When Jona Starek arrived at Santa Clara, he didn’t just bring a soccer resume from Germany — he brought a studio’s worth of ideas. By day, he’s a disciplined midfielder with a sharp sense for the game’s rhythms. After training, he turns to another kind of beat entirely: electronic dance music.
For Starek, the worlds of soccer and sound aren’t separate at all. “Soccer has taught me a lot about discipline, consistency, and trusting the process, and I take that same mindset into music,” he said. “In both, you improve by showing up regularly, repeating things, making mistakes, and slowly getting better over time.”
From Germany to Santa Clara
Starek grew up in Germany and started playing soccer at age six. By 15, he had joined the academy at Fortuna Düsseldorf, where he spent two years competing in the U19 Bundesliga. When it came time to choose his next step, he considered staying in Germany to play for Fortuna’s second team in the fourth division or pursuing an opportunity in the United States. He chose the latter, signing first with UMass Lowell before transferring to Saint Mary’s for a year.
His move to Santa Clara was driven by a desire to find the right balance between athletics and academics. “That’s what made Santa Clara such a good fit for me,” he said. “It really had everything I was looking for, both academically and athletically.”
Finding His Sound
Music entered Starek’s life unexpectedly after a house music concert in Montreal. The experience left a lasting impression. “I remember thinking, ‘I want to make music that makes other people feel what I am feeling right now,’” he said. Soon after, he invested in basic equipment, learned FL Studio, and began releasing tracks under his own name on Spotify and SoundCloud but in the near future to be under his new artist name ‘JONA(DE)’.
He describes his style as electronic dance music with influences from tech house, indie dance, and melodic house. “Some tracks are more groovy and club-focused, while others are darker, more melodic, or emotional,” he said. “I really enjoy that freedom to make what feels like me in the moment.”
His Bright Shadows EP, released by YHV Records, marked an early milestone. Since then, he’s continued to experiment and collaborate, learning keyboard to make his workflow more creative and intuitive. “Instead of always drawing notes into the computer, I can experiment more freely and sometimes come up with ideas I probably would not have found otherwise,” he said.
Starek’s influences include Solomun, Adriatique, Notre Dame, and Boris Brejcha—artists known for their distinctive sounds and the atmosphere they create. “What I admire most about all of them is that they have developed their own identity,” he said. “They are not only technically good producers, but they have also created a unique sound that is recognizable as their own.”
His creative process is fluid by design. “My creative process usually does not start with a fixed plan,” he said. “I might find a sound, chord progression, bassline, or rhythm that gives me a certain vibe, and if I really feel something from it, I just start building around that.”
While he considers himself primarily a producer, Starek is already gaining experience as a performer. He has DJ-ed at college parties and is eager to do more. “The end goal has always been bigger than just making music on my laptop,” he said. “I definitely want to perform my own tracks live as a DJ one day.”
Balancing Passions
The structure of soccer and the creativity of music create a balance that keeps Starek grounded. “Soccer is structured and performance-driven, while music gives me a space where I can be completely creative and follow whatever idea or feeling I have in the moment,” he said. “Having both in my life creates a really good balance for me.”
On the field, he feels at home with the Broncos. “The team is very ambitious, and we have a lot of talent,” he said. “There is a strong belief within the group, and I am excited to see how far we can take it together.”
Looking ahead, Starek’s goals are clear. “My biggest goal is to eventually be able to make a living from my own music and perform it around the world,” he said. “I would love to reach a point where people recognize my sound, connect with the music I create, and come to shows to experience it live.”
For now, he’s focused on the journey—both on the pitch and in the studio—taking each step with the same patience and drive that brought him to Santa Clara in the first place.
