Where are you currently based and what is the music scene like there?
I am currently based in Eindhoven, a city in the south of The Netherlands.
How did you first start playing music?
I first started when I was 14 years old. I played music with my cousin at family birthdays and started to experiment with DJ’ing in their basement. From there on I got more interested in playing and producing music and figuring out how this worked on my own.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I am currently listening to Droeloe a lot. I really like the creativity and originality of their sound. I also made a playlist on Spotify where you can see what I am listening to as well!
What programs/equipment do you use?
My main software is FL Studio by Image Line. I run this on my gaming laptop, which is a real necessity to keep my projects from running slow. When I’m on the road I usually produce my music on my headphones, but when I am in the studio, I have a nice big system on which I can produce my tracks.
Please tell us about your relationship with music and sleep:
Sleep, what’s that? I usually sleep during the day and produce music at night. I feel that at night my creativity comes to live. Also, during the day there are so many distracting impulses that just kill my productivity.
Who have been your favorite artists to work with and who would you like to work with in the future and why?
David Guetta and Martin Garrix for sure! They supported me very early in my career and always believed in my sound. They also helped me a lot and giving me the chance to make music with them.
How did you find your own sound?
Finding my own sound took a very long time. I remember the days when I was just sitting in the studio for hours on end, trying to get down the smallest details. So right now, I am still a perfectionistic, but I have a good workflow that makes things a bit more streamlined. I found my own sound by experimenting a lot with different samples, genres and plugins. Don’t be afraid to try something new and don’t listen too much to other people.
What do you like to do away from music?
I like gaming a lot and hanging out with my family and friends. I bought a Nintendo Switch that always goes with me on tour. This way I have some entertainment for long flights. When I get home from touring the first thing I always do is go to my family and friends. It’s really nice to have some solid people in your life when everything around you is moving so fast.
How do you approach remixing?
I usually start working with vocal of the original track. Just start experimenting and see what I can do with the vocal. When I have a good idea for the drop, I get into my normal workflow of how I produce most of my tracks. I go bottom to top, so this means I start with my bassline and kick and then work my way op to the melodies of the track.
How do you decided which track it is that you’ll remix?
I usually get asked by the label of other artists if I would be willing to do a remix for them. If I like the track and see possibilities to make a remix that’s suitable, I will start working on it.
How did you learn how to produce and remix?
Like I mentioned before I got into music together with my cousin at these family birthday parties. I also got more and more into producing music and started to figure it out on my own. At one point I ended up using FL Studio and never stopped using it. At the age of 17 I started an education in sound design, which I finished 2 years later. This really helped me in understanding the technical part of music production.
What do you have planned for 2019?
There are a lot of things on my agenda. I am playing Ultra Music Festival, Tomorrowland, Parookaville and I have my first residency at KAOS in Vegas. Music wise, I am currently working very hard on finishing my new tracks before the summer kicks in. At this moment I unfortunately can’t share anything about my new releases, but if you watch my live sets you might hear some new ID’s.
Favourite food and place to hang out?
My favorite food is Asian food, especially the Malaysian cuisine and Sushi from Japan. My favorite place to hangout is the studio. The studio is my comfort zone where it’s just me, my creativity and my laptop. When I’m not in the studio I love to hang out at home with my friends. Just to get away from the hectic of all the clubs and festivals.
BUY/STREAM: https://guetta.co/BetterWhenYoureGonePR
(What A Music Ltd/Parlophone/Big Beat Records)
https://www.facebook.com/MusicByBrooks/
