Adobe Design Remix Contest: Create the cover for DJ duo Lucas & Steve’s new single

Now, creatives all over the world have the chance to design for Lucas & Steve. Imagine playing a song with millions of streams on Spotify and saying to your friends: “See the artwork on that cover? I made that.” With Adobe’s help, you could be the one to design Lucas & Steve’s next single cover! Get inspired by the work and ideas of Lucas & Steve, then let your creativity run wild in **The Adobe Lucas & Steve Design Remix Contest! **Find out the details here.

We spoke with Lucas & Steve to find out more about what bought the duo together and their rise to fame. In 2010, they decided to follow their dreams together as Lucas & Steve. Since then, hits like _Make it Right, Summer on You, Up Till Dawn _and their recent hit record _I Could Be Wrong _have made Lucas & Steve stars in their own right. Their highlights include spinning main stage at Tomorrowland, being listed in the DJ MAG top 100, double platinum recordings, many Spotify streams, the MTV Award nomination and the Buma award.

Both fell in love with music when they were young. Lucas’ mother was a pianist, and his childhood was flooded by music. He started drumming when he was five, and by 12 he was connecting Discmans to produce his own songs. Steve also grew up with music all around him, especially at his grandparents’ house. By the time his parents got him his first turntable, it was clear: music was his passion.

How did you two meet?

S: Lucas was already making music in Maastricht and playing regularly at a bar called Il Cavo. One day they hosted a DJ contest. I signed up and eventually won. After that, we started remixing and producing together. We’ve been the duo Lucas & Steve for eight years now.

Why did you decide to go into music?

L: We both have wanted to work in music for a long time.

S: I studied at the conservatory, so for me, there was no question if I wanted to move forward. Making music was what I wanted.

L: I chose to make my studies a bit broader. I got my Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Economics. But during that whole time, I knew that once I was finished with school, I would try to succeed in the music industry. That turned out very well.

What do you do when you need inspiration?

S: We listen to different styles of music. Even classical music and jazz can show us something new. When we listen to music, we get inspired. We pull out the interesting parts and process them through our music. This process inspires us when we produce our own tunes from scratch.

During your time in the music industry, do you see developments in the creativity or production process?

S: Nowadays, we’re running a business. Not only should the music be great, but also the show and the people around us. This is way more important than before.

Curating other elements than just the music also has an impact on your audience. How do you use your creativity to satisfy your audience?

L: During a show, we try to maximise the experience. Our performance is also crucial. The advantage of being onstage together is that one person can focus on entertaining the audience while the other concentrates on dropping beats. The stage is so large; it’s a sin not to use it.

What do you think about the importance of branding as a DJ?

L: If your branding is spot-on, it will become recognisable. It’s not only your sound that should be identifiable but also your total branding: visuals, logo, and social media. It’s about the whole package.

S: Social media is one of the most important tools for DJs to share their message. We share our story online to reach the audience that is not able to go to our shows.

Does that also count for album/single covers?

S: Yes, definitely. Imagine what you want to say with the record and show this on your cover. This is also what we want to share with students. We try to share our message and energy. For one of our songs, we wanted to share the festival feeling. We chose an energetic and dynamic cover, including the sun and bright colours.

L: Next to giving a glimpse of the song, it’s also very important that people recognise the artist before they listen to the song. For us, it’s important that the cover’s theme has that feelgood feeling. When you’re in a record store or on Spotify, you should recognise a Lucas & Steve album immediately.

Do you have any advice for creatives trying to enter the music industry?

L: Be original and make sure your brand is unique. Mark your work and make sure it’s recognisable.

S: Think outside the box. The people that stand out are the people that colour outside the lines and are good at what they do. Be aware that you must deliver an outstanding performance. Otherwise, you’re still just one of many. Last but not least: don’t take yourself too seriously. Take everything with a pinch of salt so that you can stay humble and authentic.

Now it’s your turn to take part and show your creativity

Are you inspired to start creating? Participate in our design contest now and share your work on Behance. If you are not signed up to Behance all you need is an Adobe id – it’s as easy as one, two, three! Maybe your design will shine on all of Lucas & Steve’s channels worldwide. The winning design will be used as the cover of Lucas & Steve’s new single Where have you gone (Anywhere), which will be featured on music channels like Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and SoundCloud.

The winner will also win a five-day trip for two to the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) complete with all expenses covered, a VIP entrance to the Lucas & Steve hosted Skyline Sessions at ADE, a meet & greet with Lucas & Steve and a golden record of the winning design. Find out all the details about the contest here!

Do you have what it takes to remix, refresh and redefine your creativity? Then show us what you can do!