Interview with KBK Music

The electronic music scene continues to surprise us with new talents and original sounds. One of the artists who has recently been attracting more and more attention from listeners is KBK Music — a producer and DJ who is consistently building his own musical world, combining energetic rhythms with emotional melodies.

In our interview, we will talk about his inspirations, his first steps in the world of music, his creative process, and his plans for the future. Let’s get to know the artist who knows how to combine passion with professionalism and make each of his productions stick in your head for a long time.

•  Now you have the opportunity to introduce yourself. Tell us: who is KBK?

My name is Krystian, I come from Poland, and I am a music producer who mainly creates the Uplifting/Vocal Trance genre.

• 2. What genres of music did you grow up with?

I understand that you mean the earliest years of my life 🙂 I was exposed to a wide variety of music genres. I have always been particularly interested in club music – in the 90s, not yet knowing that this genre was called Trance, I listened to artists such as Signum, Mauro Picotto, ATB, PvD, 4 Strings, and of course AvB. In addition, due to my “instrumental” past, I also played orchestral music, participating in musical events playing the saxophone, among other instruments. When it comes to classical music, I really like Mozart’s music, which has always put me in a positive mood.

•  Do you remember the moment when you became interested in music production?

Yes, I do. While browsing YouTube, I came across a guy who created and played great live covers in the trance style on a Roland synthesizer. It was probably 2015… Admittedly, I had been playing amateur covers on the keyboard since the early 2000s, but it was only after college, when I had more free time, that I bought my first professional Roland Fantom workstation synthesizer at the urging of my wife. I had been playing amateur covers on a keyboard, but it was only after college, when I had more free time, that I bought my first professional Roland Fantom workstation synthesizer at my wife’s urging, and I fell so in love with this instrument and its sounds that I started creating my first original productions on it, moving away from covers.

•  Could you name three producers who have had a significant influence on your music?

Hmm… It’s very difficult to name only three, because there are many more. But they would definitely be: ATB, 4 Strings, and AvB.

•  Each of your songs is a kind of story. Which of your songs released so faris your favorite and what story is behind it?

You’re right that most of my songs have a story or a stage in my life behind them that inspired me to create the melody and the song itself, but if I had to pick one, it would definitely be the ballad “Waiting For You,” which I wrote (including the lyrics) for my daughter. Wiktoria Betlińska provided the vocals. The song is about waiting for a loved one and loving them. A mention of this production and a short interview with me and Wiktoria even appeared on local television and radio.

•  What DAW do you use to create your music?

Initially, I created music exclusively on hardware (yes, it is possible to create music that way! 🙂 ) on the Roland Fantom Xa workstation. Later, the hardware began to limit me, so I switched to Logic Pro X, which I still use today.

•  For a long time there has been more talk about the inferior position of Trance music producers than about the position
  of some DJs who only “play” this great music at trance events in
  Poland. Have you found it difficult to break through in Poland over the past years?

Definitely. We live in a time when DJ equipment has become increasingly user-friendly and easy to use, as well as more accessible, which has encouraged many people to become DJs. Unfortunately, this means that people with passion and talent are overshadowed by those who treat DJing as an adventure, a trend, or who simply found themselves on the scene

• 9 Listening to the radio on the way to work or a favourite playlist while driving in the car, hardly anyone
  is interested in where a track comes from or how much work someone put into it.
  The wave of commercialisation of music and the pursuit of money has ruined most of the potential of young
  artists, and those who really try to contribute something to the world of music are very quickly
  discouraged, and it’s hardly surprising, because just like in most industries,
  in music all that matters is the final product. It has long been said in the circles that some
  small producers from Poland buy tracks from “ghost producers” because they are not very creative themselves, and they want to make a name for themselves at
  a fast pace. You don’t have to be a producer to hear that someone didn’t create
  a particular track themselves.
  Let’s compare it to a diploma that a doctor bought and is now treating people.
  Unfortunately the scale of ghost trance productions bought by some trance alliances in Poland
  is large. Doesn’t it clip your wings? Or on the contrary, does it become your
  fuel to prove to yourself and others that you always create something unique by relying on
  your own creative energy?

Initially I found it difficult to face this problem when I came across it. Not yet realising the extent of the problem I started to wonder why some people were making such good pieces and it made me start to doubt my own skills, that I wasn’t as good as I thought…. Now more aware of what it looks like I’ve stopped paying attention to it. I do my work with a clear conscience and I know that if I get “applause” it is well-deserved 😉 And you know how it is when suddenly after a few years it comes out that a song that was a hit doesn’t belong to you, for me there would be no satisfaction in that. But some people approach it differently, they just want to be famous or make money. As in any industry so in music we live like a jungle, unfortunately real artists are more sensitive people and not everyone can cope mentally with it and they often give up. Sometimes I take advantage of the fact that I can show Live from my studio when I play or create my own piece on keyboards, so that some of my listeners can see that I put my passion into it.

• Over the course of several years, several plagiarised trance events were created in Poland, which were
  organised in the privacy of smaller clubs. These were plagiarisms of well-known western projects, which
  in the west were organised by serious agencies and staffs of serious people. Would
  you ever in the future agree to play at a party that is a plagiarism of some
  great western project?

To be honest, I don’t really know what kind of events you have in mind 🙂 Admittedly, over the last 3 years for personal reasons I’ve withdrawn a bit from Live performances and focused more on production and Studio work, but I wouldn’t consciously play at an event whose very essence is some kind of unethical event.

• Golden advice for budding producers?

If you want to make music to make money from it – look for another job 🙂

• Do you have a producer/producer you would like to work with in
  future?

I think I would mention female trance vocalists the most here. Christina Novelli, or Stine Grove… And of the producers, it’s such a far-fetched dream e.g. Darren Porter who, for me, makes great Trance 🙂 And James Dymond.

• What singles or collaborations will you surprise us with soon?

There are a few projects – also completed – but lately it has been very difficult to release tracks on at least a ‘medium’ label due to the high volume of releases. I can reveal that there will probably be some vocal tracks 🙂

• Will you honour Radio Ultra Max once again with your amazing guest mix for
  ending 2025 and what do you think of our radio station?

I understand that this is an invitation? 🙂 Of course, I am always happy to present my set on your Radio. It’s great that you have set your sights on promoting both sophisticated and lesser-known producers in the club music genre, many of whom have not heard of. I always appreciate and support such an initiative, because it is very important for us as artists.

KBK Music – sincerity, passion and emotion in trance sounds

Polish producer and DJ KBK Music (Krystian) is increasingly bold in making his mark on the trance scene, combining energetic rhythms with emotional melodies. In an interview with Adrian Van Angel for Radio Ultra Max, the artist talked about his inspirations, the beginnings of his career, his creative process and the difficulties faced by artists in Poland.

Music has accompanied him from an early age – from the orchestral sounds of Mozart to the club classics of artists such as ATB, 4 Strings, Signum and Armin van Buuren. His fascination with production began around 2015, when he was inspired by a demonstration of the capabilities of Roland synthesisers. Since then, he has consistently developed his own style, creating mainly in the Uplifting and Vocal Trance genres, using Logic Pro X.

One of KBK Music’s most personal tracks is ‘Waiting For You’, a ballad written for his daughter and featuring vocals by Wiktoria Betlinska. The song has won praise from listeners and has even been featured in the local media.

The artist makes no secret of the fact that the Polish trance scene can be a difficult environment – he speaks openly about the problem of ‘ghost production’ and the commercialisation of music. However, he himself focuses on authenticity and sincerity in creation, emphasising that the greatest satisfaction comes from knowing that every sound in his productions comes from his own passion and work.

Although he has focused mainly on studio work in recent years, he does not rule out a return to live performance. In the future, he dreams of collaborating with artists such as Christina Novelli, Stine Grove, Darren Porter and James Dymond. He is also already announcing new vocal projects to come soon.

At the end of the interview, KBK Music confirmed that he would be happy to prepare another guest mix for Radio Ultra Max, emphasising that he values our radio for promoting ambitious and lesser-known producers.

The interview was conducted by Adrian Van Angel for Radio Ultra Max.

Written by Ultramax (Ultramax)