We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anton Karunungan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anton below.
Anton, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
In short, it was a crazy story. In a good way, at the very least.
Defiant Presents was created by a shower thought in the fourth week of July 2021. Yes, you read that correctly, a shower thought! Before that, I was met with a series of failures as an amateur event coordinator at the time; but was enthusiastic about pursuing a new endeavor. Immediately after getting out of the shower, I called my best friend Antonio and proposed the idea of making an event coordinating business together. After the phone call, we had a six-hour Zoom meeting where I outlined the primary purpose of creating the company Defiant Presents. The primary purpose of creating Defiant Presents was to promote rising electronic dance music artists while advancing the dance music scene in Florida. Additionally, we both wanted to leave a positive legacy in the dance music industry as we start our new pursuit. With the assistance of our professors at Daytona State College, they bestowed us the tools to succeed. But wait, the story gets even crazier!
From that day, we had all our ideas in check, but we didn’t know where to start. Practically, we were throwing paint at the wall and seeing where it stuck. Through the confidence of our mentors in the trance music space, we were persistent in discovering a new home to coordinate events that aligned with our values as a company. One week later, after consistent rejection and heartbreak, we landed in Tampa, Florida’s underground venue, TK Lounge, and we couldn’t be more thankful!
Fast-forward to the second week of 2021, Defiant Presents landed its first booking with DJ/Producer Blvk Sheep, guided by Diego Bravo of PsyPresents. The most ironic and coincidental part of this booking was that we both witnessed Blvk Sheep’s set at their Tisoki event in Celine after Forbidden Kingdom 2021. Our first book was a complete full-circle moment between us and our first headliner booking. Finally, as of January 1, 2022, Defiant Presents was born! Although we’re only one calendar year into Defiant Presents, nothing can compare or replace the memories and moments we had at our first Defiant Presents event.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My name is Anton Karunungan, and I am the CEO and Co-Founder of Defiant Presents. Alongside me in my endeavor is Antonio Santamaria, the COO, and Co-Founder of Defiant Presents. Our roles for the company intertwine, and we both have equal responsibility for our company.
In Defiant Presents, we specialize in coordinating, producing, and marketing all Defiant Presents hosted or collaborated events. We strive to secure the best up-and-coming talent in electronic dance music for our attendees to enjoy and unite inside the dance floor. We seek to preserve the culture of Electronic Dance Music in Tampa, FL, by building a loving and caring community while promoting a safe place to express their individuality. Moreover, Antonio and I have spent time within the Electronic Dance Community. We understand the significance of having a safe environment for everyone to enjoy and escape.
Our goal after each event, big or small, is to have an attendee experience a positive core memory. A core memory they will never forget for the rest of their lives. It’s to duplicate that euphoria or joy; that we experience while seeing our favorite artists to our attendees that makes all of our efforts for each curated event priceless!
As for 2023, we’re on a mission. A collaborative mission aligned with our other partners. We set our sights to cement Tampa as the bass capital of the South by the end of 2023. As we proceed to our mission, we will continue to grow our community; and establish the company that we want Defiant Presents to make. Our company is a work in progress, but we appreciate all the love and support we received! We can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store for our company! Keep on the lookout!
How’d you meet your business partner?
This backstory is insane!
In short, I met Antonio through a music business class, pre-pandemic 2020. Our first interaction with each other is the fact that he caught me wearing my EDC Orlando 2019 lanyard after class. From there, we became friends because of our interest in electronic dance music, bonded over the next year, and the rest was history! Now, not only we’re best friends, but we have combined our talents to make Defiant Presents into reality.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
There is one piece of work I have done in university and one book I read that I discovered significance in pursuit of my current passion.
First, a 3000-word essay that I remembered writing in college is about the impact of Woodstock 1969 on the music industry and how that event shaped festivals now. Second, a memoir, “My Life in Lasers,” written by DJ/Producer Gareth Emery about outrageous stories and lessons he learned while in the dance music industry. The Woodstock 1969 essay and Emery’s memoir have opened my eyes to how music can unite all walks of life and its alluring beauty.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.defiantpresents.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defiantpresents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/defiantpresents
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karunungananton/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DefiantPresents
- Other: Business Inquiries – anton@defiantpresents.net Media Inquiries – defiantpresentsllc@gmail.com Personal Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/avgazn Personal Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/_anton.fl/