SPINOFF: DJ Drama Interviews Avicii in VIBE

GANGSTA GRILLZ SPINNER DJ DRAMA AND EDM YOUNG JOCK AVICII DISCUSS THE ART OF DJING

DJ Drama: Is the edm world competitive for dJs?
Avicii: Not at all, because everyone is playing each other’s productions. The people who’d be your competition are probably close to your own sound, but you still have to play them.

D: How does a DJ in dance music get big?
A: It’s all about the music. With the music exploding, there’s more people who get familiar with an artist or producer, and they want to see him. Then they see he’s playing a big arena show. Some [dJs] get lucky and get swept up by somebody [established], but the ones who keep delivering stay. If someone makes a huge track and they don’t keep living up to that, they’re going to disappear just as quickly.

D: I noticed that you’re a younger guy; did you ever carry record crates?
A: No, I came in long after that, right when they switched to USBs. mixing and becoming a dJ is so much easier now. You don’t have to be technical anymore—you can download a program and watch bring as much to the table as I can for a live show.

D: Do some EDM DJs go to shows with pre-prepared sets?
A: I know people that have done that. I don’t only prepare a played set; there’s always a live aspect. For most edm dJs focus on the whole two-hour journey, so I haven’t seen many [live] effects.

D: I feel EDM DJs have it easier, because the audience is more open to new music. The hip-hop crowd always wants hits.
A: I can see that. It has a lot to do with where you are. They’re more educated in some places. If I play at a Vegas pool party, they want to hear what they’ve already heard. At a Holland nightclub, they want to hear something new.

D: Do you include hip-hop in your sets?
A: Sometimes I’ll play it for an encore, but not much.