Showtek could have opened their new label with a safe hardstyle weapon. Instead, F_CK THE SYSTEM begins with "Ella Elle L'a," a Kate Ryan collaboration that reworks her dance-pop hit.
The duo launched F_CK THE SYSTEM with Be Yourself Music after moving from hardstyle into the big-room festival years. That history makes the first release feel deliberate: the label is meant to give them room to move, not pin them to the sound people expect.
They tested the idea before committing to it. Dancing Astronaut reports that Showtek played the track at Paris's Accor Arena before it had a release date. The crowd response helped make it the label's debut.
For younger producers, the useful part is the control behind the release. A label can set its own calendar and make room for records that an outside A&R might consider off-brand. Be Yourself supplies the infrastructure while Showtek choose what goes out.
DJVibe ran Showtek's Mysteryland USA countdown mix in 2014, when hardstyle acts crossing onto main stages still prompted an argument. The new label is another bet on range, this time with the release schedule in their hands.
"Ella Elle L'a" is out now. Release number two will tell us whether this curveball defines the label or simply opens the door.
