We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jake Anthony. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jake below.
Jake, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my radio show, Magic Lamp Radio. It was founded on the belief that local artists who are putting in the work—practicing at home, mixing, creating playlists, learning the craft of DJing, and networking—deserve a chance to be showcased. They deserve the spotlight for their sound and style to be heard. Magic Lamp Radio is about support, authenticity, effort, and never giving up.
When I first started as a DJ in the Orlando scene, it took me a while to earn the respect and trust of promoters, venue owners, and other established artists. I’d argue that I’m still not 100% there. The music world can feel overwhelming if you lack determination, patience, or motivation. Without those qualities, it’s easy to get lost in the complexity of the industry.
I wanted Magic Lamp Radio to simplify the process, take the darkness out of the music business, and bring back the magic—the joy of creating and sharing music. I truly believe that everyone is capable of being successful and achieving their dreams, and I want Magic Lamp Radio to be part of that journey. I want it to be a stepping stone for artists to get their foot in the door, to start their careers, and to be seen by promoters, venue owners, and collective heads in their local scene. Although Magic Lamp Radio is based in Orlando, my goal is to feature artists from around the world and give them the opportunity to grow.
At its core, Magic Lamp Radio is about being true to yourself, being authentic, being different, and being real. I never tell artists what they can or can’t play, as long as they stay within the general genre guidelines. One of the challenges I faced when starting in the Orlando music scene was the lack of interest in my genre—Techno, Trance, and Psytrance. The local scene was more focused on House, Latin House, and Tech House. This made it difficult for me and other local Techno artists to find opportunities to play shows. With Magic Lamp Radio and our partnerships with other local collectives, we’ve been able to feature Techno, Trance, and Psytrance artists on live shows—whether underground events or larger, more established club shows, like those at TK Lounge in Tampa, FL.
This is why the project is so meaningful to me. What started as a simple radio show to promote local artists has evolved into something much bigger. Over the past year, we’ve managed to support artists even more by putting them on live shows. Despite being only a year old, Magic Lamp Radio has already accomplished so much, and with many exciting new ideas in the works, I couldn’t have asked for a more fulfilling project to work on. This project brings me immense joy and continues to motivate me to grow, not only as an individual but as part of a thriving community of artists.
Stay Magical.
Jake, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I got into the Techno EDM scene about three years ago. At that time, I had gone to a few music festivals, which is what initially drew me to EDM. However, I didn’t fully dive into Techno until 2021. There was something about the beat and rhythm that instantly pulled me into a new world. Since then, I’ve fully dedicated my life to Techno. If I’m not working or at school, I’m in the studio producing new tracks, enhancing my DJ skills, or out playing shows.
I like to think of myself as a professional DJ/artist, and I hold myself to a certain standard when it comes to my craft. I produce Techno, mainly a mix of Peak-Time/Driving and Deep/Hypnotic. I always aim to tell a story with my tracks, whether it’s about the intensity of driving a race car or simply about the groove and emotions you feel. Each track starts with an idea, but I’m open to new possibilities that arise during the process. Sometimes, the original plan doesn’t work out, but I’ve learned not to force things. My latest single, “Can’t Stay Constant,” is a perfect example of this. I posted a teaser on my Instagram, and the final product ended up being quite different from what I originally envisioned, but in a good way. It was signed to Shade Records, a label owned by Carlos Mendoza. There’s obviously much more to making a song than just dealing with “flawed elements,” but this process taught me that sometimes less is more. The key is finding the right sounds.
In addition to producing, I’m also a DJ performing across Florida. I’ve played in cities like Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, St. Pete, and soon, Miami. These shows range from nightclubs like the TK Lounge in Tampa to music festivals like Homebass Music Festival in Orlando, as well as underground warehouse events. My sets usually last 1-2 hours, and sometimes I play solo, or I do back-to-back (b2b) sets with other artists, such as my good friend Yari (@YariSound).
Over the past two years, I’ve also started a project called Magic Lamp Radio. The goal is to create a community of local artists who put in the work—practicing, mixing, creating playlists, learning DJing, and networking. These artists deserve a chance to be showcased, to have their sound and style heard. Magic Lamp Radio is all about support, authenticity, effort, and perseverance. It’s about giving local, underground talent a platform. But this project goes beyond just an online radio show. I work with other local collectives like Ethereal Sounds (@EtherealSounds_) to get these artists on bigger stages where their art can truly shine. On top of that, we’ve partnered with other promoters and musically involved artists to create an underground experience in Orlando called Nightmoves (@Nightmoves.orl). This is a community-driven project where we work with smaller venues or businesses that offer space, and we come in to build our own stage with speakers, lights, lasers—everything needed to run a successful show. These events, whether free or ticketed, are a chance for us to put underground talent in the spotlight. We don’t aim to make money; we’re here for the music.
On a personal note, I wear three-eye sunglasses, which symbolize protection for the third eye. They serve as a reminder to keep your mind, body, and soul in harmony. The third eye is the gateway to your inner self, and if you don’t protect it, you can become vulnerable to negative emotions and feelings. For some, music acts as a form of escape—the emotions stirred by chords, synths, or lyrics can help you feel like there’s no problem in the world or get you through tough times. Music has helped me through my own struggles in ways I can’t even fully quantify. My glasses are there to protect me and anyone who sees me wearing them. It might sound strange, but it’s all about belief. If you believe you are protected, loved, and cared for, you will feel that. When people see me wearing them, I want them to feel the magic. The glasses are not just for protection; they also serve to transfer positive energy to everyone—whether on or off the stage, in real life or in photos. Energy can’t be destroyed; it can only be transferred. I will continue transferring positive energy wherever I go.
My brand is all about self-love, self-improvement, authenticity, being different, and being real. It’s about embracing the magic that makes everything possible. Sometimes, we don’t know how things will work out, but all we can do is hope—and sometimes, that’s enough.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is hearing people talk about my brand or project positively. I know that might sound a bit self-centered, but the truth is, I often struggle to accept where I’m at. I’m always thinking I could be doing more or wondering if Magic Lamp Radio is really making a difference. So, when I hear someone express excitement about being featured on the show or included in one of our lineups, it brings me a different kind of joy. It reassures me that people see this as a real, meaningful project. It’s no longer just “a hobby”—it’s become something real, and that realization is incredibly fulfilling. Knowing that Magic Lamp Radio is helping create opportunities and fostering a community is what makes this journey so rewarding.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I feel like the term “non-creatives” doesn’t sit well with me because I believe everyone has creativity within them—they just haven’t tapped into it yet. However, for the sake of this question, I do think that non-creatives often struggle to understand why we, as artists, would spend so much money and time on something that might seem like a “hobby” to them, rather than focusing on a “real career” or job. For me, I go to school full time and work at a theme park here in Orlando. I’ve never quit my job or stopped going to school for music, but instead, I’ve created a routine that balances all three—work, school, and my personal life. It’s about having discipline, holding yourself accountable, and never giving up.
Once I finish school, I’ll be able to dedicate even more time to music and manage my self-made schedule more effectively. My point is, this journey requires a lot of hard work, and a lot of it is about doing the tough work up front and making sacrifices now. A perfect quote that sums it up is, “Easy life now, hard life later, or hard life now, easy life later.” This basically means that, yes, it might suck being broke or not going out every weekend, or not getting the latest phone. But if you make those sacrifices now, and put in the same effort that you would at a 9-to-5 job, you can eventually turn your dreams into a reality.
Growing up, my father told me, “If you work a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I’ve stuck by those words since I was about 10 years old. Now, at 24, nothing is going to stand in my way of success except for myself. That’s why you have to do it anyway—say “screw it,” go out there, be yourself, and do what you love. Everything else will follow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fxgythaeilcn6pm1882p9/JA-EPK-Complete.pdf?rlkey=slmkksaro220stoc93cjpekkw&st=281uq51c&dl=0
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeanthony.music?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010138451344
- Twitter: https://x.com/JAnthony_dj
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/y4dwUXQ4bmS3Qh7WA
- Other: https://on.soundcloud.com/zidc4nZMQrbatPHw8 – Magic Lamp Radio Sound Cloud
https://www.instagram.com/magic.lamp.radio/ – Magic Lamp Radio Instagram
Image Credits
Photo credits: Eemyaj.Visuals – Instagram