Work out with Monstercat DJ CHYL

Collaborating with a powerful team of Les Mills fitness talent, CHYL has soundtracked a series of short celebratory workouts – five-minute sessions designed to bring energy and empowerment to your day.

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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY DANCE WORKOUT WITH DANNIELLE LALLY AND BIANCA IKINOFO FT. IGNYTE BY CHYL

While the creative momentum was in full swing, CHYL shared her insights about what it means to be strong. She explains how she cultivates mental and physical strength, and what empowered her to step away from a career in finance to pursue her passion for music.

What does being strong mean to you?

CHYL: "Being strong means being resilient. It means no matter what obstacles come into my life, I will have the mental and physical strength to get through it. There's a Japanese saying: ‘Fall down seven times, stand up eight’ and I really resonate with it. It’s the ability to keep going no matter how many times you fall. It's about not giving up, no matter how hard things get.”

“During those tough decision moments, having the mental strength to truly believe in myself and believe in my vision is what kept me going forward.” CHYL

Tell us about the tough times and where you find the strength to get through.

CHYL: “There are so many times people would say ‘No’ and so many rejections when it comes to one’s music career. Sometimes it’s people saying no to a collaboration, sometimes it’s a festival saying no to adding you to a lineup, sometimes it’s not getting the help you really needed. When I was first starting to release music, a lot of people said: “You shouldn’t produce speed house because it’s too niche,” and: “You shouldn’t make speed house because festivals wouldn’t know which stage to put you on.” But I didn’t let those ‘No’s’ stop me. I trusted that people may not see what I am striving for right now, but eventually, they will come around to it. And now, there are so many producers making this genre and we hear more speed house songs at festivals. During those tough decision moments, having the mental strength to truly believe in myself and believe in my vision is what kept me going forward."

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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY CARDIO WORKOUT WITH NATASHA VINCENT AND RACHAEL NEWSHAM FT. DRIFTER BY CHYL

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How do you nurture feelings of mental strength

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CHYL: “To be honest, I feel mentally strong when I’m also physically strong. If I’ve worked out in the day, I’m more likely to be in a better mood than if I haven’t!”

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You have three tactics that help you deal with frustration …

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CHYL: “There are times when I feel super frustrated with things in the music industry, and what I’ve found very helpful is:

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1) Taking deep breaths and knowing it’s not the end of the world.

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2) Having supportive friends to talk to.

3) Cultivating a growth mindset and realizing failures and setbacks are just stepping stones to learning and growth.

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These are the three things that help me when life throws a major curveball.”

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What makes you feel physically strong?

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CHYL: “I feel physically strong when I am active! I try to work out almost every day, usually in the morning. If I’ve worked out in the morning, I am way more motivated to go about my day. Sometimes I go to group boxing classes and sometimes, if I want to challenge myself a bit more, I do a Les Mills class online. Sleeping enough and eating healthily also helps me feel physically stronger as well.”

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Where did you find the strength to quit your job in investment banking to focus on music?

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CHYL: “Passion for sure. I knew if I didn’t quit my banking job to pursue music, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I had so much passion for electronic music production and I just HAD to give it a try. To be honest, almost everyone told me to just do music as a hobby and keep working in banking – so the strength to quit really just came from nobody but myself. I had no idea whether becoming a music producer and DJ could work for me, but I’m really glad I took that leap of faith!”

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As a woman working in the music industry, how can you inspire inclusion and help other women to achieve?

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CHYL: “I love seeing fellow girlies producing music, DJing, and sharing their art with the world! I hope my story can inspire some other women out there to make the move to pursue their true passion. It is a heavily male-dominating industry after all and women do need to bond together. I'm always happy to answer any female music producer's questions in the DMs, and I also prioritize working with female music producers. I really hope one day we can see an equal amount of women and men named on festival lineups.”

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY STRENGTH WOrKOUT WITH ERIN MAW AND KAYLAH-BLAYR FT. FOOL ME BY CHYL

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Dannielle Lally, is one of the Les Mills presenters who was at the heart of this collaboration, and she’s super excited to see it come to life. “Monstercat’s proven track record of supporting and promoting diverse artists aligns with Les Mills' industry-standard Diversity, Equity and Inclusion commitments … By working together we can create unique and highly-curated fitness experiences, while also addressing gender disparities and uplifting female talent in the electronic music and fitness industries.”

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