Check Out Dakota Whelchel’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dakota Whelchel.

Hi Dakota, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started going to EDM festivals about eight years ago as a way to get over a bad breakup. At first, I actually disliked dubstep as a genre—until I heard it live for the first time at Escape Halloween 2017. From that moment, I fell in love with the EDM scene and the incredible community around it.

I’ve always been a musician, whether it was doing vocals and voice acting as a child for a studio in Hollywood or writing songs in my bedroom throughout high school. But I never truly knew what I wanted to do with music until I went to my first festival.

I picked up Ableton Live around the time of the COVID-19 lockdown and haven’t looked back since.

Over the past five years, I’ve pushed myself to grow as an artist by setting both small and big goals. I did mentoring sessions with bass artists Louiejayxx and Crankdat, which helped me develop a sound that felt true to my brand. I discovered my love for creating heavy dubstep with an orchestral and cinematic twist—and that’s become a core part of who I am as an artist.

Since launching the Malefik project about two years ago, I’ve had the honor of opening for bass heavyweights like Gawm and Hi I’m Ghost, and I’ll be providing direct support for Versa on October 18.

I’m also deeply inspired by my father, Gregory Whelchel, who had the honor of sharing the stage and touring with Wham! and The Pointer Sisters. I wouldn’t be the musician I am today without his influence.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Producing hasn’t always been a smooth road. Finding my sound was the first major hurdle in my journey, and it took about three to four years to accomplish.

Another challenge was the overwhelming discouragement of feeling like I might never reach my goal of playing festivals or headlining tours. There were a few moments when I almost quit music altogether—but I persevered.

Pursuing a career in music is a marathon, not a sprint, and that’s a lesson I had to learn along the way.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a producer and DJ specializing in cinematic bass music. I love composing dark fantasy–themed tracks with powerful bass drops.

I’m known for my high-energy sets paired with immersive dark fantasy visuals — think Dark Souls and Elden Ring.

What sets me apart from other bass producers is my dedication to crafting a unique story for each track, combined with innovative sound design and professional mixing and mastering skills.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is being able to tell a story to my audience. I strive to create a fantasy world where people can escape from their everyday lives, even if only for an hour. My goal is to move my audience emotionally through my music and the visuals that accompany it.

Pricing:

• Mixing And Mastering Services – $200
• Mixing Services – $150
• Mastering Services – $50
• Bookings (1 Hour) – $300
• Mentoring (1 Hour) – $50

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malefiksounds/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076725586648
• Twitter: https://x.com/malefiksounds
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Malefiksounds
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/malefiksounds
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2xCQx8bRjxWCPBpez5nxhW?si=fJVMrvomTM2A0DBHwqW1mQ

Image Credits
Andrew Steven – Photographer