Interview: Daniel J. Lee General Manager @ NCS

Welcome to an exclusive interview with Daniel J. Lee, the General Manager of NCS, one of the most popular and well-known record labels in electronic music, that has become a powerhouse in the music industry. With an undeniable passion for helping develop artists, Dan has played a significant role in the growth of NCS and the success of many of its artist talents. In this insightful conversation, we explore Dan's learnings, his dedication to his role, and his advice for emerging artists.

Interview with Daniel J. Lee:

Question: What initially drew you to the music industry and working at a record label?

Dan: I used play drums in a band back in school and one day my dad bought an electric drum kit... once I had a play around I then was hooked. Soon after I learnt how to record tracks into Cubase and then started making full songs. I then considered myself a 'producer' and wanted to go down that route. I started distributing my own music and then helping others do it too, then one day clicked and realised 'oh I'm a record label'... then I took it a bit more seriously, and started releasing music properly.

A while went by when I was doing this on the side of college/uni and then I realised I wanted to get into artist management. I picked up a few clients; IZECOLD, Ellis, Anna Yvette and started working on marketing them and helping them release on labels. Some more time passes and I was submitting an IZECOLD track to Billy (founder of NCS) and he suggested meeting up as we didn't live too far apart. At our dinner, he said he was overwhelmed with the amount of work he was doing and I instantly asked what I could do... and there I got my job within NCS and was able to take my hobby full time.

Question: Can you share a memorable or defining moment in your career that had a significant impact on you?

Dan: Sub Urban - Cradles reaching #1 trending on Spotify and #2 on TikTok on the same day.

Question: How do you handle the pressure and demands of the music industry while maintaining your well-being?

Dan: An hour a day of lifting heavy things and putting them back down again.

Question: Which song or album best describes your life and why?

Dan: IZECOLD - Close (ft. Molly Ann) - practically started my career.

Question: What's the best piece of advice you've ever received in your career?

Dan: We're not saving lives.

Question: Can you share a mentor or role model who has had a significant influence on your career?

Dan: My parents, they've trusted me all the way and have helped support me in my career.

Question: Is there a specific piece of advice you'd give yourself back when you first started in the industry?

Dan: Relationships are super important. Your product/service might be great, but if you don't have the right relationships you wont be able to get your product/service as far as you want.

Question: Who is an emerging artist you think people should be listening to?

Dan: Raude

Question: What is one thing about the music industry that surprised you when you first started?

Dan: There is a tonne of legal and contracts, which are not fun.

Question: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Dan: Time travel!

Question: What qualities do you look for in an artist when considering signing them to your label?

Dan: Someone that is motivated and is willing to put in the hard work.

Question: What are some red flags that may discourage you from signing an artist?

Dan: No socials or general presence online.

Question: What are the common mistakes artists make when approaching record labels?

Dan: Presuming we want songs that sound similar to an old song we released. We're constantly looking to be surprised.

Question: Can you provide some guidance on the importance of networking and building industry connections?

Dan: Really would recommend going to conferences and connecting with people. Things like ADE, Dancefair, Miami Music Week etc are all great places to meet like-minded people.

Question: How important is an artist's image and branding in today's music industry?

Dan: SUPER important. Every follows personalities. People do judge a book by its cover.

Question: What do you think is the biggest misconception artists have about the role of record labels today?

Dan: That we will make a track do well no matter what. We can only do so much, ultimately it needs to be a collaborative effort, all with a great song.

Question: Which artists have you signed from LabelRadar?

Dan: There are a lot! The first was ROY KNOX back in 2019 with 'About Me'.

Question: How has joining LabelRadar impacted your (or your team's) day to day?

Dan: It has significantly increased the amount of demos we listen to from say 30% to 100%. It also means that every artist that submits something to us will get some form of response.

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