'There's never an end goal': Danish electronic producer OLIIVER on his independent music career

What does it really take to build a music career that replaces your full-time job? This week, we sat down with OLIIVER, electronic producer of UK Garage and Speed Garage, to find out what success means to him, what advice he would give his younger self, and how he's building a recognisable sound in the underground electronic scene.

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Let's start right at the beginning: what's your first musical memory?

Summer 2012. My parents had recently got divorced and we were driving to Italy on vacation with my father. He drove a 1998 Toyota Camry and he had 4 albums (on CD, of course) we could listen to on the drive. One of them was Roxette's 'Look Sharp!' and I instantly fell in love with it. The 18-hour trip to Italy felt seamless with that album. I was having a tough time navigating my parents not being together, but for a moment there I forgot about everything and just enjoyed the view of the mountains on the way to Italy with that album. I now have it on vinyl and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

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How did your journey in music begin? What were your first goals as an artist?

When I was done with school, I wanted to monetise a skill. Like a little side project or side hustle that I'd actually enjoy doing in my free time. I'd been producing on and off for 5 years before that, and I loved the idea of putting music out that people could find. I had three different aliases in the span of 6 months because I couldn't find my calling. When I released my first 3 songs as OLIIVER, I saw a bit of streaming activity. That was when I really wanted to keep going - the thought of people streaming songs that I made alone in my apartment really made me happy.

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What does success look like to you today, and has that changed since you started making music?

When I first started releasing music, success looked like driving fancy cars, living in a big house, having a fancy high-paying job. But that's not the case anymore. I recently quit my job at McDonald's to pursue a full-time career in music. And, to me, that is my single biggest achievement. When I was 20, I had $300 to my name. Now, 4 years later, I'm so privileged to have my music paying the bills - something I'd never imagined would happen for me. That, to me, is success in its purest form: being able to build something from scratch and witness the project thrive, being able to meet like-minded people, travel the world, and work from anywhere.

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What's the biggest challenge you've faced so far?

The biggest challenge for me every day is to stay consistent. Making music means there's always something more you could be doing - but even if there is, you should ALWAYS take breaks, otherwise you'll end up burnt out and not able to be consistent anymore.

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What's one thing you do every day to move your career forwards?

I always try to make sure I'm enjoying the process. There's never an end goal, even if you think there is, so striving to reach the end will only leave you disappointed. I enjoy where I am today and take it day-by-day. Every week I'll try to find at least one day off: no music, no nothing. I feel like that break plays a huge part in the longevity of creative projects.

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Do you feel, overall, that the music industry is moving in a positive direction?

Yes, I think so. There are some aspects that could be better, for sure, but I prefer to focus on the positives. I'm thrilled to see independent artists doing their own things. The gatekeepers aren't as big of a hurdle anymore and independent artists can build self-sufficient ecosystems. I went to ADE last month and took part in a few label mixers, and I was delighted to find so many young producers and independent labels with the same mindset.

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If you could go back to Day One of your OLIIVER journey, is there anything you would do differently?

I wish I started looking into marketing sooner. There are so many creative ways to promote your music nowadays, and an 'Out Now!' post on Instagram won't cut it.

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And finally: what single piece of advice would you give to an aspiring artist?

No matter how hard it gets or how little time you feel you can squeeze into a project, you should always keep building your catalogue. Growing my catalogue has been the most important thing for me. I haven't always had the energy or time for a thoughtful release plan. There are so many things to juggle as an independent artist, but if you can release something every 4-6 weeks, you'll outpace a lot of your competition. The bigger your catalogue, the more fans have to listen to when they discover you.

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Hear more from OLIIVER

Listen to OLIIVER on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.

Follow OLIIVER on Instagram or TikTok.

Visit OLIIVER's website here.