Meet Brian Coppola | DJ & Producer

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

Hi Brian, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk can return reward, risks are necessary for growth. I’ve moved to Miami to be uncomfortable, and throw myself into an environment and figure my way out. Back home in Buffalo, I played pretty much everywhere to a bunch of different crowds and had that comfortability I could take risks there and be fine regardless, whether that’s trying new songs or trying out a venue that I might not be a good fit at. Moving to Miami, the opportunity was to grow within my niche; house music. There’s bigger shows, bigger DJs, and more venues that want house music; overall a bigger opportunity to be heard. The risk is starting from a tiny network, a couple forthcoming releases, and figuring out a way to be competitive in this larger market.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me apart from others is I want to make music that is more underground more approachable. People are already doing this, we see guys like Cloonee bringing a deep tech almost Latin style to a bigger light. That inspires me a lot. I like to make darker sounds and minimal grooves but have enough vocal that people can latch onto and it takes them somewhere. In the end I just want to just produce good music that I like and people dance to.

I got to where I am today by doing just that. Back home, I started DJing during Covid, spent time doing my research how to get started. I found that I love to dance and play dance music so my first gig I set out to only do that. In Dec 2021, started playing at a rooftop in DT Buffalo, doing a house night there that grew into a weekly residency. I had my friends who I called my “managers” Steve and Eric help me get that gig and others, they were a huge help in getting me off and running. I learned early that the more seriously you take yourself and your craft, the more seriously others will take you. This lead to a club residency, where I started playing support slots for Chromeo, Bauuer, then a big one at the beach for Pauly D. About a year later I was averaging 6-8 gigs a week. Last year I did 165 nights at over 30 venues back home.

My struggle was how to expand, if I wanna play clubs and festivals later on. I tapped into producing and finding my own sound. I made friends with another producer from back home JohnLuc Jubert, who really inspired me to take this seriously. We had a track that was being supported during MMW 23, which is where I got the idea that it might be possible to go further but I gotta go harder and get out of my hometown. With that, I had to rebrand to a name that represented my sound which was truly me; Brian Louis, my first and middle name. That same track later was supported over in Italy by a group called VLTRA, played infront of thousands of people. Now JL and I have 2 signed releases set to come out, and I have another solo track out now. So was it easy? Absolutely not. Nothing worth while is ever easy. I had to be disciplined and build my life around my craft and everything else becomes secondary. Sacrifice.

Even when I moved down here, I had my first apartment go haywire, wasn’t making enough money, had to either find a healthier and more affordable way to live or go home. Second one was never an option I considered.

I’ve learned that you have to first take yourself seriously, be obsessed with what you’re doing, and also never lose sight of your meaning in what you do. I got into this to make people dance and grow house music in my hometown. If it doesn’t align with that I won’t do it. I also learned you have to find the community and grow the community for what you do. I like to help others get started who don’t know where to look; service is leadership.

I want to say this I’m Brian Louis; here for a good time, hopefully a longtime. I wanna dance and inspire others to pursue their dreams.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Happy Hour we’re going to Salvaje in midtown, their dynamite roll with the truffle butter sauce is to die for, and best spicy edamame I’ve had yet. Drinks and views are immaculate.

Bar hopping, the Sylvester is excellent in all aspects. Cocktails and bartenders are the greatest, the vibes are always up, and it reminds me of my favorite bars back home.

For music, One K in Brickell is a fun speakeasy vibe from Thursday through the weekend, played there as my first gig in Miami; what a fun room to be in.

Love Floyd as well, super intimate room next to Space to escape the crowds and just listen to the same expert level curation as next door.

Then after, we go to Space.

Honestly I just got here in March, I know I have so much more to explore.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout my friends Courtney and Colin for encouraging me to take the leap down here and holding me down when times got tough when I first got down here.

Shoutout to my DJ friends, Biacco, MNDGMES, and Ryan Dils, for all the creative inspiration and encouragement to keep going.

Shoutout Steven Tirone, my brother for life, and funniest dude I know.

Shoutout my family and industry family back home. Without Savoy, none of this would’ve been possible

Website: https://ffm.bio/heyybrianlouis?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYDyM962Zb_4wUmocJA8WMNn1KwaMG5W21kcgNgboszqNNXRmVAfY2DMHE_aem_AXb1ppqLLEm-9vp0NM_9y6U3_mTd6di3jcIhn2KvvBN6Dx-JvOsWGFtcmHumdJwCTe_qx86WxSvfOjOONjmkuvho

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyybrianlouis

Twitter: https://twitter.com/heyybrianlouis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianlouismusic

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2B3Nf1GaisSCaL5I16STVD?si=vgN_P2ERTsOyuOarGuiHMw

Image Credits
Ganon Teach, David Nowatzki, Eddie Herby, Phu Tran