Few know the power of creating their own opportunities quite like Lotic. Growing up in Houston, they focused on developing a sound that married the experimental and the accessible, all while sharing abstract vocal arrangements and early beats on SoundCloud. After graduating from college in the midst of a recession and an uncertain political climate in 2012, moving to Berlin seemed like the best option. Since then, they have become a resident artist of Janus, a Berlin-based event and label collective that put Lotic at the forefront of Berlin’s music scene (which ultimately led to gigs at famed super-club Berghain and a not-so-casual DM from Björk, who they produced two remixes for and supported on tour).

Without SoundCloud, the path to success would have been far less clear. “It’s still the best and one of the only ways to share music. It’s easy, quick and straightforward and that just did not exist before SoundCloud. It was needed for so long,” Lotic says. Since being signed to Tri-Angle Records, Lotic’s star has certainly taken off and their sound has evolved massively. Their debut album, Power, drops next month and is bound to turn a cult favorite into a household name. But for Lotic, it’s all about being true to their art and figuring out the next move.

Listen to the latest music from Lotic on SoundCloud now.

We all start somewhere — and for Peggy Gou, that place was SoundCloud. “The first track I ever uploaded was an hour-and-twenty-minute long mix,” the Korean-born, Berlin-based DJ said. “I hide it now because it’s quite embarrassing. I listened back and it’s not bad, but still!”

Before Gou’s latest EP Once dropped in March and became a summer staple, she fine-tuned her skills while the SoundCloud community eagerly listened in and fed back. “My favorite part of SoundCloud is the comments,” she says. “Usually they’re pretty positive and I like reading them because you can write on specific minutes and seconds within the song – it’s a good platform for people who want to break through.”

And break through she definitely has. With over 170 worldwide gigs under her belt, the accolades are stacking up for Gou. At a recent lecture she gave back in Korea, the event was packed full of fans obsessed with the country’s rising house and techno scene. Her biggest piece of advice? “Don’t be afraid to ask around. I bother a lot of people to get what I want,” she explains.   

Gou’s accomplished quite a bit already, and she’s just getting started. With the support of her 37K beloved SoundCloud followers, it’s only up from here.

Listen to the latest music from Peggy Gou on SoundCloud now.

Today, we’re excited to announce the European expansion of “First On SoundCloud,” our campaign to celebrate the inspiring stories and raw energy of creators who got their start on SoundCloud.

The expanded campaign spotlights emerging artists within the dance/electronic and hip hop communities and features Claptone, Jan Blomqvist, Jay Prince, Little Simz, Lotic and Peggy Gou throughout the SoundCloud app, social media, newsletters, paid media, and out of home advertising.

Creators everywhere can continue to upload original tracks to SoundCloud and tag it #SCFIRST for a chance to be promoted across SoundCloud playlists, social media, newsletters and blog, plus fast track consideration for monetization in SoundCloud Premier and partnership opportunities.

“First On SoundCloud” began in the US in March 2018 spotlighting 10 groundbreaking artists from across SoundCloud’s global community. From their first SoundCloud upload, to their first album, festival appearance or Grammy nomination, all of us at SoundCloud are excited to continue to support emerging artists on their creative journey!