Something of musical zeitgeist in the music industry, Jason Swamy has donned many hats as a DJ, producer, promoter, and creative director. Known as the creative director of Wonderfruit Festival in Thailand, Jason is also the brains behind Further Future and the Robot Heart Stage at Burning Man. 

The entertainment guru is currently based in Hong Kong, running his own music talent agency Do What You Love as he ponders about what’s next for his career and the music scene in a chat with FM BELOWGROUND. 2020 was an unpredictable year, with many festivals and live events canceled. As Jason concisely summarizes; day partying is the new partying as everyone is trying to work out this thing called nightlife. 

In the podcast, Jason shares about what he has been up to lately, his experiences and struggles as a promoter and how he plans to move forward as an experience producer after being in the events and festivals space for more than 25 years. Bringing up the concept of ‘mindful entertainment’, Jason says that his role as a promoter is not just limited to the artists. Through events or even online channels now, he’s still a promoter, but a promoter of other things like wellness, food, or even fashion. 

Even as a veteran in the industry, Jason is constantly wondering about his legacy and what to do next. Navigating COVID-19 has been tricky, as he struggles with maintaining his brand or to pivot, both of which comes with its own struggles. Taking Wonderfruit for example; the festival is still active and has been using the past year to build up it stands for as a brand through mini-documentaries and small-scale events.

Jason has birthed many great concepts in the nightlife and festival scene, and chat also touches on his inspirations. The cultural maven calls his experience at Burning Man a lifechanging moment which inspired him to not just enjoy entertainment, but also change the way he experienced entertainment. It’s more than having a having a good time, and also about how you can give back, growing and experiencing as a person. Mindful entertainment is also about sustainability, on how it can sustain in the community and in the music ecosystem.

Listen to DO WHAT YOU LOVE w/ Jason Swamy of Wonderfruit for the full chat with FMBELOWGROUND and a guest DJ set from the man himself.