Judge Jules talks AI, mental health and the importance of showing up

Our first guest on Musiio by SoundCloud’s brand-new podcast is Judge Jules, the renowned British DJ, electronic music producer, and former BBC Radio 1 host. Not only is he hugely accomplished behind the decks, he’s also the only gigging DJ to have a parallel career as a specialist music lawyer.

Starting his journey with the turntable at 16, Jules has played over 5,000 shows and marries his passion for performances with a love of music law via his venture, Sound Advice.

In this conversation, you’ll find out:

The legal pitfall for artists signing contracts
Why getting a TikTok hit might not secure your career
Why mental health is important to understand in music law
What’s it like to DJ in front of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world
Why A&Rs are scouting talent on SoundCloud now more than ever
The limitations of generative AI
Is Jules actually a judge?


Chapters
00:00 Jules’ start in DJing and promotion.
04:06 Law degrees, DJing and career development
08:34 Dance music on SoundCloud
10:26 AI in music: pros and cons
11:47 Music industry trends and innovation
18:09 The many skills needed by professionals
22:58 Challenges to mental health for artists
25:17 Understanding broader picture crucial for client care
26:24 Legal contracts in the music industry
28:46 Music discovery and A&R in the digital age
33:14 The artist prospect: TikTok vs SoundCloud
36:47 How to cut through as an artist
39:41 Outdated legal mindsets in the music industry
45:50 The challenge with democratising music
48:16 Jules’ best gig ever