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Artist Interviews
Q&A: Tiësto
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 27 July 2010
Dutch DJ and producer Tiësto released his debut album, ‘In My Memory’, in 2001, subsequently topping DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll three times consecutively from 2002 to 2004 before becoming the first DJ to play live at the Olympics, when he performed at the 2008 opening ceremony. His fourth album ‘Kaleidoscope’ was released in October last year, and he is all set to play a headline show in London’s Victoria Park on Friday, 30 Jul. Ahead of that, we caught up with Tiësto to ask the Same Six.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I was interested in music from an early age. I would listen to a radio show called the Soul Show, and to Ben Liebrand’s mix show, where he would remix different tracks, and one day I just decided that I wanted to give it a try. I started to buy records and put together mixes, making them the way I thought they should sound.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
The starting point was to work with different artists that I liked. I was listening to a lot of indie-rock, electro, techno and house and drew inspiration from this.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
I usually start things off by producing and coming up with the main idea of the song, building things as I go. If it’s a vocal track, than I add the vocals after I have built the basis of the song. When it came to working with the different artists on ‘Kaleidoscope’, it worked in a similar way. I would start things off, and then we would exchange it back and forth til it was finished. I like a song that has strong emotion to it. I also love a great arrangement; how a song builds, then crescendos is always important in my favorite tracks.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
I was influenced by a broad range of music in my youth. Sven Väth has been a big influence for me throughout my career. U2 have been a big influence on my live shows. I have so many different inspirations, it’s hard to choose.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
As with all music just approach it with an open mind. I hope they like it.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
I always start every new project with the same mindset, to progress as an artist and take my sound in a new and interesting direction.
MORE>> www.tiesto.com
