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By Roadtrip Nation

John "Ben Dragon" Puangio

Highlight

Milestones

My road in life took a while to figure out.
He was born in Chicago, IL—says the first music he remembers listening to is house music, a genre of electronic dance music created by club DJs and music producers in Chicago.
His parents immigrated from very poor provinces in the Philippines and put a lot of pressure on him to become either a doctor, lawyer, or engineer.
Attended the University of California, Irvine (UCI), where he received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, but felt his skills would never be good enough to translate into a career.
After graduation, he committed himself to becoming self-sufficient so that he could pursue his love of music without his parents doubting him.
His electrical engineering degree landed him a job as a software programmer, which enabled him to become financially independent and move out of his parents’ house.
Through a connection from UCI, his music career started to take off as he got more opportunities to produce commercial music for artists in Los Angeles.
In 2015, he decided to found his own label, “Fire To My Ears,” which enabled him to release and promote his own music on his terms.
He debuted his trademark tech-house style at the famous house club, FOCUS, and has since gone on to play the Amsterdam Dance Street Festival, KAABOO Festival, and shows all over the world.
Keep following my journey

Career

DJ & Music Producer

I'm a producer, DJ, and movement artist burning melodies into time and space.

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Music
Technology
Being Creative

Day to Day

When not working my day job as a software programmer, I'm focused on creating quality music, content, and how to get it out to the world.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for everyone

Go to a lot of events that play the music you like, become friends with everyone you can, become a student of what you want to do, and always be humble and work hard.

Recommended Education

My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

"Music is an unbelievably challenging, cut-throat industry and you need a thick skin and an unwavering belief in yourself."

Challenges I Overcame

Financial
First-Generation Immigrant
Learning Issues

Interviewed By

UCI Roadtrip

UCI Roadtrip

UCI Roadtrip