Meet Josh West | Music Producer and DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Josh West and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josh, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
My balance has definitely evolved being in the music industry for the past nine years. When I first started my music journey, I felt like every minute of every day needed to be focused on work or something work related. Sometimes to the point where it took away from my life and relationships outside of music. I would be working as much as I could for as long as I could and wasn’t as in tune with my body and energy as I am now. Although it was a lot, I do think that initial way of pushing myself and focus was necessary to get to where I am today. Even today I’m still trying to find the right balance and constantly need to remind myself that it’s just as important to focus on input as much as it is output. I know that the fire I had that pushed me to work on music so much came from a hunger and passion that I couldn’t suppress. Over the years I’ve started to find a better balance of life and work through recalling times when I’ve made my best music and realizing that I was taking care of myself outside of music in those times. I was taking breaks, going surfing, hanging with friends, meditating, all things that I used to feel like took away from work when in reality those are the things that fuel creativity. We need the input just as much if not more than the output. Having that mindset shift has really allowed me to be more grateful for the times I’m not working on music because I know they are necessary. One of the biggest helps for me was getting into a consistent routine that allows me to go into work and relax mode. Having a consistent schedule of when I’m working on music and when to be offline allows me to show up every day and put in the work I need to without over stretching myself. Although my schedule can change quite a bit with shows and travel, I try to stay on top of my routine as much as I can.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Music for me is one of the most beautiful things in the world. To be able to join people from all walks of life together through sound is something that is so unique. There’s an indescribable feeling that happens when you go to a concert and hear your favorite songs with your best friends. Being able to be someone who can help share that energy is the coolest thing ever. My brand is called Vibes On 10 and that’s what I aim to encompass in my music and brand. Bringing good vibes and energy whenever I make music or play a show sits at the core of why I’m a music producer. I got into it because of the connection I had with music and now I get to share that connection with my own fans as well.

I got to where I’m at today by trusting the process and believing in myself. As many of us can be, I used to be my own worst enemy and my own biggest critic. Through years of meditation and mindfulness practice, I’ve helped strengthen my inner coach and quieted my inner critic. Moving abroad to Australia for a year allowed me to figure out who I am and gave me time to self explore. You can’t make your dreams come true if you don’t believe in yourself first. Being a creative is definitely not easy and involves a level of committment that can usually seem delusional to others. Many of the top people in any industry are there because they’ve stuck it out the longest and put in the most work. Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.

I used to regret not doing anything musical growing up like being in a band or having started producing at an earlier age, until I realized I may not be where I am today if I did. I’m extremely proud to share that I had no musical background and started from ground zero because I’m living proof that if you want something bad enough, you can make it happend no matter the circumstances. Over the years, I’ve also learned that there’s always going to be peaks and valleys throughout my career and trusting that any time I’m in a slump, there’s always more positive things on the horizon. Having the patience to work through those slow times it what sets many people apart because a lot of people give up during those hard periods.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve only lived in LA for a year now so I myself am still exploring the area to see where my favorite spots are. My first stop on my itinerary would be the beach. We have beautiful beaches here in LA and the ocean is a place that can really help you reset mentally while connecting to the Earth. If they would be up for it, we could paddle out and catch a couple waves as well. In addition, we have some beautiful parks just along the boardwalk that are perfect spots for some picnics or daytime hangs. After that we could hit my favorite coffee shop called Saba Coffee shop to pick up a nice cup of coffee or tasty tea. To grab a bite to eat we wouldn’t have to go far cause we could walk across the street to Bluey’s to grab some bomb breaky food. I’m quite biased towards the west side as that’s where I reside but if we wanted to get some classic LA vibes we could hang around Silver Lake to do some thrifting and enjoy some nice parks. Of course we have a bunch of amazing music venues here so catching a couple concerts would be a must as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
One of the first people I think of is one of my best friends Rob. I started my music journey with him when I moved home after college and I know I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without him. Throughout our time working together I’ve learned so much from him and have always valued his opinion on anything I’m working on. Growing up together since middle school, he knows how I operate but is able to see things from a different perspective than me. He’s always been incredibly supportive of me and helped push me in the right direction when I doubt myself.

Next I would say my friend Kelland. Not only is he an insane music producer but he’s also an amazing person. We got connected a few years ago through Instagram but instantly became close friends soon after. He has always been someone I can come to for advice or help on anything related to music and career choices. He embodies an abundance mindset and consistently looks to help those around him when he can. Being in the industry a little longer than me, he’s helped open doors and connected me with amazing people that I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. Having made a lot of music together, he consistently inspires me and helps me level up my production skills as well.

Lastly I would say there are a two books that have really helped me throughout my career. The first is the Creative Act by Rick Rubin. I first read this book when I moved abroad in 2023 and it completely changed how I think about music and being a creative. I used to be very hard on myself when I wouldn’t make a crazy fire track or some sort of cool idea and through reading this book, it helped me realize that each of those ideas is a stepping stone to the next big track. It helped me trust the process of creating and understand that there’s no end goal, just continuing to better yourself. The other book is called Deep Work by Cal Newport. In a day and age where were all incredibly distracted by social media and our devices, this book helped me realize the importance of being disconnected and diving deep into our work. I know for myself, it can take many hours of working on music in one session just to get into a flow of things. This book combines scientific information and real world examples to show the importance of getting lost in our work without distractions.

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Image Credits
Mattie True
Drew Rodriguez
Ryden Custance