Elevated Frequencies
Elevated Frequencies
Olivia Mancuso
How He Got Signed by The Martinez Brothers (feat. AJ Christou) | EF EP 149
26 minutes Posted Apr 30, 2026 at 12:00 pm.
Introduction
Convinced to Love Dance Music
Fake ID at 17
The Decks in the Closet
Sister's Birthday Debut
Selling Tickets in College
First Sankys Gig
Why It's Not Gatekept
Moving to New York
UK vs US Scene
Phones at Shows
Day Parties Era
Sleep Before Space
The Cost of Music Week
Music Week vs ADE
First Official MMW Set
Why Miami Crowds Hit
Advice for New Artists
The Martinez Brothers Signing
Building a Mature Sound
DJs as Personalities
Greek School Confessions
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26:00
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Show notes

AJ Christou went from hanging out at Sankys with a fake ID to becoming a resident at the same club, signing with The Martinez Brothers, and playing his first official Miami Music Week set at Wynwood Studios. In this episode, Olivia Mancuso sits down with AJ to break down how a Manchester teenager who hated electronic music the first time he heard it built a career in the global house and tech house circuit.

AJ shares the random chain of events that started his DJ journey: buying CDJs that sat untouched for 6 months, learning to mix for his sister's 30th birthday, and getting his first Sankys slot off a SoundCloud mix. He gets honest about why the "gatekeeping" complaint is mostly entitlement, why he moved to New York to study at Dubspot, and the real difference between Miami Music Week and ADE for emerging producers.

For any new producer trying to figure out where to invest first (music, networking, education, or production lessons), AJ lays out the exact order that worked for him and explains why showing up to the shows of DJs who play your music changes everything.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Want personalized guidance on your music career? Book a one-on-one consultation with Olivia on GreenRoom where you can get tailored advice on branding, business strategy, and sustainable career growth:
๐Ÿ‘‰ Instagram: @oliviamancuso__
๐Ÿ‘‰ Video Editor/Audio Engineer: James Fixx