abilities and having that swagger knowing that you can rock the shit out of any party, with class. There are many secrets to the game; however, only a chosen few will ever be given the keys.

How important is education – formal or informal – in setting yourself up for a career in music?
Learning is by far the most important factor in the journey. I have never stopped and never will stop taking notes on the biz. The music industry and music itself is forever evolving and I have only scratched the surface of what is out there. One thing I will say that is most important, education-wise, is to listen to your heroes and people you look up to. Check YouTube for interviews, check documentaries, or if you ever get the opportunity to meet them, don’t be afraid to ask legit questions, because if you are really about this game, then the real ones can sense other real ones. Listen and learn from the people you admire, follow in their footsteps and take it even higher.

Who have been your most supportive peers in the Australian scene?
The most supportive peers in the Oz scene are the guys that I grew up with on the DJ circuit. I started Djing back in 1999 (a young 17-year-old), so I have seen many come and go; however, there are still a number of legends still involved, so shout out to all my late-’90s and 2000s DJs and promoters still killing it.

Is Ibiza as insane as we think it is?
Yes, yes it is. This will be my tenth year out there and I have seen a lot of crazy shit, it just depends how far you want to take it. I love the place for its all around beauty, the beaches, the sunshine, the music – it’s a mecca for music lovers, so get your asses there if you haven’t already done so.

How optimistic are you about the future of Sydney musical talent?
There will always be talent, we just need to be given outlets to express that talent! We are all going elsewhere to get our fix, so promoters, please stop playing the safe game by feeding the public the same generic radio-style trash. There are way too many cookie cutter venues and parties going on right now – dope DJs who play dope music are hardly anywhere to be seen. I know there are talented young guys and girls out there, there really just needs to be hot parties and venues for them to shine.

Mo’funk is a graduate of SAE Sydney. SAE’s brand new Sydney campus is hosting an info night on Thursday May 4. Find out more at sae.edu.au.

This story first appeared on The Brag.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.