Grace Dahl
Techno Dj/Producer
The Next Gen Creatives | Amsterdam
The first young creative I am proud to introduce to you is a Techno DJ/Producer who is currently at the forefront of Amsterdam’s thriving scene, and swiftly accelerating toward international recognition: Grace Dahl.
Grace and I became close friends many years ago, after sitting next to each other in class by chance during one of our last years in high school. We both knew from a young age that our path is destined to result into our passions becoming our careers, which we talked about frequently for hours on end.
Fast-forward to the present day, about 10 years later, here we are!
She has been showcasing her advanced skill at various renowned events around Europe such as Awakenings, Vault Sessions and EXHALE. Consistently delivering top-notch performances, she recently joined Vault Sessions as one of their resident DJ’s and has been prevalent during their local shows at RADION, Bret and Lofi, and international shows at Revier Südost and Anomalie Art Club.
It didn’t take her long to take the next step within her career as she headed towards her journey into production a few years ago, which has already led to her track “Vermilion Empire” being released on Amelie Lens’ label, EXHALE and her latest track “One Woo For Freedom” being released on Voxnox Records.
With many more impressive shows and productions coming up combined with her undeniable drive and focus, Grace is well on her way to making her vision become reality.
Do you have any advice for the Next Gen?
I remember receiving one certain piece of advice constantly when I just started about 6 years ago: “You absolutely have to go out as much as possible to network if you want to achieve your goals” — In one way I agree with this advice, it certainly will help you along the way if you become a familiar face in your local “scene” but on the other hand I questioned it. Was it utterly vital to do as told even if it didn’t fit my true nature?
My innate love and devotion to listening and mixing music is something that started from a young age and continuously developed at home, therefore the decision to start my career as a DJ actually did not originate from going out frequently. I would say it inherently got passed down by my parents and eventually this passion was something I could share with my partner, which lead to practicing and playing on his Numark controller when we were in our late teens.
Don’t get me wrong — I love visiting events, enjoying the loud and crisp sound systems, learning what works on a dance floor, and being inspired by the many talented artists out there. However, it was not something I was planning on doing just because my peers said it was crucial. I still 100% stand by the belief that I can achieve all of my goals and more without doing the usual 101.
I can now confidently say that going out to network every weekend was not a vital necessity. I have gained so many beautiful connections by visiting and supporting collectives at my own slower but steady pace. Thinking back to how I started as an eighteen-year-old knowing absolutely no one in the community, to where I find myself today, is something I am so thankful for. It’s okay for some things to take time and for connections to build gradually.
The main advice I hope to encourage with this anecdote is to truly believe in your unique skill first and foremost and to fulfill your passion and ambition with integrity — in a manner you would feel most comfortable doing so. All else will most definitely follow.
What are your future plans?
It hasn’t been set in stone yet date/location-wise, but my father and I have been practicing playing records together these past months. The main goal in acquiring this skill is to be able to play a b2b set sometime in the near future.
Both my parents have been heavily involved in (electronic) music, and during their journey of organizing events, my dad played a cheeky set or two in his younger days. So it would be an absolute dream to share a memory like this together. Working on it as we speak!
Besides that, I will be playing at Awakenings on NYE this year which I am incredibly excited about. It will be my first time playing in the Gashouder which will always be the ultimate Awakenings location! Can’t think of a better way to enter the new year than in the place where I’ve been inspired so many times as a visitor in the past.
