Mission Makers

In an industry that never stops moving, how do you stay true to yourself?From playing football for Crystal Palace to becoming one of Afro electronic music's most distinctive tastemakers, DJ, producer, and label founder Kitty Amor joins Mission Makers at Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) to explore the discipline behind her craft, the power of authenticity, and why meaningful success requires more than simply keeping up.Kitty reveals how her sporting background shaped her approach to performing under pressure, why 5 AM training sessions and meditation are essential to finding stillness amid the noise, and how she's building her label Mahaba with intention in an era of relentless releases. She also reflects on championing genuine tastemakers, nurturing relationships beyond transactions, and why the electronic music industry needs to move beyond conversations about diversity towards real, lasting action."I just don't ever feel like you arrive at your peak. I feel like you can always increase whatever your peak is." – Kitty AmorJoin us as we explore:✅ Not being boxed into a genre✅ Building her label with intention, not just output✅ Why diversity needs action, not another conversation✅ The athlete's mindset applicable to the music industry➤ Follow us at:⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @missionmakers⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @n1njamusic⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ @dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ @dj-ninja⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji➤ For show notes + more on our host visit:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠

South Asian influence in electronic music is undeniable, from underground club movements to global stages. Yet influence does not always equal ownership. The next chapter is about authorship and narrative. Who tells the stories? Who curates the spaces? And how can cultural impact translate into lasting leadership and a defining role in the future of electronic music? Recorded live from the International Music Summit (IMS) - one of the leading conferences for the electronic music industry, held annually in Ibiza. Founded by Pete Tong, it has become the defining forum where the global dance music community gathers to catalyse sustainable growth and inspire positive change from the boardroom to the dancefloor.Featuring Ahadadream, founder of Dialled In; Kunal Merchant, co-founder of Indo Warehouse; Meedy, founder of DESCENDANTS Records, and our host, Farah Nanji. Moderated by BBC broadcaster and artist Amber Haque."Indians and Pakistanis, supposed enemies, all dancing together. That's what the dancefloor does." - AhadadreamJoin us as we explore:✅ The real cost of being South Asian in the electronic music industry✅ Why creating Indo House as a genre is an economic argument, not just a cultural one ✅ Why the dancefloor has always solved what politics refuses to ✅ What it takes to back yourself when the industry doesn't believe in your vision✅ What the next generation of South Asian artists inherits, and what they still have to fight for➤ Follow us at:⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @missionmakers⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @dj.n1nja⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ @dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ @dj-ninja⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dj-ninja.com/⁠⁠

The rise has happened. The stages are bigger, the residencies are multiplying, and the numbers are undeniable. The sounds that emerged from the African continent over the past three decades represent one of the most extraordinary waves of musical innovation the world has seen. But every genre that goes global reaches an inflection point where scale brings pressure, identity gets tested, and the question of who holds the keys becomes the most important one in the room. As multiple Afro-rooted genres move from momentum into long-term cultural movements, we look ahead to what comes next. How do scenes resist imposed narratives? Where can cultural growth continue with intention and integrity? And how is leadership in this next chapter defined by those carrying the culture forward, taking risks, and holding space for the generation coming through? Recorded live from the International Music Summit (IMS) - one of the leading conferences for the electronic music industry, held annually in Ibiza. Founded by Pete Tong, it has become the defining forum where the global dance music community gathers to catalyse sustainable growth and inspire positive change from the boardroom to the dancefloor.Featuring Culoe De Song, MoBlack, Cleido (Sondela), Raphael Pujol (Vice President of Global Curation at Beatport), and Shanae Dennis (Booking Agent at The Team) "The only way to survive is to evolve. If we stayed where we were eleven years ago, Afro house would already be dead." - MoBlackJoin us as we explore:✅ The scale and stakes of what Afro-Electronic music represent✅ How five simultaneous Ibiza residencies are redefining what artist power looks like✅ Why evolution and dilution are the most dangerous mistakes the industry can make right now✅ How the Middle East's exit from the touring circuit may be the unexpected catalyst that finally redirects money and attention toward the continent✅ The scenes across East and West Africa that are already ahead of the conversation✅ Why London remains one of the hardest places to grow Afro-electronic music➤ Follow us at:⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @missionmakers⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @dj.n1nja⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ @dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ @dj-ninja⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji➤ For show notes + more on our host visit:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dj-ninja.com/⁠⁠

When the door gets shut, what kind of artist do you become?From growing up under apartheid to becoming one of South Africa’s most influential dance music exports, Grammy award-winning artist and entrepreneur Zakes Bantwini joins Mission Makers to reflect on a journey defined not by moments, but by mastery. This conversation traces a path from township beginnings to global dancefloors, where visibility was once limited, but the vision was not.Zakes unpacks the truth behind his "overnight success" - a story that begins not with Osama, but with two decades of groundwork laid long before the world was listening. He shares the philosophies that carried him through industry gatekeeping, shifting sounds, and the years of building in the dark before the breakthrough finally came. At the centre of his work is Mayonie, not simply a label, but an incubator designed to develop artists from the inside out, grounded in one principle: pass it forward.“No one has the power to stop your greatness. They can only delay it." - Zakes BantwiniJoin us as we explore:✅ The mistakes he believes most rising artists make too early ✅ Why South Africa's dancefloor has always been ahead of the curve✅ Navigating gatekeeping at every level of the industry ✅ The mindset required to create work that lasts beyond trends➤ Follow us at:⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @missionmakers⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @dj.n1nja⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ @dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ @dj-ninja⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji➤ For show notes + more on our host visit:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dj-ninja.com/⁠⁠

When scenes move faster than structures can hold, what makes an independent dance label a twenty-year outlier?Co-founder of Mobilee Records, Ralf Kollmann reflects on two decades at the heart of electronic music, navigating seismic shifts in technology, culture, and the economics of independent labels. Recorded in Berlin during Mobilee’s 20th anniversary year, this conversation traces a long view from the dancefloor, from collective beginnings with Anja Schneider, and genre-fluid curation, to the pressures facing labels and artists today.With characteristic honesty, Ralf explores what has changed, what has endured, and why patience, timing, and restraint have become radical tools in an industry increasingly driven by volume, visibility, and constant output. It’s a conversation about longevity over momentum, intuition over noise, and building structures that can survive more than a moment.“Survival isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about knowing when to move, and when to pause.” - Ralf KollmannJoin us as we explore:✅ What it takes to sustain an independent label across 20 years✅ Why collectives form, evolve, and sometimes dissolve✅ Timing, trust, and the human side of A&R decisions✅ The pressure of constant output in the streaming era✅ Revisiting the catalogue over chasing the next release✅ Immersive audio, Dolby Atmos, and the question of adoption➤ Follow us at:⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @missionmakers⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @dj.n1nja⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ @dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ @dj-ninja⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji➤ For show notes + more on our host visit:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dj-ninja.com/⁠⁠

When success is measured in moments, how do you build something that lasts?One of the most recognisable voices in house music, Mr. V reflects on a career spanning more than three decades, from the golden era of New York house to today’s global circuit. Recorded live at Amsterdam Dance Event, Mr. V unpacks the unseen realities behind the anthems - from creative ownership and life on the road to the quiet choices required to build something meaningful over time. It’s a reflection on patience over pressure, craft over clout, and what it really means to build something that endures in a culture constantly chasing the next moment“This is a marathon. If you want to last, you have to be ready for the long road.” Mr. V.Join us as we explore:✅ Writing The Vibe with N1NJA✅ The real story behind Jus’ Dance✅ The hidden pressures on vocalists ✅ Protecting the voice in the age of AI ✅ Phones vs presence on the dancefloor✅ Navigating ego, narcissism, and power✅ The values that outlast trends in dance music➤ Follow us at:⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @missionmakers⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @dj.n1nja⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ @dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ @dj-ninja⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji➤ For show notes + more on our host visit:⁠⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dj-ninja.com/⁠⁠

When success accelerates faster than you can breathe, how do you stop the dream from becoming the thing that breaks you?Recorded live at Amsterdam Dance Event, we unpack the unseen reality of one of electronic music’s most quietly influential polymaths - producer, film composer, DJ, and Days Like Nights label boss Eelke Kleijn. From viral performances like his Cercle show to scoring trailers and gaming worlds, Eelke has built a career that spans genres, industries, and decades. But behind the milestones is a deeper story: creative processes built on patience rather than pressure, the near-burnout that followed his post-Covid touring boom, and the personal recalibration required to remain an artist, a father, and a human being in an increasingly metrics-driven landscape.Grounded, reflective, and disarmingly honest, Eelke opens up about the emotional toll of touring, why introversion shapes the way he performs, how becoming a parent transformed his relationship to time, and what it means to build a label for music that doesn’t fit anywhere else. This is a rare look into the inner mechanics of an artist redefining longevity on his own terms - slowing down in a world that only knows how to speed up.“Consistency is everything — you have to train creativity like a muscle.” — Eelke KleijnJoin us as we explore:✅ Reflections from ADE 2025✅ The artist vs the algorithm✅ Burnout, balance, and building a sustainable artistic life✅ How fatherhood reshaped his identity and his calendar ✅ The emotional cost of touring as an introvert ✅ The relationship between Armada and his label✅ His love for cars & F1➤ Follow us at:⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @missionmakers⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ @dj.n1nja⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ @dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ @dj-ninja⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji➤ For show notes + more on our host visit:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dj-ninja.com/⁠⁠⁠

When the industry demands boxes, what happens to the artists who don’t fit inside them?As the electronic music world accelerates and algorithms dictate the spotlight, what does it really take to succeed in the artistic mission? Recorded live at Amsterdam Dance Event, this special episode dives into the emotional, spiritual, and structural realities of life as a modern artist with Enamour - one of the most musically dexterous and introspective voices in the scene today.Rooted in decades of musicianship and shaped by Washington D.C.’s underground, Enamour has earned support across Rose Avenue, Anjunadeep, Abracadabra, and beyond. But behind the success lies a far deeper story: the psychology of creativity, the quiet battles of perfectionism, the hidden economics of touring, and the slow erosion of the “middle class” of musicians navigating today’s increasingly commercialised landscape.“Creativity works best when you stop trying to control it and start learning to listen to it.” - EnamourJoin us as we explore:✅ Reflections from ADE 2025✅ The real emotional cost of the artist's life✅ Why genre fluidity is both a gift and a gamble✅ The truths behind DJ fees + a shrinking creative middle class✅ How fans unknowingly influence culture + lineups✅ Building a career without losing your centre➤ Follow us at:Instagram:⁠⁠ @missionmakersInstagram:⁠⁠ @dj.n1njaTikTok:⁠⁠ @dj_n1njaSoundcloud:⁠⁠ @dj-ninja➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji➤ For show notes + more on our host visit:⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dj-ninja.com/⁠⁠

As Ibiza evolves, how does its soul survive the commercialization of club culture?Igor Marijuan is one of Ibiza’s most influential tastemakers — a DJ, radio pioneer, Artistic Director of Ibiza Global Radio, and Music Director of Akasha, two cultural cornerstones of the island’s precious sonic identity. For over two decades, he’s helped define what the world hears when it thinks of Ibiza: free-spirited, timeless, and deeply rooted in community.From the early days of underground radio to building the sound movement of Akasha during the stillness of the pandemic, Igor has redefined what club culture can stand for: music over money and essence over ego. In this episode, he shares his vision for a more sustainable future for the island and the electronic scene at large - one that honors authenticity, accessibility, and respect for the music’s spiritual roots by rejecting inflated headline fees and honoring community instead of competition.“Everyone wants to take from Ibiza. Few ask what they’re giving back.”Join us as we explore:✅ How Ibiza’s soul endures beyond the social media illusion ✅Pushing back against astronomical DJ fees and exclusivity contracts✅ The new realities in 2025 between venues and artists in Ibiza✅ How to build longevity as an artist in the age of algorithms✅ The cultural divide shaping the North of the island✅ What bookers really look for when receiving 50+ requests a day➤ Watch the FULL PODCAST here: http://bit.ly/4p7NBdj➤ Follow us at:Instagram:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/missionmakers/⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/dj.n1nja/⁠⁠X:⁠⁠ https://x.com/dj_n1nja⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ https://soundcloud.com/dj-ninja⁠⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji

As Ibiza evolves, how does its soul survive the commercialization of club culture?Igor Marijuan is one of Ibiza’s most influential tastemakers — a DJ, radio pioneer, Artistic Director of Ibiza Global Radio, and Music Director of Akasha, two cultural cornerstones of the island’s precious sonic identity. For over two decades, he’s helped define what the world hears when it thinks of Ibiza: free-spirited, timeless, and deeply rooted in community.From the early days of underground radio to building the sound movement of Akasha during the stillness of the pandemic, Igor has redefined what club culture can stand for: music over money and essence over ego. In this episode, he shares his vision for a more sustainable future for the island and the electronic scene at large - one that honors authenticity, accessibility, and respect for the music’s spiritual roots by rejecting inflated headline fees and honoring community instead of competition.Join us tomorrow as we explore:✅ How Ibiza’s soul endures beyond the social media illusion ✅Pushing back against astronomical DJ fees and exclusivity contracts✅ The new realities in 2025 between venues and artists in Ibiza✅ How to build longevity as an artist in the age of algorithms✅ The cultural divide shaping the North of the island✅ What bookers really look for when receiving 50+ requests a day“Everyone wants to take from Ibiza. Few ask what they’re giving back.”➤ Watch the FULL PODCAST here: http://bit.ly/4p7NBdj➤ Follow us at:Instagram:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/missionmakers/⁠⁠Instagram:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/dj.n1nja/⁠⁠X:⁠⁠ https://x.com/dj_n1nja⁠⁠TikTok:⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@dj_n1nja⁠⁠Soundcloud:⁠⁠ https://soundcloud.com/dj-ninja⁠⁠➤ Credits:Music: Mission Makers - N1NJA (Unreleased)Producer: Farah Nanji➤ For show notes + more on our host visit:⁠⁠https://mission-makers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dj-ninja.com/⁠⁠