ADE SPECIAL:
THE STILLNESS 
OF SUCCESS

Few artists bridge worlds the way Eelke Kleijn does; from DJing to film scoring, from running a label to navigating family life, all while holding onto a process grounded in patience rather than dictated by pressure. Recorded live at Amsterdam Dance Event, this conversation reveals the human artistry behind his craft, the shifting realities of modern electronic music, and the personal recalibrations required to sustain a career in dance music in the present day.

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THE DISCIPLINE OF TIME

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Eelke’s approach to music is almost meditative. A deliberate slowing down in an industry obsessed with speed. He writes in fragments, steps away, returns weeks later, and evaluates with detachment. Where many producers rush to finish, he trusts the pause.

He has learned that resting an idea is often what keeps the magic intact, and that consistency is a muscle you train, not a flash of inspiration you wait for. His biggest evolution? Stripping back rather than layering endlessly - the quiet confidence to say “this is enough.”

It’s a reminder that creative longevity is built not from force, but from rhythm.

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THE STILLNESS OF SUCCESS

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Like many artists post-Covid, Eelke found himself swept into a tidal wave of gigs after his viral Cercle performance. The bookings were relentless, with 80 to 90 shows a year, and from the outside, it looked like the dream and what many aspiring artists wish for. Yet internally, it was eroding the very foundations that made the dream possible.
Family time disappeared. Studio time vanished. The road became the default, not the reward.
He speaks openly about how close he came to burnout, and the recalibration that followed: scheduling free weekends first, taking a full month off every year, and accepting that sustainability is a form of success is perhaps a reflection many artists underestimate - that the grind may build a career, but only boundaries can preserve one.

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THE ARTIST VS THE ALGORITHM

 

Eelke speaks frankly about the shift he has witnessed in electronic music: a scene where performance and social visibility often eclipse the music itself. As an introvert - and someone on the autistic spectrum - he finds the pre- and post-show interactions far more draining than the performance. His real recovery comes afterwards, alone, often with binaural beats to bring his system back down.

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And though he participates in social media, he refuses to bend his identity to suit algorithms. If the industry continues prioritising spectacle over substance, he would rather create quietly than chase virality.

 

It’s an honest reflection on the tension between artistry and optics - and the courage it takes to prioritise being authentic these days.​

 

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WE ALSO UNCOVER:

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• Why he chose Armada Music to launch his label with

• The unexpected reality of scoring for films and game trailers

• The realities of being a touring artist and parent

• Balancing neurodivergence

• His love for F1 and cars

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🎧 Tune into the full episode on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to Mission Makers for more conversations with the visionaries shaping music and culture.