Equal Beats The Podcast By AlphaTheta

Dubbed Palestine’s queen of techno, few artists know how to build a sustainable career in dance music quite like Sama’ Abulhadi. She went from Ramallah’s local hero to global headliner after her now-legendary 2018 Boiler Room set, and has since launched her own label and played Coachella, Glastonbury, Tomorrowland, and Awakenings. In our podcast finale, she opens up about how she built a sustainable career rooted in authenticity and activism, reflects on the realities of long-term success, and offers advice for others carving out their own path in music.

What does it mean to navigate motherhood in music? How do artists balance family life with touring, late nights, and the demands of a DJ career? Cristina Lazic is paving the way. Since learning to DJ on maternity leave in 2016, she’s headlined Ibiza’s super clubs and released on Crosstown Rebels and Bedrock, all while advocating for structural change in the industry. In this episode, Cristina shares how she balances motherhood and music, the challenges and the rewards, and her vision for a more inclusive, supportive future in dance culture. Make sure you stick around for the surprise guest at the end. 

Social media is both a blessing and a burden for many artists. Viral clips, follower counts, and online engagement are starting to feel just as important as the music itself — but how can we manage burn-out while turning online popularity into real-world success? Annabel Stop It’s career began online through a series of viral moments, and she’s since grown into one of the UK’s most promising artists. In this episode, Annabel shares how she turned online momentum into a thriving DJ career, and how she feeds the social media beast while taking care of her mental health.

Ask any of the world’s biggest artists how they made it, and they’ll credit their team of managers, agents and labels. But what role do they play in an artist’s career? In this episode, we hear from Maria May, the first woman to receive the IMS Legends Award and a powerhouse agent at CAA who represents David Guetta, Paul Kalkbrenner, Sara Landry and more. Maria shares exactly how she helped build historical careers, what really goes on behind the scenes, and why she’ll never stop championing equity within club culture. **Disclaimer: Paul Kalkbrenner is represented by CAA’s Team Disco worldwide, and his responsible agent is Roman Trystram.  

What makes a DJ’s performance unforgettable? Is it stage presence, crowd connection, or turning a set into pure theatre? This episode explores all this and more with Lady Shaka, a performer who just never misses. The London-based, Afro Pasifika artist, producer, and DJ shares how she learned the art of performance,  from her start as a dancer with Parris Goebel’s Royal Family to founding London’s first ever Afro Pasifika club night. Lady Shaka has reshaped what connection and presence mean in dance music — and the best part is, you can learn how to craft performances that genuinely move people too.

Georgia Taglietti is a grand master at helping artists build meaningful brands – just ask Laurent Garnier. With 30+ years experience across artist management, digital innovation and community building, Georgia’s worked with titans in the music business, helping artists and institutions thrive through her consultancy business, all while promoting inclusivity, sustainability, and cultural integrity. Georgia has built a reputation for connecting people and ideas worldwide, and in this episode she shares her advice, tips and ideas on building an unforgettable brand.

This one’s for any aspiring DJs waiting to break through. How do you actually build a career in music? How do you find your sound, land your first gigs and stand out in a crowded industry? One of techno’s most respected artists, Indira Paganotto, knows exactly how. A resident at Space Miami and Hï Ibiza, she’s played Coachella, Tomorrowland, and Awakenings, all while running her ARTCORE label and events. From her Canary Islands roots to global stages, Indira shares the insights, challenges, and mindset needed to build a sustainable career in music.