We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ryan Terpstra. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ryan below.
Ryan, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
Back in 2014, I was a high school sophomore while living in Texas and my father got a better job. I was told we only had a few weeks until we had to pack up and leave. I was devastated that I had to leave my whole world behind to start anew. Little did I know, this would turn out to be a pivotal moment for my journey in music.
That summer, we were off to Denver, Colorado. We had a tiny apartment for my family of 6 while we looked for a home in the metroplex. I was looking for any way to escape the darkness I was experiencing as a result of the move. There wasn’t much teenagers could do in the area, especially ones that didn’t know the area, so I stayed in and listened to playlists that Pandora would create for me. One day, a message popped up on my screen before starting the next song: “Zomboy at the Ogden: The Outbreak Tour”. Long story short, this event unlocked a feeling that I never knew I could experience, belonging. Everywhere I looked at this event, there were radiant people and kind souls dancing their hearts out to the music, When Zomboy jumped on stage and started his Dj set, the energy and crowd noise skyrocketed. From the first moment, until the end of his set, everyone was under his control, everything was energetic, the bass was rattling my bones, and I felt complete. This was the moment I knew I wanted to be that guy behind the decks, curating music and controlling the energy in the room. From my first opportunity to Dj at CU Boulder in 2017, to now, the magnitude of excitement I experience has only grown through the years. I can’t see going away any time soon.
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.
I have been in the production side of the music industry since 2018 when I got introduced to Reid, a long time friend and one of my best mentors. He ran a production company that opened up many doors for me and he gave me real industry experience on building events from the ground up, communicating with artists, and networking with my peers in the space. After this, I was able to take all this experience to AEG Presents in 2020, where I have been blessed to have worked on some of the biggest events in Colorado and the USA such as: Decadence NYE, Global Dance Fest, Jimmy Buffet’s final tour, Sabrina Carpenter, Ke$ha, 21 Pilots and Dead and Company, to name a few.
My palette is always expanding, but my main focus in music lately has been full live event production. I am working really hard to acquire gear and promote events that I am involved in. Right now we have full live sound for 3000-5000 patrons and are looking to deploy it places!
When I’m not planning my next event, you can find me looking for opportunities to entertain on the DJ decks under my artist name, Derpstra. I am extremely open format, but my main genre is EDM. No playlist is off limits and I’m up for any challenge. I pride myself on creative transitions and blending bass music with familiar tunes to create unique drops and mashups. Anyone coming to one of my sets should know that no 2 experiences are alike, and that I am dedicated to elevating the energy in the room.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
One thing that is not mentioned enough is the mental health of industry professionals.
I highly recommend everyone read up on the topic of “imposter syndrome”. Imposter Syndrome is something I struggled with for a long time and it can take many opportunities away from an up-and-coming individual. Imposter Syndrome, as I understand it, is feeling like you are unqualified or like you do not belong after stacking a few wins and advancing in the industry.
One book that has provided me with the tools to succeed is called “33 Strategies of war”, By Robert Greene. It provides the reader with valuable psychological topics and insight to build mental fortitude. Each life lesson told in the book is explained through the retelling of historical battles and moments in war. My favorite example from the book is the conquer of Mexico, when Hernan Cortes and his army of a few hundred Spaniards defeated the Aztecs. Originally, most of the soldiers saw that they were outnumbered at least 30 to 1 when they landed in Central America and wanted to sail back to Spain in fear of their lives. Cortes wanted to strengthen the men’s resolve, so he burned all of his ships in the middle of the night before starting the march conquer Mexico. The concept of “burning the ship” refers to taking risks and leaving a safety net in order to reach a milestone, finding comfort in discomfort and driving through your goals.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My mission is complete when I can wake up in the future, go down the street to my venue, and check in on the crew setting up the next big talent for their tour stop that night. I want to leave a lasting legacy in the community I serve, while making sure the ones I care about are taken care of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Derpstra?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=5d0ee4b2-440c-490c-bd24-76789e8a010b
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derpstra/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/derpstra
Image Credits
-Mike Lawrence, 52eightyfilms
-Matthew Baena, matthewbaenaph