In a recent conversation with HITS’ streaming guru Ranya Khoury, Founder/CEO of Chillhop Music Bas van Leeuwen spoke about the simple pleasures of running a promotional channel, label and brand that has built a global community of Lo-Fi music fans. Inspired by wanting to spread awareness about a genre that is typically left on the back burner, the channel has amassed 2.66m+ subscribers over 7 years and generates over 130k views on its livestream videos daily.
Operating out of Rotterdam, Netherlands, Leeuwen and his team of 25 challenge the typical business model and have built Chillhop Music into more than just a music company. In addition to having an online presence, the company has spent time developing a live presence by holding events and building a café in its headquarters. Their live and interactive development showcases the laid-back atmosphere Lo-Fi music organically creates. With plans to create a podcast, design more merchandise and host future events, Chillhop Music's vision revolves around re-framing the genre's rep.
“On the surface level, you could see us as a hybrid between promotional channel, label and publisher. If you look further than that you’ll be able to see that we're a brand that helps people have a more relaxed everyday life,” says Leeuwen.
To learn more about Chillhop Music, click here. Stream their flagship playlist Chillhop Radio on Spotify below.
Beatport and SiriusXM have recently joined forces to launch the new weekly radio show Pitch Control: Powered by Beatport on BPM, SiriusXM’s electronic music channel. The premiere episode aired on 4/5 and will continue every Sunday at 8pm PST.
Hosted by Beatsource dance curator DJ Drew, a.k.a. Andrew Ortiz, the show features buzzing tracks in the electronic scene chosen by the platform’s curation team while taking into account real-time activity on Beatport’s streaming service, LINK.
“We are thrilled to enter into this music and broadcasting partnership with SiriusXM, one of the leading music destinations here in the US,” said Beatport CEO Robb McDaniels.
Ortiz will work closely with Beatport’s Berlin-based curation team, led by Raphael Pujoi (The Checkup), as well as SiriusXM's PD for BPM and Pitbull’s Globalization (ch. 13) Edwin Paredes (DJ Phenom), VP of EDM programming Geronimo and PD Rida Naser, who will also assist in overseeing this new project. Prior to hosting Pitch Control, Ortiz spent 20 years at KIIS FM in addition to his experience programming dance radio at Beatsource, a JV between Beatport and DJcity.
For more information on Pitch Control and the recently announced free streaming access period through 5/15, click here.
London-born singer/songwriter Lila Drew has released her latest track “Dad’s Van” on 4/3. Featured on her FADER Fort Live stream performance, “Dad’s Van” comes on the heels of recent single “Locket,” which Lila describes as a “visual exploration of first heartbreak.”
The 19-year-old independent artist has previously collaborated with GoldLink for her debut single “faded/2am”, which now has 6m+ RTD streams on Spotify alone. Drew has also been able to score sync placement on Netflix’s On My Block and The Last Summer.
Drew is currently working on her debut album, though a release date has yet to be announced. In the meantime, stream “Dad’s Van” below.
