Introducing the Real John Summit: He's 'Introverted,' Finds Comfort Behind the DJ Booth and Had His Heart Broken (Exclusive)

The DJ released his debut album, 'Comfort in Chaos,' on Friday, July 12

• John Summit released his debut album, Comfort in Chaos, on Friday, July 12.

• The DJ opens up about being a "not that confident" introvert who's most comfortable behind the DJ booth.

• Summit also opens up about quitting his day job as a CPA and grappling with self-doubt.

John Summit summer has officially commenced.

On Friday, July 12, Summit, whose real name is John Schuster, dropped his debut album Comfort in Chaos. Opening up to PEOPLE about the journey that led him to this moment, the viral DJ confessed that through this album, he wants people to know the real him.

"I want to show the John Schuster side of me, which is my real name, not just the John Summit entertainer party guy," Summit, 29, tells PEOPLE exclusively.

"[The artwork] shows the devil and angel in me trying to find my comfort in the chaos. That's why the album has the more introspective, chiller, rainy day tracks, not just the festival tracks," he continues. "As an artist, I've always wanted to do a whole album like this, but I never had the time, or even the outlet. Everyone only expected club tracks from me for a while, but I feel like now's the time I can show the full range of it."

When asked who the real Summit is, besides the energetic guy fans see behind the DJ booth, he says with conviction: "Very introverted and not that confident."

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"I can't even make eye contact with people in real life or anything. I'm most comfortable on stage because I don't have to look anyone in the eye," the "Where You Are" performer says. "I just look at the top of everyone's heads, which is great."

Summit got into DJing because he loved going to parties — but didn't love the part where he felt obligated to socialize on the dance floor.

"The only person who doesn't get talked to is the DJ. Well, now the DJ booth is full of people. Now it's like my worst nightmare," he quips. "I do like talking. I'm not full introvert, but it's definitely not the side that most people see."

In the recent months, Summit — who once worked as a CPA by day and taught YouTube music production tutorials by night — has skyrocketed to fame and become one of the top touring artists in dance music. He's taking the newfound attention day by day, but admits it can sometimes be "weird."

"I'm trying to figure out what I'm trying to be successful for, because I know it's not fame. I like taking selfies and stuff with people, because I like entertaining people, but it's really not what I'm doing it for," he says. "I think that's why I like writing an album and making music that's not very chart-driven or very meant for big festivals. It's literally just meant to show more of me."

And if it wasn't obvious enough, Summit finds his comfort in chaos onstage.

"It is the most chaotic environment, and it is where I am most comfortable, because I feel like I'm in control. I feel like I can play my music," he says. "I can play whatever I want and kind of command the party. It does feel like a modern-day maestro or some s---."

Summit took a leap of faith when he decided to quit his job as a CPA. Luckily, the job "instilled a work ethic in me" that is now paying off. But around the same time, he was also carrying an emotional burden: he'd recently found out his girlfriend was cheating on him.

"I truly believe that there's so many incredibly creative and talented artists out there that don't channel it because they're just lazy. I was broke after I quit accounting, because I didn't save any money, really. I saved $10,000 or something to get me by for the first few months, but I think you have to really have that drive in you," he says.

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"The week I left my accounting job, I also found out my girlfriend was cheating on me, so I quit that and I quit the girlfriend in the same week," he continues. "I've been single ever since, so then I'm kind of scared of, if I do get a relationship, it's going to ruin my career, because everything's going so good. I feel like a lot of people can relate to that maybe, too."

Still, despite the immense progress he's made in his career, including launching his own label called Experts Only, Summit faces self-doubt "every single day."

"That's why I keep adding more new things to the plate. Because every time I self doubt, I've been able to accomplish everything I've put my mind to so far. I fail all the time, but people just don't see it. For every good track I make, I make 10 bad tracks," the "La Danza" performer says. "If you don't have doubt in life, then your life would be boring, right? It'd be too comfortable."

He concludes, "You need some chaos in your life, right?"

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