In the midst of the Ultra Music Festival madness, chart-topping Dutch DJ and producer Fedde le Grand answered some of our questions on topics varying from the recent genre outbreak in the electronic music scene, to the deep love he has for his fans.
“Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” brought him to global attention but “The Creeps,” “Let Me Think About It,” “3 Minutes To Explain,” “Back & Forth” and numerous other singles, combined with remixes for the likes of Robbie Williams, Will.I.Am, Madonna, Fatboy Slim, and Coldplay confirmed he is a versatile powerhouse in the global dance music industry. As a defining figure of house music, the 36-year-old has a large number of awards and accolades under his belt, but he certainly isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
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WRR: Dark Light Sessions, your once monthly, now weekly podcast, has gained so much momentum over the past 2 years. We love your 2013 Year Mix. How did you narrow down your options to the 59 tracks you chose?
FLG: Thanks so much! Year mixes are always one of my favorites mixes to do. It was actually really hard to narrow down my list as so many great records had been released throughout the year. I usually tend to select tracks that I personally like as well as tracks that were just a standout in the year.
WRR: In September you released “FLG TV Special: Festival MADNESS”, a 7 minute video that followed you through 4 festivals in 4 different countries in one weekend. It was very cool to get an inside look at your touring life. Why did you decide to give fans a closer look?
FLG: I wanted to give a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes to my fans. As cliché as it may sound, without my fans, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. I always enjoy giving back to them and staying as connected as possible in whatever way I can.
WRR: The track “Don’t Give Up” was heard by a lot of people for the first time in the official Ultra 2013 After Movie. Being one of only 10 select tracks in the movie, why did you wait almost a whole year to release it?
FLG: It was actually more of me wanting to perfect the record before I released it. “Don’t Give Up” came into fruition from a different project at the time. There was just a lot of revamping, editing, and perfecting it just the I wanted before it was ready for release. Fortunately, I love the way it sounds and I’m very excited its now out!
WRR: “Don’t Give Up” is being called “the sound of Ultra”? What exactly does that mean to you?
FLG: To me, the sound of Ultra encompasses what house music is today. The partying, the music, the atmosphere, and most importantly – the fans. It is such a sight when all of this comes together. It is one of the most spectacular things to witness!
WRR: In one of your #ASKFLG Q&A sessions, you mention jazz music as being one of your inspirations. What do you do when you hit a writing block?
FLG: I like to sit back and ease my mind whenever I do hit a block. I think it’s best to never rush a production. It’s always worth it to take a step back, let your work soak in, and then continue on once you think you’ve got that inspiration again. Actually, “Don’t Give Up” had taken me a little over half a year to finish and now I’m very excited for the release!
WRR: Who would make up your ‘dream team’ of producers and DJs? Who are you hoping to collaborate with in the future?
FLG: I really love the new Avicii track “Addicted To You”, and Calvin Harris’ productions are always next level. I think it is so cool that right now the environment seems to be perfect to create tracks that are just so much more than dance tracks and still keep their integrity. For me, that is next level. Those are tracks that can keep their relevance for years and years to come instead of just the catchy hooks that will work to get the dance energy translated to radio. To me, those tracks don’t really have heart / soul / emotion if you know what I mean 😉
WRR: What do you think about the popularity rise of so many different genres lately?
FLG: Personally, I absolutely love it! I think it’s great that both DJs and fans are being more open to different genres of music. Staying in your comfort zone for too long can get stale and repetitive.
I’ve actually just done a remix for Shakira and Rihanna. It was one of my favorite remixes to date for the fact that it kept me on edge to think outside of the box.
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