Student Success Stories: DJ Nellis

Nellis’s journey into music began at 18, when he bought his first Fresh Fruit vinyl and started experimenting with a tape recorder, his dad’s turntable, and a basic mixer. He was hooked instantly, and house music has been a part of him ever since.

He began producing seriously in 2016 and brings that same passion to every track. When he’s not competing as a professional pool player (under the name Niels “The Terminator” Feijen, 2x world champion), he’s producing techy cuts in hotel rooms across Europe while on tour.

With releases on 63b, Hotoven, Hardcutz, Datagroove, Ole Rec, Haliaeetus, Kootz Music, and more, Nellis continues to fuel his lifelong love of music, one track at a time.

From Pool Champion to Beatport Charts: How DJ Nellis Broke Through With The Artist Blueprint

Niels Feijen better known in the music world as DJ Nellis is no stranger to high performance. Known as “The Terminator” on the professional pool circuit, he’s a two-time world champion who has spent over 25 years competing at the highest level. But behind the scenes, he’s also spent decades pursuing a quieter passion: electronic music.

Now, thanks to a renewed focus, a strategic program, and a tight-knit artist community, Nellis is turning that passion into chart success.

A Lifelong Love for DJing

“I’m a 40-year-old Dutch guy, living in Denmark, and I’ve been a professional pool player most of my life,” Nellis explains. “But ever since I was 18, I’ve been in love with house music. I started DJing in the ‘90s, got more underground with it, and even though I had to stop playing gigs because they clashed with pool tournaments, I never really stopped producing.”

Today, Nellis travels the world for pool tournaments and brings a travel setup to produce music in hotel rooms between matches. “I don’t have a whole lot of time, but when I’m on the road, I squeeze in 30-minute sessions whenever I can. I love the process.”

Hitting a Wall With Music Growth

Despite his deep love for music, Nellis hit a frustrating ceiling.

“I felt like my music was decent,” he says. “But I wasn’t getting in front of the labels I really wanted to reach. I was signing to labels with 1,000–2,000 Instagram followers, but I wanted to move toward the 5K–10K range. I wasn’t hitting the charts. And honestly, I didn’t have a clue about content — what to post, how to promote my music properly. That started affecting my confidence in my tracks.”

That’s when he came across The Artist Blueprint and decided to take a chance.

Joining the Program

“I saw the way Grahame worked with artists and thought, you know what — I still have that spark. I’m gonna do this,” says Nellis.

He noticed the difference right away.

“First of all, Grahame’s knowledge is next level. But what stood out even more was how genuine he is. It never felt like a teacher-student thing where he knows better. He just wants you to succeed. That energy really matters — especially when you’re still finding your way.”

Nellis also praised the twice-weekly live calls and artist community.

“It becomes more like a hangout with people who get what you’re doing. You start building real relationships.”

A Platform That Opened Doors

One of those relationships led to Nellis’s first big breakthrough.

“I messaged Grahame about Shaun Jackson and his label. He said, ‘Yeah, try him.’ So I did — and that became the first time I hit the Beatport charts. That was huge for me.”

From there, the momentum picked up fast. He signed his track Finding Gold to Grahame’s 63b label via a feedback livestream session. That release went to No. 2 in the Traxsource Tech House charts. His latest EP on Hot Oven recently climbed to No. 6 in the Beatport Tech House Top 100.

“I felt like a kid in a candy store,” he says.

Learning the Game Behind the Music

For Nellis, the program wasn’t just about getting results — it was about understanding how the game works.

“In the beginning, it was all about tweaking — building my Instagram properly, learning how to communicate with labels, how to time and build momentum around releases. I’d never even made a reel before. I didn’t know what size it should be.”

Now, he’s built a workflow using CapCut and templates, blending his music and visuals with ease — all while traveling and competing.

“And honestly,” he says, “one of the biggest unlocks was just making contacts. That’s something you can’t skip in this industry.”

Unexpected Wins

While hitting the charts was a clear goal, some wins caught Nellis off guard.

“When Finding Gold started gaining momentum and hit the Top 3 — that was wild. I didn’t expect that yet. And when you start climbing like that, more DJs start noticing, playing your stuff, following you. It really builds.”

A Message for Artists on the Fence

For anyone considering working with Grahame or joining The Artist Blueprint, Nellis is clear: “You’ll be looked after. This isn’t some guru energy where someone’s preaching at you. It’s real support. Grahame wants you to improve — day by day, week by week. 1% better every day. If you’re serious about your music, it’s the best move you can make.”