We spoke with a few of the winners of Excision’s Bass Music Initiative about how their lives have changed since the competition.
As one of the most influential artists in modern bass music, Excision sympathizes with the struggles that artists face when they’re just getting started. So, earlier this summer, he opened the door for a new generation of voices by launching the Bass Music Initiative, which would grant $10,000, a slew of products, tech, and mentorships from industry experts, and more to ten lucky, up-and-coming producers from underrepresented groups. The winners also received a supporting slot at Excision’s signature festivals, Bass Canyon and Lost Lands, which are massively influential events in the bass community.
But with all the glitz and goodies aside, the Bass Music Initiative gives much more. This project has allowed for a new variety of viewpoints to enter the conversation. All too often, financial restrictions keep certain demographics from successfully entering the bass music scene and dance music as a whole. Now, a new generation of producers are telling their stories.
Looking to gain more insight into those stories, we talked with a few of the winners of the Bass Music Initiative about how their lives have changed since the competition and how they hope to inspire others with their music. Read on for the conversations!
JVZMIN
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JVZMIN’s main goal is to show her young daughter that if you put your mind to it, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish. She moved out of her parent’s house at a young age after continuous disagreements about her sexuality. She found creating music as a form of therapy and loves blending midtempo with trap, experimental, and drum and bass.
Can you tell us about the moment you found out you won? How did you feel?
At first, I was in disbelief. I thought it was a scam. I was like, “there’s just absolutely no way they picked me.” Then I investigated the email and realized they were truly a part of Excision’s team. I swear to god I have the deepest voice ever, but I probably let out the highest-pitched excited scream after realizing I was chosen. My daughter was like, “Mom are you ok!?” and I am just like, “yes baby, I am 100% ok.” It was the most uplifting feeling ever.
What kind of opportunities does this prize money open up for you?
Being a mom and trying to support my family while being a musician is super tough. So this money definitely helped my family and I with bills so that I could continue focusing on music. Besides bills and upgrading equipment, the other most significant opportunity is mentorship. I am only three years into producing bass music, so mentoring will definitely help me in areas that are harder to learn through YouTube and such.
How are you hoping to inspire others with your music?
Honestly, music production saved me mentally when I was suffering. It became an outlet for me that later transformed into something I wanted to continue doing for the rest of my life. I just want others to know, no matter what mental struggle we may be facing, to try to find your outlet and express those emotions in a healthy way. It doesn’t matter your gender, age, race, or whatever it is people tell you; you can crush whatever goal you set for yourself.
Mikesh!ft
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Mikesh!ft takes a lot of inspiration from his roots in Southern Mississippi. Through his music, he mixes the growing subgenres of future riddim and color bass with jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. A proud mental health advocate, he wants to make his home state proud and provide inspiration to people in marginalized communities.
Can you tell us about the moment you found out you won? How did you feel?
I was excited to learn I had won the initiative! I felt like the 10 years of work I put into music had paid off. At the time, I was finishing up my last full-time semester of college and was anxious about lunging myself into the “real world.” I was thankful to learn that I would be receiving the grant, and I felt it was timely given my circumstances.
What kind of opportunities does this prize money open up for you?
I followed in Excision’s footsteps and decided to put the funds towards a better computer. I also allowed some of the money to be saved for rainy days and gathered visual assets like my Vtuber model.
How are you hoping to inspire others with your music?
I want my music to inspire people to lighten up and laugh. However, I also want to personally promote being empathetic towards others, going out of your comfort zone, and lessening the plight of marginalized communities, like the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and racial minorities.
Dani Demand
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When Dani Demand discovered euphoric bass, it claimed a special place in her heart. As a trans-identifying artist, Dani was forced to leave her home at a young age. After finding an adopted home that supported her for her true self, she found she could step into her music much more authentically.
Can you tell us about the moment you found out you won? How did you feel?
Honestly, I freaked out. I remember opening up my phone to see the notification pop up. I squealed out in joy along with my adopted moms. It was so funny to see them hold their breath to try and keep it a secret before it was officially announced to the public that I won.
What kind of opportunities does this prize money open up for you?
In the post (on Excision’s website), it mentions how I had to run away from home. This means I had to leave behind a LOT. For a while, I only had a laptop and a pair of headphones. Not even a desk. The $10,000 meant that I could replace all that I had to leave behind and more. Not to mention, I’m now able to pay the people that help my project run more consistently!
How are you hoping to inspire others with your music?
I really hope to be an inspiration for aspiring trans artists out there, regardless of what genre of music they’re making and for however long they have been making it. On top of that, I hope to inspire those who know my story and have them realize that you can still be a positive influence in people’s lives even after hitting rock bottom.
ZIZI
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As an openly gay army veteran from Florida, ZIZI is paving his own way both in his music and in his life. His glitchy form of future bass is somehow both euphoric and banging. He stands strongly behind the notions of universal love and mindfulness and hopes to inspire artists from underrepresented groups to unleash their full potential.
Can you tell us about the moment you found out you won? How did you feel?
So I found out that I won in the middle of the night after checking my email to see if I might have gotten anything back from the initiative, like a “thank you for applying” email or something. To my shock and surprise, I saw the congratulations email and let out a joyous yelp. This was all taking place around 1-2 AM, so I had to contain my excitement at the moment so I wouldn’t accidentally wake up my boyfriend, but I was far too ecstatic to fall back asleep. I proceeded to take care of the paperwork steps to confirm myself as a finalist and submitted it all that night. I still feel the same way today that I felt that night: thankful, hyped, and humbled.
What kind of opportunities does this prize money open up for you?
The prize has opened up more opportunities than I could have imagined. Being able to afford a high-performance laptop for music production and graphic design was the most I initially hoped for, so to suddenly be able to play two festivals blindsided me in the best way possible. Aside from the prize money, I think the most valuable aspect was the exposure and the figurative Excision “stamp of approval” on my music and passion. To have someone of that caliber genuinely enjoy my music and offer a slot to play his main festivals was the most fulfilling part for me. It’s such an honor and a humbling feeling.
How are you hoping to inspire others with your music?
I hope to inspire others with my music through resonation. If people resonate with my music on an emotional or memorable level, then that alone is fulfillment for me. It’s why I started making music. When I can feel the artist’s pain, suffering, love, joy, anger, fear, and any other emotion or energy that an artist puts into their musical body of work, it stays with me. It resonates with me and inspires me to extend a piece of myself through music with others in hopes that we can share those emotions mentally or subconsciously. We are an extension of music and vice versa. I hope that contributing to that interconnectedness will inspire fans of my music to do the same.
Vastive
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Vastive’s music is often fueled by raw emotion. With years of experience in the metal scene, his combination of metal and bass gives new life to the ever-growing genre. After constantly seeking stability through his childhood, Vastive said that music makes him feel understood, and he hopes to provide that same understanding to others.
Can you tell us about the moment you found out you won? How did you feel?
I was actually at work when I got the original email. I was honored and beyond grateful. I didn’t know when it would be announced but found out pretty quickly when my phone blew up while I was visiting my parents. I was overwhelmed and incredibly thankful for all the support and kind words. I had a multitude of friends, family, and new faces reach out to give their congratulations. I felt confident in my work and my dreams, and it only made me hungrier to work harder than ever.
What kind of opportunities does this prize money open up for you?
Without a doubt, it took a massive weight off my shoulders. I work roughly 60-80 hours a week at my day job on top of working on the Vastive project to take care of my responsibilities at home and also invest in the future of this project. With that being said, it definitely gave me an opportunity to breathe and go after some long-time goals I’ve had, from everything to my live sets all the way to my equipment at home for production.
How are you hoping to inspire others with your music?
Whenever I’m writing, I always aim to be as raw and authentic as I can. Throughout the process, I do my best to strip away any of the noise or doubts and just create unapologetically the way I want to create. Throughout the years, I feel like all the music that ever moved me was written like that. I’d like to think that this “process” has brought a new dimension to where bass music currently stands, and with that progression, I can inspire producers to have more faith and trust in their gut and, most importantly, to have any listeners who resonate with my music feel heard and understood. I don’t just have the dancefloor in mind but also the day-to-day life we’re all trying to make it through.
Zingara
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Zingara has always been creative. From dance to videography and now to music production, she sees her art as a form of spiritual connection. From the moment she stepped behind the decks, she made a commitment to stick to her dreams of being a DJ. After undergoing difficult losses and pain, she hopes her music can connect with others who may be suffering.
Can you tell us about the moment you found out you won? How did you feel?
I was out to eat with friends when I randomly checked my email and saw it. At first, I actually thought it was a scam and almost deleted it, but then I opened it and realized what it really was. I just sat there in shock. I felt so many emotions rush over me!! I was so grateful and happy and felt this huge weight lift off of my shoulders. I was also extremely nervous and anxious but knew that this would change my life.
What kind of opportunities does this prize money open up for you?
This prize helped in so many ways. I was able to make merch and purchase plane tickets for shows that I previously didn’t know how I would be able to get there or if I could play. I was able to help my mom and can plan to use the rest for my project. I also received many prizes from different companies, music classes, headphones, etc. There were plugins I have been wanting to buy for a long time that was gifted to me, and I could not be more grateful. It inspired me when I felt I was in a funk with music to mess around and to keep going. Truly, I am so grateful.
How are you hoping to inspire others with your music?
I hope to inspire others with not just my music but with everything I do in the public eye. Building relationships, following your wildest dreams, believing in yourself, and that ANYTHING is possible with trusting yourself. I hope to start my own label one day and teach classes. Anytime someone has a question about really anything they see me talking about, I am glad to be a guide.
Music helps heal, and I hope when people hear my music and see me perform live, they will feel a sense of peace and that everything is going to be ok. I love teaching and am here to teach and help the collective. I’m so thankful that I can inspire people in the first place, no matter how small or big of an impact I can make in anyone’s life.
Green Matter
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After falling in love with dance music in 2012, Anita Rojo decided she wanted to give something back to the scene that gave her a home. As a young Latina producer, she noticed a lack of representation in the bass music community. After high school, she spearheaded the Green Matter project, combining heavy bass with vibrant melodies and catchy vocal samples.
Can you tell us about the moment you found out you won? How did you feel?
I was honestly in complete disbelief the moment I read the email. It took me a minute to process that it was real. For the first time in a long time, I felt a moment of relief, I’ve never been so grateful. I shed some tears shortly after finding out and shared a moment of joy with my sister. It was a complete full circle moment for us.
What kind of opportunities does this prize money open up for you?
Before winning the BMI, I was struggling to pay my bills, and it was extremely hard for me to continue to invest in my project. The weight of everything is hard to hold as an up-and-coming artist. It has given me the opportunity to take the Green Matter project to the next level, cut down on my hours at my day job, and put more energy into my art.
Winning this initiative has started to introduce me to the lifestyle of touring. After getting the opportunity to play some of Excision’s festivals, I’ve had doors open up for me that I’ve always dreamed of. I really have to express how grateful I am to Jeff for giving me this boost in my career. There have been some really dark moments pursuing a career in music without financial stability or support. It also validated all the hard work I’ve put in and made me believe I can pursue music full-time in the near future.
How are you hoping to inspire others with your music?
I hope to show aspiring artists who are underrepresented or may be struggling with finances that you truly can make your passion for music into a career if you work hard enough. Electronic music has been the one constant in my life, and I’ve never given up trying to make it my world. Years ago, It seemed impossible to follow this career path, but I’ve never not given it my all, and I’m finally breaking that glass ceiling. This industry is starting to shift and open up to more diverse artists. I’m proud to be a part of that, and I hope it can show others like me that it’s possible.
