Regular readers of tabloid! will understand just how big an influence electronic dance music is in the world right now, with even our local artists getting in on the act (check out duo Hollaphonic, who open for Seal at the Dubai World Cup on Saturday) has emerged and countless DJs hitting some of Dubai’s hottest venues every week. And fronting this takeover of our radios is Dutchman Tiesto.
Since breaking onto the scene in the early 1990s he has gone on to collaborate with Nelly Furtado, Sean Kingston, Busta Rhymes and Flo Rida, perform at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympics and has ranked No 1 on DJ Magazine’s Top 100 popularity poll three times from 2003 to 2004.
And with Goa coming to Dubai in the form of the Sunburn Festival, the Indian state’s annual trance music festival, on Thursday, Tiesto is the ideal candidate to head it. tabloid! spoke to last year’s highest paid DJ ahead of his gig.
You recently said you are going to dedicate 2013 to Las Vegas – is it the next Ibiza?
Well it’s an exciting time with everything that’s going on in Vegas and my new residency at Hakassan will be unlike anything else the fans have experienced.
You have collaborated with Guess in the past, can we expect anymore fashion collaborations or even your own design line in the future?
I’m very interested in fashion so yes you’ll definitely see some new and exciting things in the future.
Each time you go on stage and see crowds of thousands of people waiting for you to play, what goes through your head?
It’s an amazing feeling to see the people having so much fun.
What are the feelings you try to evoke with your sets?
Happiness. I want people to enjoy the music and have a great time dancing.
What are the influences that has seen your music change over the years?
There are many influences that I pick up in everyday life like the music I hear, people I meet.
A lot of young talent has been taking to electronic dance music. What do you think your role in nurturing this talent?
I absolutely love working with young producers. It’s really inspiring. We learn from each other.
Who are some new names to watch out for?
Alvaro is a great young producer who was on my recent College Invasion Tour. We’ll see big things from him.
What does the future hold for EDM?
That is the million dollar question.
How has the evolution of technology changed the EDM scene over the years?
Tremendously. It’s so easy to now collaborate with other artist over the Internet and share ideas without actually being in the same studio.
What do you think you’ll do when you retire from DJing?
I haven’t thought about it.
What can we expect from your performance in Dubai this time around?
The best music and production, plus great fans will make for an amazing time. I’m really looking forward to it.
