There’s a version of the proppaganda story that’s easy to tell: California DJ performs underwater with sharks, then base jumps off a hot air balloon flying above Brazil. The videos go viral, the comments ask if it’s AI, and the algorithm rewards the spectacle. But spend any time with Bry Stevens and it becomes clear that the stunts are almost beside the point. The real story is a decade of quiet work consisting of hip hop beats, bass music experiments, a family’s love for house and techno slowly metabolizing into something that finally felt like home. When he pressed publish in early 2025, it wasn’t because he’d found the right moment; it was because he’d finally found the right sound.
With his debut mixtape ‘Aerial Sessions: 001’ now out in full, we caught up with proppaganda to talk production process, the cost of genre fluidity, what originality actually looks like in 2026, and what comes next.
WWD: California has a very specific dance music identity with the desert techno circuit, West Coast house, the Dirtybird era, etc. Living and working out of LA, what parts of that DNA actually show up in your productions, and what are you consciously pushing against?
I think my sound is constantly trying to push against being minimal and something that has been done time and time again. I understand that there is a formula and great success in doing what works, but my brain doesn’t allow me to enjoy playing it safe. I like using old school West Coast rap samples/stabs and synths, but outside of that, the LA sound doesn’t have much influence on how I produce.
WWD: Walk us through a specific track from ‘Aerial Sessions: 001’ at the DAW level. Where does a proppaganda record actually start? A chord, a percussion loop, an acid line, a sample? What does the first five minutes in the session look like?
I really prefer to start working on my drop sections first. I’ll create a 32-bar loop and try to pack in as much as I can. I find it easier to take elements from the drop, peel them back, and then put them into Intro / Build / Breakdown sections. It’s a lot easier for me to take away things that don’t add to the mix vs searching for something that blends in after my ears are a bit tired.
WWD: You spent close to a decade making music before releasing anything publicly. What did that private decade actually sound like? Were there whole genres or aliases you were working through that nobody’s heard? And what finally changed in early 2025 that made you press publish?
There have been a few rumors spread around me about producing or being a part of other people’s projects, but I’ll let that continue to be a rumor and up for speculation, haha. I started making hip hop beats, then some bass music. My family is Dutch and has always had a big love for house and techno. It took me forever to confirm that techno, progressive house, tech house, and hip hop are where I belong production-wise. They make me feel the most alive and come naturally to me.
WWD: You’ve mentioned that you may never have a cohesive sound, dropping house one day, techno the next, maybe trap or dubstep eventually. In a scene where labels and algorithms reward genre commitment, what is your perspective on the real cost of fluidity? Have you lost doors because A&Rs couldn’t pin you down?
Correct, for me, I would only mix it up during a live setting. For now, you can expect a cohesive and very polished sound that makes sense. I want to earn the privilege to drop whatever I want to drop one day. Skrillex does it best.
WWD: Your influence list cites Adam Beyer, Sara Landry, Gesaffelstein, Dom Dolla, Odd Mob – that’s quite a diverse list of artists!s If you had to name one specific technical thing you’ve stolen from each of them, what would it be?
I think the real takeaway on why they inspire me so much is that they all have their own sound. If you were to close your eyes and someone asked you who was playing, you could clearly dictate who it was. Adam Beyer’s classic synths have inspired me over the years, Sara’s live mixing styles, and Dom Dolla’s pure sauce + how cool he is.
WWD: What does originality actually look like in 2026, and who in the underground do you think is genuinely doing it?
Honestly, it seems like the bootlegs and remixes are still dominating everything. I don’t know what originality looks like in 2026. Fans love it, and artists are trying to make it so they just do what works. I am eager for the days when people focus on making their own content styles and original music, though.
WWD: We can’t close out the interview without asking about your Sonar Sessions livestream concept. Now that you’ve tackled DJing underwater with sharks and on a hot air balloon in Brazil, what can we expect next?
Let’s just say this… Military planes for a cause, more balloons in the sky, more sharks in the water, and maybe some big extreme sport brands getting behind it all to live stream it. Hopefully I didn’t just jinx it.
WWD: We’ll be on the lookout! Thanks for the chat 🙂
Thank you guys so much for taking the time!