What is JSTDRMN?

Our Story

The dream began during the height of the pandemic in 2020. We started as a WhatsApp group chat of 40 DJs - when the world went silent we kept the music going with livestreams. Once the pandemic was finally over, in 2022, we moved into the real world with our first sold out showcase Masquerave! As we continued to host showcases, we began to build a larger community, started an academy to help other aspiring artists being their musical journey, and a label to help more established artists get discovered around the world. 

The JSTDRMN Ecosystem

We believe anyone with a dream should be enabled to pursue it - and we built a launchpad to support artists wherever they are! 

• 💜 Community: We have a bustling Discord community of 200+ artists to talk about all things EDM! We host regular in-person community connects, and some online hangouts as well ranging from production feedback sessions to video games! 
• 📚 Academy: We host regular bootcamps for the folks who have never touched DJing/Production before, or are looking to level up! We pride ourselves on in-person instruction, hands-on learning, and real results! You'll see our graduates play at our showcases and publish on our label. 
• 🎉 Showcases: It's not an artist community unless if there are performance opportunities! Our showcases bring a music-festival vibe with pop-ups, installations, and activities to local venues. Check out our past themes here. 
•  💿 Label: With a community full of producers, we want to help artists push their sound to the world! Check out our releases here. 

Think of us as the launchpad to launch the Dreamers (they're our rockets)! In 2024, we supported 40 artists, 58% of whom made their stage debut with us - many more to come. Along the way, we've created awesome partnerships with NXNE, Chatime, Waterfront Night Market, and Sleepless Studios, and hosted internships with Toronto Metropolitan University, York University, George Brown College, and many more. 

Let's Grow Together

• Want to join the community? Apply here
• Collab? email us: hello@jstdrmn.com
• Want to work with us? Meet the Dream Team here

Our Story (VERSION ONE)

It started during the height of the pandemic in 2020. While the world hit pause, a group chat of DJs decided we weren't going to wait around. We were tired of the silence, so we pivoted to the screen—hosting livestreams that eventually raised $2,800+ for social causes like Stella’s Place. What began as a chaotic, DIY experiment during the lockdowns eventually became JSTDRMN. 

Honestly? It wasn’t always a polished machine. In the early days, it was just a few of us—Leo, Jeremy, and Aaron—trying to figure out how to bridge the gap between a laptop screen and a real experience. When lockdowns lifted in 2022, we finally moved into the real world with our inaugural Masquerave, which sold out to 177 attendees. That was the spark. We realized that if we wanted to build a community that lasted, we couldn’t just "dabble." We had to go all-in.

Building the Launchpad

We recognized a massive gap in Toronto: performance opportunities for aspiring artists were non-existent. We believe anyone with a dream should be enabled to pursue it. That shift in 2023 saw us hosting 7 live shows and featuring 30 local artists. To solve the structural issues of starting a career, we launched:

• SyncedIn & Open Decks: Safe spaces for "Dreamers" to meet and experiment.
•  JSTDRMN Sessions: Our YouTube series dedicated to archiving local sets.
• Shared Spotify Playlist: A home for our artists' official releases as they began landing paid opening slots for international acts. 

Scaling the Vision
Think of it like a rocket launch—our Dreamers are the rockets, and JSTDRMN is the platform. In 2024, we supported 40 artists, 58% of whom made their stage debut with us. We expanded our reach through partnerships with Chatime, Waterfront Night Market, and Sleepless Studios, and raised funds for the Barbra Schlifer Memorial Clinic during our Empowoment event.

From our massive Lunar New Year Showcase (790 attendees!) to our first  DJ Bootcamp graduates debuting at The Reckoning, we’ve outgrown that original WhatsApp group. We’ve since migrated our community to Discord to better serve our growing family of 180+ creatives.

The Road Ahead
We’re not some faceless company. We’re a collective that started with a simple idea among friends who wanted to hear more good music. For 2026, we’re doubling down with monthly EDM Community Connects, quarterly Bootcamps, and more showcases!

We’re still figuring it out, one show at a time, but the mission is clear:

• Want to join the community? Apply here
• Want to work with us? See open roles here or email us at hello@jstdrmn.com. 
  

Let’s redefine Toronto’s dance music landscape together. 💪