Julia Afanasieva has spent more than a decade shaping digital marketing strategies that cut through the noise, leading global campaigns, managing major budgets, and building teams that deliver results. Today, she’s bringing that playbook to electronic music as Chief Marketing Officer of Volumo, the independent digital store positioning itself as a fairer alternative to Beatport and Traxsource.
Launched in 2022, Volumo puts artists in control of pricing and presentation while offering DJs a curated catalog free of clutter and pay-to-play bias. Under Julia’s watch, the platform has quickly gained traction with both underground talent and established names.
How did your career in marketing and the music industry lead you to your current role at Volumo?
My career has always been about building and scaling digital projects in competitive industries. Over the years I’ve developed a strong mix of data-driven marketing, product thinking, and creative execution. When Volumo came along, it felt like a natural fit: here was a platform that combined culture with technology. What excited me was the chance to use my experience to help shape a fairer, more innovative space for DJs, artists, and labels.
What’s a day in your life like as CMO of Volumo?
Every day is different, but the focus is always the same: growth. I start by diving into analytics campaigns, funnels, conversions and then shift into strategy: testing new creatives, exploring audiences, and refining positioning. It’s a constant cycle of experimenting, learning, and scaling what works. The fast pace keeps things exciting, because every day we take Volumo one step further in redefining how DJs and artists connect with their audience.
What inspired the creation of Volumo, and which gap in the market were you aiming to address?
It all started when two of the co-founders, both professional DJs. They realized that no single music store could meet everyone’s needs, and there was room for different approaches to finding and purchasing music. Around the same time, they began producing their own tracks and noticed that the industry’s push toward streaming didn’t work well for every artist. Eventually, a third co-founder, the tech guy, joined the team, and that’s when the idea for Volumo truly began to take shape.
In some sense, Volumo was born from a simple question: What if there was a place that treated music not as a product to push, but as something to be genuinely discovered? Most platforms just throw the same popular stuff at you. We thought: what if there was a place where you could actually find music on your own, not what’s being pushed, not what everyone else is listening to, but tracks that really speak to you?
How does Volumo support emerging artists differently from other platforms?
Volumo gives emerging artists both visibility and fair economics. Artists keep 75% of every sale, set their own prices, and aren’t buried under paid placements or algorithmic bias. Our curation team highlights music for its quality, not its marketing budget, while features like DJ Charts let tastemakers push fresh tracks into the spotlight. And because Volumo is download-first, every sale gives artists meaningful income instead of fractions of a cent.
What’s the biggest challenge in building an independent music platform in a market dominated by giants like Beatport and Traxsource?
The biggest challenge is breaking through habits. DJs have been using the same platforms for years Beatport, Traxsource, Juno Download, Volumo is now starting to join that list for some.
Competing with giants isn’t only about catalog size, it's about trust, visibility, and proving that we offer something truly different.
For us, the solution has been to stay authentic: no pay-to-play visibility, no inflated hype, just a platform that genuinely helps DJs discover music and helps artists get paid fairly. It’s harder to grow this way, but it builds a stronger foundation. Every time a DJ finds a hidden gem on Volumo or an artist sees real income from a track, it confirms that we’re moving in the right direction.
How do you see the role of independent music stores evolving over the next five years?
I believe independent music stores will become even more important as counterbalance to the dominance of a few global platforms. DJs and artists are increasingly looking for authenticity, fair economics, and spaces where discovery isn’t driven by algorithms or advertising budgets.
Over the next five years, independent stores will thrive by focusing on depth rather than scale: curated catalogs, niche genres, and communities that feel personal rather than mass-market. They’ll act as cultural hubs where underground scenes can grow and where artists don’t have to compete with corporate marketing spend to be heard.
For Volumo, that’s exactly the path we’re on: building a platform that puts fairness, identity, and discovery at the center, and proving that independence can be a strength, not a limitation.
What drives you personally to keep innovating in this industry?
What drives me is the belief that platforms shape culture. If discovery is dictated only by algorithms or paid placements, the scene becomes shallow and predictable. But when you create a space where artists can be fairly rewarded and DJs can truly discover new sounds, you’re helping the culture grow in an authentic way.
For me, innovation isn’t about adding shiny features, it's about making sure technology serves creativity instead of replacing it. Every time I see an artist getting real income from their music on Volumo, or a DJ finding a track that transforms their set, it reminds me why this work matters. That’s what keeps me moving forward.
What’s your proudest moment so far?
One of the proudest moments was when Volumo was officially recognized by the Association for Electronic Music as one of the leading DJ music platforms worldwide. For an independent project, standing alongside established industry giants was proof that our vision matters.
Another highlight is the feedback we get from DJs and artists when someone tells us they discovered tracks they couldn’t find anywhere else, or that their music finally started generating real income through Volumo. Those moments remind us why we built this platform in the first place.
What advice would you give someone who wants to launch their own platform in the music industry or work in the music/tech space?
Start by making sure you’re solving a real problem. The music industry is full of ideas that sound exciting but don’t actually address what artists, labels, or DJs need. Talk to your audience early, test small, and move fast. The feedback loop is more valuable than a perfect plan.
Second, don’t underestimate how tough this industry is. Passion is essential, but you’ll also need resilience and the ability to measure everything you do. Build with sustainability in mind: think about how artists will benefit, how fans will engage, and how the platform will generate revenue without compromising its values.
Finally, remember that culture comes first. Technology is a tool, but if it doesn’t serve the music community authentically, it won’t last. The projects that succeed are the ones that respect both sides: innovation and the scene itself.
What have you been listening to on repeat at the moment?
Lately, I’ve been vibing to “What I Need” by Naarly, Sickluv & Thabza De Soul. Its groove, soulful chords, and emotional depth create this hypnotic energy, the kind of track that you press replay on without even realizing it.