Rudy Julius recently graduated from his 15 month internship at our studios, he was the first Intern to come through our partnership with Bridges for Music’s Industry Access Program (IAP), read more about our partnership with BFM here.
Our partnership is grounded in a shared belief that education and industry experience go hand in hand. By combining Bridges for Music’s educational programs with our real-world expertise, we’re helping to create a clear pathway for young talent to build sustainable careers in our industry. We’re committed to making Pressure Cooker Studios a place where talent is nurtured, and opportunities are created.
While Rudy has been an intern working on real briefs for real jobs he has created some epic work and music tracks. Including writing some Amapiano hits on our Pressure Cooker x Mama Dance albums, available on Mama Dance Music Library and Pressure Music Catalogue. Rudy’s track ‘Vibe Alight’ secured the number one spot as most downloaded track in December 2024 from the Mama Dance library.
Damian Malgas, Industry Access Program Manager at BFM had this to say about Rudy’s time at Pressure Cooker Studios and the PCS x BFM partnership:
“We couldn’t be more proud of Rudy and how much he has grown during his time at Pressure Cooker. Above and beyond learning the fundamentals of sound and music design at the best firm in South Africa, I am amazed at how much Rudy has grown as a person from a confidence and communication standpoint. This speaks to the incredible team that drives Pressure Cooker Studio’s forward and creates a space for talent to thrive. It’s been an honor to partner with Pressure Cooker Studios in many ways, however this particular avenue for collaboration delivers truly impactful life-changing experiences to our graduates. We can’t wait to work on even more projects such as this with PCS and look forward to witnessing Rudy make his nearly inevitable mark on the music industry.”
We got Rudy to answer some of our questions on his experience of his internship and his thoughts for the future:
Looking back, what were your first impressions walking into Pressure Cooker Studios on day one of your internship?
I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but I felt very welcomed and happy to be in such an amazing space.
And how do you feel now that you have graduated?
I feel like I’ve been equipped with the tools to compose music for clients in a short period of time and at a quality of industry standard.
Can you tell us about a moment during your internship that felt like a real turning point for you creatively?
Collaborating with Kadin. I’ve learned how he thinks as a creative and we both learned from each other.
What was one of the biggest challenges you faced during your time as an intern, and how did you work through it?
Writing and understanding orchestral music. I managed to get help from Kadin, Andries and Keith on how they would approach writing orchestral music and learned a lot in the process.
What’s a piece of work or a project you were involved in that you’re most proud of? What made it stand out for you?
The two MAMA DANCE albums and seeing how it became one of the top downloaded tracks.
Was there anything about the day-to-day creative process at PCS that surprised you?
Coffee = Creativity Pro Max. In other words coffee equals more ideas.
What’s something you’ve learned at PCS that you think will stay with you for the rest of your career?
Fake it till you make it! And all of Pressure Cooker’s Values will definitely stay with me.
What’s next in store for you?
I’ve recently worked on some of my own clients’ stuff and they seem to be happy with it. I want to improve on this and have a better work flow than what I currently have.
What advice would you give to young creatives wanting to start out in the industry?
Believe in yourself, you can do anything that you put your mind to.
We also asked the partners at the studio to reflect on Rudy’s internship:
Keith Kavayi: “It’s been a joy to witness Rudy’s journey with us. He arrived with humility, a quiet eagerness to learn, and he soaked up every piece of guidance like a sponge, blossoming in ways that have genuinely impressed us. Rudy embraced our culture of open feedback with such grace, using it not only to learn, but to truly elevate his craft to new heights. We’re all bursting with pride seeing how far he’s come. And while the learning journey never ends, Rudy has shown us all a powerful truth: an open and curious spirit can unlock boundless creative potential. He may be a man of few words, but those words, and his actions, have woven a lasting and positive thread into the fabric of our team.”
Elben Schutte: “Rudy snuck into our studio quietly everyday to soak up new learnings like a sponge and hone his skills..He might not have said much, but his growth has spoken volumes. Rudy’s journey has been a reminder that openness, humility, and curiosity are a killer combo – and we’re all the better for having had him on the team!”
James Matthes: “It’s been incredibly exciting to start this relationship with Bridges for Music through Rudy’s journey in our internship program. Watching him grow from a songwriter and producer into a composer for media, and seeing his eyes open to an industry he hadn’t even known existed , really captures what this collaboration is all about. By connecting with each new Bridges cohort, bringing them into our studio, and sharing what we do, we’re helping introduce young creatives to a whole world of music-making that many don’t realize can be a viable career path. That’s what makes this partnership so powerful.”
This internship includes hands-on training in music composition, scoring and music branding at our state-of-the-art facility. This program not only equips young creatives with essential industry skills but also strengthens BFM’s mission by creating career pathways with the potential for full-time employment.
We’re looking forward to seeing who we will welcome into our studio next.
