Hidden Gems: Meet Danielle Tudahl of The LA Raver

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Tudahl

Hi Danielle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Ashburn, Virginia, where I didn’t really see much diversity, especially when it came to the LGBTQ+ community. But live music was always a big part of my life, and I was drawn to the energy and freedom of raves. My first one was Avicii back in 2012, where I snuck into the pit and never looked back. When I got into USC, my dream school, and moved to LA, I threw myself into the nightlife scene, going to as many EDM shows as I could.

While at USC, I became a club promoter at 1OAK on Sunset Blvd, one of the hottest clubs in LA, and that got me even more involved in the scene. After graduating, I worked for a music festival company, but when it went under, I was left waiting tables, wondering what to do next. That’s when I started a TikTok account, sharing my favorite raves and festivals. It blew up, and I realized people really wanted advice on where to go—especially to those underground “afters” in downtown LA.

From that, The LA Raver was born. I launched a newsletter to help people find their way into the underground rave scene, and it’s grown into something much bigger than I expected. Now, I’ve got over 15,000 subscribers, a social media following of 100,000+, and I’ve started throwing my own raves, some with over 1,000 people attending. It’s been a wild ride from sneaking into shows to now creating spaces for others to experience the magic of underground raves.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced with The LA Raver was the backlash when I first started. A lot of people in the scene thought I was ruining the underground rave culture by exposing these secret events. They didn’t see the value in opening up the community to new people, and there were accusations that I was going to destroy what made it special. But I stuck to my vision because I knew that helping people discover these amazing experiences could actually grow and strengthen the community.

On top of that, being a woman in this industry means I’m constantly fighting to be taken seriously. I deal with harassment, sexism, and even stalkers. Almost everyone I work with is a man, and there’s a lot of judgment and assumptions that I don’t know what I’m doing just because of my gender. It’s frustrating, but I’ve learned how to hold my ground and prove myself through my work and dedication.

The underground scene itself is another challenge. It’s super unregulated, so people tend to act wild, and there’s no real structure or oversight. Dealing with the chaos and unpredictability is part of the job, but it can be exhausting when things get out of hand. Despite all this, I’ve pushed through because I believe in what I’m doing and the community I’ve built.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The LA Raver is a multi-channel platform that bridges the gap between LA’s secret underground rave scene and the broader EDM community. What started as a TikTok series sharing rave recommendations has grown into a newsletter with 15,000+ subscribers, social media accounts with 100,000+ followers, and sold-out raves with over 1,000 attendees. We provide insider access to exclusive “afters” and underground events.

How do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in luck. Although at times I feel very lucky, I also know that everything I’ve built with The LA Raver is a result of hard work and relentless effort. From the beginning, I treated TikTok like a full-time job, posting 5-8 times a day and never letting up, even when it felt overwhelming. I constantly engaged with my audience, refined my content, and made sure I was providing real value to the community.

When the music festival company I worked for went under, instead of feeling defeated, I doubled down on creating content and sharing my knowledge of the underground rave scene. I knew there was a demand for it, so I just kept pushing, even when others doubted me.

I’ve never relied on luck—what’s driven my success is consistency, passion, and not giving up. I built The LA Raver from the ground up by putting in the hours, learning the ins and outs of the scene, and staying committed to the vision, even when it wasn’t easy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thelaraver.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielletudahl