DUSTIN JOHNSON | CHAMPION LEGACY

This month’s cover star is a golf legend who has 24 PGA Tour wins, has won the US Open as well as the Masters and has dominated in the sport. At LIV Golf, he is an Owner/Captain of the 4Aces and has achieved success here as well! Dustin Johnson is passionate about the game of golf and with the season kicking off in Riyadh on Feb 4th, we wanted to know more about how he came to this game, how he trains for it to optimize himself for his game, and to know more about why he joined LIV Golf and to understand what it is like for him to be in this role. We also talk with 4Aces GM, Chris Rosaasen to know more about this team, its vision, sponsor brands, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with golf and when did you realize that you wanted to play it professionally?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I fell in love with golf as a kid when I was 6 years old. I always wanted to play professionally since I started playing. I knew I was going to play on tour when I was a Junior in college.

AM: In terms of optimizing yourself to hit the course, what is an average week like in terms of fitness or workouts that you do?

DJ: After dropping my kids off at school in the morning, I head straight to the gym. My personal trainer’s name is Joey D, and I have been working with him for a long time. After the gym I head straight to the golf course. When I am on the road during tournament weeks, I am in the gym every day, whether it’s at the gym at the golf course or the hotel. Working out is in my DNA.

AM: You have had a number of accolades in your career, from 24 total PGA wins, being ranked number 1 for 135 weeks, winning the US Open in 2016, winning the 2020 Masters and winning all 4 World Golf Championship events, just as the topline notes. What do those achievements mean to you?

DJ: [Laughs] It means I am pretty good and I won a lot of tournaments.

AM: Why did you want to join LIV Golf as you have done this for 4 seasons, you won the inaugural 2022 LIV Golf Team Championship, and you are about to start your 5th!

DJ: I appreciate and enjoyed my long career on the PGA Tour, and LIV offered me a new opportunity I really believe in. I get to travel the world growing the game that I love, while building one of the first sports franchises in professional golf.

AM: You just signed a 3-year extension to continue playing with LIV. Why are you invested in this League and how are you going to continue to build off your team’s success?

DJ: Similar to my answer above, I feel LIV is the best place for me, and I truly believe in its vision and growth and the 4Aces.

AM: For those that may not be familiar with LIV Golf in terms of its season and its team play, can you tell me more about this?

DJ + CHRIS ROSAASEN: On LIV we play a 14 event global schedule. We play in nine different countries and incredible countries/cities. We are like the Formula 1 of golf, putting on the biggest events in the most exciting places across the world.

AM: You’re the Captain as well as the Co-Owner of 4Aces. Can you tell us about how teams are created?

DJ: In 2022, we started the league with a draft. We’ve continued to evolve and mature as a league, as we welcome new players to the Aces and across all of our teams. I always have my eye on new & young up & coming stars to continue to carry the legacy of the 4Aces.

AM: Chris, you were previously the CEO of TravisMatthew before becoming the GM of 4Aces. Can you tell me about your background, how you came to this team, and what your role entails here?

CR: I originally was introduced to LIV through a handful of players that decided to make the switch from the PGA Tour. I attended the first US event in Portland, Oregon in July of 2022. While attending, I saw team golf apparel being sold for the first time and approached LIV about getting the contract to do apparel for all the teams at the time. That got my foot in the door to understand what LIV was all about. I started sponsoring the 4Aces in 2023 with an apparel company I founded called Extracurricular, and midway through the 2023 season, Dustin approached me about becoming GM of the 4Aces. I have been running the team ever since.

AM: What is your relationship like in working together in this Captain/Co-Owner and GM dynamic?

CR: It’s been great. Dustin has given me the freedom and his trust to run the team. I still see Dustin as my boss, and I run all important decisions by him before they are made, as we are running this business together.

AM: From a back of house perspective, what are the kinds of things that you worked on in the off-season to prepare for the upcoming season?

CR: I work with Max Russell (Our 4Aces Head of Sponsorship) on sponsor pipeline and getting deals to the finish line for the season. Also, strategizing on our team roster for the upcoming 2026 season is always top of mind. Lastly, from a brand building standpoint, we are investing in a new YouTube Series Behind the Aces which will be making its official debut later this year.

AM: How would you define the 4Aces brand?

CR: Our tagline is Primetime. We are the aspirational team on LIV that always gets noticed first when we show up at events. We model our brand off of the winningest, most prestigious brands in professional sports a la Lakers, Yankees, and Mercedes Benz of Formula 1.

AM: Tell us about your fellow teammates and what are your goals for the upcoming season?

DJ: Really excited to add Thomas Detry to the team, our newest team member. He is a proven winner on the PGA Tour and is hungry to continue getting better. I am also pumped to have Thomas Pieters back for this season. He is one of the most talented players on LIV and has so much upside. I am expecting big things from everyone and am optimistic this will be the best roster the 4Aces have ever fielded on LIV.

AM: Throughout the season, you play all around the globe in a number of amazing destinations. What are your favorite destinations and why?

DJ: Love Australia and the energy and atmosphere that crowd brings. Hong Kong is really special and is a great city to play and stay in. Lastly, I am thrilled to be playing in South Africa for the first time and have heard really exciting things. It’s honestly hard to choose, we go to so many great places...

CR: Australia is always top of mind for me and on top of the great crowds and city, the music LIV brings is always top notch and full of energy. Mexico City is the best if you love a food energy on top of a really unique challenging golf course. Finally, my favorite is Valderamma, Spain, an iconic golf course set on one of the most beautiful coastlines of the Mediterranean.

AM: As someone who is always on the go, what are 3 items that you like to bring with you so it feels like you have a sense of home with you?

CR: [Laughs] The road feels like home more than being at home sometimes. We are living out of suitcases 24/7.

AM: You just played at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and you’re about to begin the 2026 LIV Golf season at Riyadh. What are you looking forward to as 2026 seems exciting with going to a 72-hole format.

DJ: I am excited about the 72 hole format. It goes back to the type of golf and format I grew up playing. Also, I think it favors the better players, which I believe benefits my game out here on LIV.

AM: For fans who come to watch you play, what is that experience like as the blend between golf, entertainment, and culture must be such an immersive experience.

CR: LIV Golf’s format is unique in the sense that there is an individual and team competition occurring simultaneously. The shotgun start with everyone teeing off at the same time lends to fans having a 5 hour window on the golf course which allows them to see more of the action in a condensed period. I think LIV does a tremendous job bringing in local food and sourcing world class musical acts, making the experience something that is new and unique to golf. We have artists like Calvin Harris, John Summit, etc playing at tournaments. These are some of the biggest names in Music.

AM: What is the 4Aces Social Club and how does this take attendees enjoyment to the next level?

CR: The 4Aces Social Club is something we are really excited about ramping up in 2026 and beyond. We use it as our moniker to activate exclusive hospitality events both on and off the golf course. In 2025, we had our own private structure in Miami where we hosted friends and family of the team, sponsors, and VIP’s, and threw a couple amazing off-course activations – one being at a private car museum in Indy and a private dinner in Dallas. We have more events planned in 2026 and are continuing to invest in the success of the programming.

AM: From a brand perspective, you have a number of partnerships including your recent Under Armour contract, Santo Studio, Celsius, FlyHouse, SWAG Golf to name a few, You are the first team to have a men’s jewelry partnership via JAXXON and your brands reflect an incredible intersection between culture, luxury, and performance! What is the thought process you implement in terms of determining those brands that you feel best fits 4Aces ecosystem?

CR: Everything with our partners starts with authenticity. Our partners reflect our players and team ethos. Having new partners such as Under Armour – a leader in performance athletic wear and footwear – exemplify those premium brands who are coming on board because of our shared vision for the future of the sport. Frankly, all of our partners fit categories that are important to us as a team, whether that’s Celsius and their Live Fit mantra, which is core to us or FlyHouse, as our Private Aviation Partner and a standard of excellency and innovation in private travel, to DAOU Vineyards which is a world class wine California Wine Brand.

AM: You have a phenomenal career and you’re an owner of this franchise. Who have been mentors of yours as you have navigated your career?

DJ: I have had a some really important mentors in my life. Most important have been my dad, Wayne (Gretzky, my FIL) and Coach Terrell, my college golf coach.

AM: Why do you love this game so much and what do you want your legacy to be known as in this sport?

DJ: I love the challenge of golf. You are never going to be perfect at it. There’s always something you need to work on.

IG @dustinjohnsongolf

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | LIV Golf

Read the JAN ISSUE #121 of Athleisure Mag and see DUSTIN JOHNSON | Champion Legacy in mag.

HOT VIBE CHECK | KAAZE

We sat down this month with Mick Kastenho aka KAAZE who is a DJ/Producer who has created music that keeps the good vibes going, as well as working with a lot of our favorites from Steve Aoki, Calvin Harris, Britney Spears, to name a few! We wanted to know more about his upcoming exciting projects; where we will see him play his next sets; how he approaches creating his music; and how he stays fit!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with music?

KAAZE: With music in general? Oh wow, my father is a musician actually. So, it came I think if I remember when I was around between 1 and 2, I grabbed a CD which was a Queen record when I was very young and it was my favorite record. Since then, I was obsessed with music! My mom was also very into disco and groovy music so they fed me a lot of music in the home. So it definitely comes from my parents.

AM: It’s a cool idea to think of you as a 1 year old grabbing that record as we love that band as well.

K: Oh yeah and Queen is still my favorite! Freddie Mercury is still my hero to this day. It’s kind of an odd role model to have in terms of my music choice. But I don’t know, he inspires me so much.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a DJ/Producer?

K: I think I was 15/16, I discovered David Guetta on MTV, and it was definitely when I heard the first records from David Guetta. I was like what is this? I dived right into it and was just like, I think a week later I bought this little CD mixing thing and then it started. So definitely, the answer is David Guetta.

AM: How would you define your sound? You have done the Groovy Electro House, you’ve also done Underground Techno, and you have now pioneered the concept of Hot Teknō. Can you tell us more about what this is and to describe the genre?

K: I mean, Hot Teknō is something that I give credit to my fans. I used that term in a funny way and they caught up on it on my social media. They kind of named it. I would describe Hot Teknō as a more groovier and a little bit more of a touch of mainstream techno, than a traditional techno that we have. It leans more towards the harder side of the techno as opposed to the melodic techno based on higher tempo.

Whatever style I have been doing whether it is Progressive House or Pop, I have always been driven by energy so I love energetic music – something that keeps you going. It was just me a couple of years ago, trying to find something new and at the same time, I was going back to my roots, because I started 18 years ago with a lot of techno. So in finding that balance, between something melodic and fun that’s still way more harder than what I have been doing the last 10 years.

AM: When we think of EDM and what we enjoy listening to regardless of the subgenre, Sweden has had just a number of our favorites in general – Swedish House Mafia, Alesso, Avici, and Galantis! What is the music scene like in Sweden and how do these artists influence your work?

K: I would say that the Swedish artists very much influenced me in the beginning of my career.

I would say that the music scene in Sweden in general – I have not technically performed in Sweden yet.

AM: Oh wow!

K: I’ve had opportunities, but I’m waiting for that perfect moment where I feel that that would suit me.

The export from Sweden is just unbelievable. Everything from obviously, the DJs to even songwriter/producers like Max Martin (Shake it Off/Taylor Swift, Dark Horse/Katy Perry, Problem/Ariana Grande), who is responsible for 90% of the American market. I don’t know what it is but, Swedes are really, really talented at making music, but of course, that inspired me a lot. I’m pretty proud to be Swede because of it without sounding patriotic.

AM: It’s pretty cool. Because in thinking about going to Sweden as we have never been, we have always wondered what it would be like from a music perspective due to how much music comes from there.

K: Especially since it is so small!

AM: Right!

K: It’s such a small country. It’s the size of California, minus all of the people!

AM: What is your creative process like when it comes to working on your music and where do you like to start?

K: Oh, it’s always different. I’m that type of artist that it kind of comes to me. Not all the time, but it comes to me. I hear something on the radio. I love to go over really, really old music on my playlist. I don’t listen to electronic music privately, I only listen to everything else. That’s a lot of times where I find inspiration, whether it is a sample or a melody. It could be a vibe, it doesn’t matter, but I find everything outside of the electronic world. A few times, I do sit down with a clear mind and I don’t know where to start and I will just play around with sounds and sometimes, nothing happens.

The only cool thing I do is sometimes when I start my productions, I have always done this and it works really well for me, I know some other DJs do – such as Fred again.. I put a timer on myself for 35 mins and within those 35 mins, I need to come up with something solid. It can be super rough but as long as it has something to work on, and if after 35 mins I’m still like waa – I delete it and I restart. I reset the alarm and I do it until I find something. It puts a little pressure on really activating every single cell in your brain. I think at least for me. So that’s kind of how I do it, but a lot of times I do have a little idea from some old playlist or some old song and I try to take that idea and put it into 35 mins and see what happens.

AM: In hearing you say that that is your process, you would have so many snippets that if those didn’t go forward, you would have to delete them, but it’s interesting because if you did keep some of them – maybe there would be things that would bud back together again!

K: Yeah you know, obviously, there could be something that is tiny tiny tiny that I’m not sure about so some of them I do save. But if it is too nonsense, then I just let it go. Because if the idea is good and I delete an idea, that idea is most likely going to come back at some point. And that has happened a couple of times where I had an idea, I scratched it and I am sitting down 2 months later, and I was like wait – I have done this melody before and that was a sign that it was better then what I thought.

AM: That’s really cool.

Well you have collaborated with a lot of phenomenal artists from David Guetta to Britney Spears to Steve Aoki, Calvin Harris and more – what do you look for when it comes to doing a collaboration?

K: Not much really! It’s just a song pretty much. The song is the most important. I don’t really mind if it’s David Guetta or a very young up and coming artist. It comes down to the material and the potential of that song. Of course, I am extremely grateful and blessed to have worked, and to have songs coming up, with names like David Guetta and stuff! I would never believe it if I told myself that 18 years ago. So that is really really cool, but in the end, the song is what is most important and it always will be. I just try to always focus on the song and whoever is a part of it, great. It’s about making the best result of the song.

AM: You ended 2025 last year with dropping Head Rush with Steve. Tell us about the project and what was it like working together again with him?

K: We have been working on the project for about a year. We had already planned a year back that we were going to drop an EP together. We were going back and forth between a ton of demos and which ones should we include. Overall, I just love to release music with Steve. Mainly because he is a great, great friend of mine and is the closest friend that I have in the industry in terms of DJs. He is what I call, a proper G. He is such a sweetheart and he cares so much for me and everyone else and it’s very, very rare that someone on his level acts the way that he does. I have never heard anything bad about him. Everyone just loves him and I understand why. So that’s why I love to work with him so much because of the friendship and we have so much fun. He invites me to shows and he really believes in my sound and he believes in my vision with myself. That’s really cool. He’s not trying to take shine, he’s like, I want to KAAZE in this direction and he feels that’s cool and he wants to be part of it. That’s what makes making music with Steve so fun. This is why we have such a great friendship.

AM: This month, you’re dropping Antidote which is also exciting! Tell us about this song!

K: I really, really love Antidote, especially the vocal! The vocal is absolutely phenomenal. It’s 2 guys Mentum. I worked with them before on an album called Mick, so this is our second song together. Amazing songwriters. The cool thing about this song is, I had a demo of a song that I have been playing since 2023 and I have just been playing it on my sets, as a mashup with Travis Scott on a vocal on it or something and then Mentum reached out to me with a ton of new ideas including Antidote. They had the vocal and everything with a rough idea of the track and I heard – this just happens, a few times, but sometimes it happens that I hear that this song could really fit this song and it was very similar in the arrangement, the key, and the overall vibe. So, I literally took parts of that song and I put it on top of my 2023 demo and it was just done so it was like 45 mins and the track was just complete. So that vocal was really just meant for that demo. It was pretty cool that I have just been having it for 3 years laying around and playing it here and there and now we have a full track! So that was really dope and I am looking forward to that track. I think that the coolest thing with that song is that it has that Hot Teknō kind of energy. It’s a techno track and it also has that vocal and melody which is very poppy in a way as well as commercial so it is very hard to pinpoint exactly what type it is if you want to put a genre on it. It’s really really hard. I think that it is really to experiment and you don’t really know what kind of a song that it is. It’s a party and still vocal.

AM: You’re constantly traveling for shows and festivals. Do you have anything scheduled that we should keep an eye out for?

K: Schedule wise, yes a couple of shows. I can’t say just right now. I have some shows that I have dreamed of doing – some festivals which is a dream come true that I am going to do and it will be announced soon. So you should look out for that! I think that people can read between the lines on which ones they are. That’s going to be super dope and I have been waiting for that moment.

I have a lot of cool projects that I have got going on as well. I’m working on my record label SE7EN Records. I have some other really cool side projects as well. I’m working on a big project for KAAZE that’s a bit outside the music world, but still a very strong passion for me which I’m excited to share more info about very soon.1 It’s been a hobby from the beginning.

AM: You just mentioned your record label SE7EN. Tell my why you wanted to do this and what has that process been like?

K: For SE7EN it has been a dream of mine since the beginning to have a record label. Ever since I understood that other DJs had record labels and why, it was always a dream come true. I could have done it earlier, but I wanted to do it the right way at the right time. It takes a lot of effort and things to make it happen. It feels like now is the right time and I have a vision for how I want to go about SE7EN Records. It’s dedicated to my daughter because that is her name. I think it is a really good time to do it. I do it to be free and have fun, to build a community, and to find new talents, especially finding new talents. I would like to finally be that person who helps others because I have been in that position with Tiësto and Hardwell, who have helped me throughout my career. Then I have experience from that and a vision for how I would do it. I really want to give other kids that opportunity as well.

AM: How important is fitness to you? Clearly when we look at your IG, you work out.

K: I’m a gym rat!

AM: It’s quite clear! How important is it to you to incorporate that into your routine?

K: I mean, it’s really important. Of course I love like everyone that you love to look good and you go to the gym. The key reason why I go to the gym is that since I really took it seriously, it really improved my workflow and traveling and DJing in general, it really puts – if I have a hectic work schedule, I go to the gym every day it doesn’t matter if I am in Australia, Tokyo or home in Sweden I go to the gym. I do not drink alcohol. I eat very good and by doing those little things, it really made me look at my career as more of a sport than a party! It’s very easy to fall into the party life of a DJ. Of course, I have responsibilities and I’m a father. I want to be my best for my daughter. So that is kind of the 2 reasons that I work out for my daughter and a stable sporty kind of look at my career.

AM: It’s about longevity!

K: Oh yeah!

AM: Are there 3 workouts that you enjoy doing that you can share with us that our readers and community can consider putting into their routines?

K: Maybe not a workout per se, but what I love to do which I found really, really effective for me is something called a Push-Pull system. This is where on Mon I do all things push. So they are all push movements and then on the next day, I do all pull movements and then on the Wed, I do all legs for example. Then I go back to the days of Push and Pull. So that includes everything that is Push which is chest, shoulders, triceps and so forth. The Pull is back and biceps you know? Then, you split it with a proper leg session and it is up to each individual to think about the break that they want to take. But I love to go jump because I keep the muscles activated and you still let them rest enough where it works. As long as you eat enough, the Push-Pull method has been the best set up for me when working out. I feel like sometimes you have a schedule where you do chest on a Mon but then the next chest is on Fri – for me that is way too long for a rest period between that group!

AM: This is interesting and it makes sense.

K: For me, the Push-Pull Method is a highly recommended for you to try out at least.

AM: When you’re saying it, it totally makes sense, because we’ll do a series of movements that focus on a group on one day, then there are 2 to 3 days before we go back to that group. But in hearing you talk about your workout, the body has just enough time to come up and then goes right back into it which is really smart!

K: It’s also about that the muscles are eventually going to adapt. If people are hearing this and thinking that it is so intense, it’s all about making the body used to a certain weight, a certain time frame, and eventually, your body will adapt to that as well.

AM: Right.

K: Then you can push the envelope even more. The gym is about pushing the envelope. I really recommend this and you should at least try.

AM: Just hearing it makes sense so we’re going to try it. It sounds like a much better flow.

Obviously, you love fragrances and collecting them. What do you love about collecting scents and how did you get into this?

K: It’s actually a very funny story. The reason why I am obsessed and have perfumes and different kinds of them as a little hobby is when I was 16 and I just started making music, my dad helped me get this little studio. I decorated it and I put some IKEA scented candles in there. I was just a guy and I didn’t know a lot about scented candles, but I found a vibe with it. I remember I was smelling cinnamon or something like that, and I was smelling it and it was giving off a great vibe. I was making music and that led me to realize that I loved scents, and then I had a perfume once that I was spraying it on in the studio and I got inspired by it! I was like, “oh shit!”

So I realized that it made total sense because your ear and your nose are connected right? That’s why you can hear something and bring a memory. You can smell something and get a memory. I started an experiment with different scents in terms of what idea or vision that I had. So, if I woke up one day and I wanted to make something super Summery or something that was like Ibiza with all of these ideas in my head like palm trees, I would spray something very citrusy or Summery on my skin or on my hand. I would sit and breathe this in and I would produce and find it. That became really a thing for me and I started to find things to add to my collection, which has everything from citrus to woody. I have the whole shebang just for the sake of finding the right inspiration. So that technically is why I love it, because it really helps me with my music, and then of course, it became an obsession! But in the end, it was for music. I think that it’s pretty cool because some people use pictures or travel, but you can do that with smells as well!

AM: You also enjoy fashion and once again, in looking at your IG, we see that you’re a well put together individual.

K: Thank you!

AM: What is your approach to your style whether you are doing a set or you’re out and about?

K: I don’t think too much about the clothes, I have just loved fashion and clothes since I was a kid. My mom was so good with fashion and she taught me a lot as a kid. So I have always liked to experiment through clothes. If you look at me throughout my career, I have had rock inspired to more sway oversized Balenciaga style to now that I am a little bit older, I’m a father now, I dress a bit more mature which I really love. I just love to experiment with it and I don’t think too much about it. I love that it comes with me along with my personality. I really love it and I always think a little extra about!

For example, my New Years show in Warsaw, I wanted to wear a tuxedo but I wanted it to look a little bit different. So, I customized a tuxedo that was cropped to my belly button and then I had really high waisted pants with a bow tie to make it a bit different, but classy still. Those are the things that I think about. But I really enjoy that, I guess I would say that KAAZE is dressing more like Mick now. It has a little bit more of a touch of being a father and a little bit older as I said. Then I try to bring in some kind of a formal artist touch into it when I’m KAAZE, compared to when I’m out and about. But it’s fun and I hope that one of my goals in the future is to do my own clothing line or work really seriously with a brand to make my own collection of stuff. I hope that is going to happen one day.

IG @iamkaaze

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | KAAZE

Read the JAN ISSUE #121 of Athleisure Mag and see HOT VIBE | KAAZE in mag.

THAT IT VIBE | SOMMER RAY

This Summer we have enjoyed a number of our favorite songs, ticked off things on our bucket lists and with a few weeks left, we continue to add to our playlists. We need to make room for Sommer Ray - DJ, fitness influencer, and entrepreneur who has been dropping singles and touring here in NY, Las Vegas, Cancun, and Cabo San Lucas to name a few must visit destinations as she finishes phase 2 of her Summer tour.

We wanted to find out more about her background, her passions, and the importance of fitness in her life. Of course, we explore who she has worked with as a DJ, music she has dropped and what we can keep an eye out for. We also wanted to lear more about projects that she is working on from beverages to Imaraïs Beauty.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into your recent tour and DJing, we’d like to get to know more about you. When did you fall in love with fitness?

SOMMER RAY: Fitness has been part of my life since I was a kid. My mom was a competitive bodybuilder, so I grew up in the gym and around that lifestyle. I loved the way training made me feel, both physically and mentally, and that connection never left.

AM: As someone who is constantly on the go, what are 3 workouts that you enjoy doing as we are always looking to add to our routines?

SR: I love weight training, Pilates, and yoga. Weight training keeps me strong, Pilates works my core and improves posture, and yoga helps me stay flexible while giving me a mental reset.

AM: What led to the launch of your fashion brand of fitness apparel and what do you enjoy about designing it?

SR: I wanted to create pieces that I would actually wear myself, things that feel good, move with you, and look great both in and out of the gym.

AM: Tell us about Imaraïs Beauty.

SR: Imaraïs Beauty is a plant-based beauty brand that focuses on gummies for skin, hair, and overall wellness. Everything is vegan, cruelty-free, and made with ingredients that really work. It’s about beauty from the inside out!

AM: We grew up as kids drinking Shirley Temples and have loved the trend of Dirty Shirley. You have Tempted. Why did you want to create this brand?

SR: I can’t share too much yet, but I’ve been teasing something in that space and there are some big things coming. It’s fun, it’s fresh, and I think people are going to be really excited when they see the full picture.

AM: What do you love about EDM music?

SR: I love the energy and the way it can instantly change your mood. EDM brings people together without needing words, it’s all about the vibe and the shared experience.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a DJ?

SR: I used to host club nights, and after a while I realized I’d rather be the one curating the vibe than just sitting in the club. Once I started learning to mix, it clicked for me that this was how I wanted to be part of the energy.

AM: What is your creative process like when you are creating music?

SR: It usually starts with a feeling or a vibe I want to capture. I’ll think about the energy I want people to feel, then start building around that, whether it’s a beat, a hook, or a bass line that sets the tone.

AM: You dropped No Sleep last fall with Martin Jensen and earlier this year LaLaLa (Everybody’s Up) with a remix by HEDEGAARD. What was it like to release these songs?

SR: Both were amazing experiences. No Sleep had a fun, uplifting energy, while LaLaLa was heavier and more club-focused. Seeing people connect with them live has been the most exciting part.

AM: You recently dropped She’s A DJ. Why did you want to create this song and what was the process like for you?

SR: I wanted to make a song that was cheeky and empowering, especially as a female in a space that’s still very male-dominated. The process was fun, I leaned into personality and made sure it captured that “own the room” vibe.

AM: As you continue to navigate your music career, what artists would you like to work with?

SR: Calvin Harris and Martin Garrix are both at the top of my list. They’re legends in dance music who know how to make tracks that hit globally while still feeling fresh. Collaborating with either of them would be a dream, and I think we could create something high-energy that really connects with people.

AM: You have been touring for the past few weeks. What do you love about sharing your music with those in the cities that you are stopping in?

SR: Every city has a different energy. I love seeing how crowds react to certain tracks and how the vibe shifts depending on where you are. It keeps every show fresh.

AM: Since you’re traveling so much, how do you make your hotel and the city you’re in feel like home?

SR: I make time to hit the gym, explore local food spots with my team, and meet people at the shows. Those little routines and experiences make each city feel personal and keep the travel from feeling too repetitive.

AM: What upcoming projects do you have that you would like to share with us?

SR: I have more singles coming this year and a few exciting collaborations in the works. I’m also building out my live shows to make them even more of an experience.

AM: How do you take time for yourself as you have a lot going on as an entrepreneur, DJ, etc.?

SR: I carve out small daily routines that keep me balanced, morning workouts, staying active, and making time to unplug from my phone. Even when life is busy, those little moments to reset are important.

IG @sommerray

PHOTOS COURTESY | Sommer Ray

Read the AUG ISSUE #116 of Athleisure Mag and see THAT IT VIBE | Sommer Ray in mag.

9PLAYLIST | CALVIN HARRIS

Read the SEP ISSUE #105 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Calvin Harris in mag.

FEEL THE MUSIC | JOHN NEWMAN

This month, our cover is Tomorrowland artist, EDM DJ/Producer, Singer/Songwriter and Composer, John Newman. Coming off of his recent Tomorrowland Winter performance when he debuted his latest song, Hold On To My Love which has been added to our playlist, we wanted to know more about how he came to the music industry, his sound, how he approaches his projects, his collaborations and of course what we can keep on eye out for as we continue into the Spring and the Summer.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with music?

JOHN NEWMAN: I grew up with music around me as a kid. I was introduced to Motown and soul by my family and once I hit my teens I was obsessed with hard-hitting house and Clubland productions.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to work in the industry?

JN: I had a pretty tough upbringing to be honest mainly from social issues and fitting in and being totally different to others in the town I grew up in. I didn’t come from money in any way at all either so, yeah, music was my escape, creativity was a way of releasing everything.

AM: You have an amazing background as you are a singer/songwriter, composer, DJ and producer! Musically, where do your inspirations come from and how did you hone your skills for each one?

JN: Thanks! DJing and producing dance music was something that I had spent a lot of time practicing as a teenager, so it was almost like revisiting that younger version of myself and just brushing up on my skills.

Inspiration varies, but I’ve always admired the 90s rave sound, with a touch of soul, which I think came through on Holy Love.

AM: How would you describe the John Newman sound?

JN: My sound is always evolving but, right now, I want creative emotively charged dance bangers. I want people to hear a track and feel a surge of energy and euphoria where they can’t help but move their body.

AM: How do you approach your projects in terms of seeking inspiration for your solo projects?

JN: These days I have a new set up, my at-home studio is tailored to electronic music production and it’s somewhere I can lock myself away to for hours kinda just see what happens. Inspiration can hit anywhere really. I try not to stick to the sitting at a piano vibe, funny fact I wrote Love Me Again and If You Really Love Me both whilst having a shower.

AM: You have collaborated with Calvin Harris, Kygo, David Guetta, Nile Rodgers, and more, how do you approach collaborations?

JN: Each collaboration comes about differently. The link-up with David Guetta and MistaJam on If You Really Love Me (How Will I Know) was particularly crazy as Guetta himself reached out to make the first move for us to work together, I had been a fan of his work since being a little kid! He’d wanted to collaborate on something for a while, so I sent him the early version of the track, he loved it, and the rest is history.

AM: You just performed and released your latest single, Hold On To My Love at Tomorrowland Winter where you DJ and have live vocals. Tell me about this song and what was it like to perform there?

JN: Hold On To My Love came about backstage at Ushuaïa Ibiza. I sang the melody and some lyrics into a voice note on my phone as a rough idea, so to see the track go full circle and perform the final version at Tomorrowland Winter was incredible. It was an unforgettable weekend.

AM: This song was released on Tomorrowland Music and you have already confirmed that you will be at Tomorrowland Brasil later this year on the mainstage. What does this mean to you to be on such a platform?

JN: I’m incredibly grateful to be starting this journey with the Tomorrowland Music team. They have so many talented DJs and producers on the roster so I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

To then also have the opportunity to perform at their world-renowned events is huge.

AM: With the summer around the corner, what other festivals or clubs are you excited to be performing?

JN: This summer is going to be so much fun. In July, I make my Tomorrowland mainstage debut in Belgium alongside the biggest names in dance music which is surreal but very exciting. It’s the holy-grail of festivals so I plan on bringing my absolute A-game to the stage.

AM: We’re based in NY, but will you be performing in the US this year?

JN: You’ll have to stay tuned for that one! I really do love the US and the amazing crowds over there so hopefully I’ll be back soon.

AM: When it comes to touring and being on the road, are there any routines that you do prior to a show when you’re a few hours or moments ahead of hitting the stage?

JN: There is a routine, I don’t eat one and a half hours previous to a show so that I don’t throw up whilst on stage, hah! The next big one is I generally like to chill and stretch and listen to classical music, then get hyped to Limp Bizkit and Rage Against the Machine about 15 minutes before show time.

AM: When you have finished your set, are there any routines that you do to come down from all of the energy and adrenaline from performing?

JN: Hmmm not really, I do struggle with the silence after being full of that adrenaline, usually a beer takes the edge off.

AM: Are there additional projects that you have that we should keep an eye out for?

JN: My focus right now is on really immersing myself in the dance music sphere, continuing to work on new tunes and honing my live hybrid set of DJing and vocals to make it bigger and better with every show.

AM: Are there 3 artists on your bucket list that you are interested in collaborating with that you can share?

JN: Honestly my interest is totally varied, Florence Welch would be amazing, Fred Again, Swedish House Mafia, another Calvin Harris collar, just throwing ideas out there really.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be in the industry?

JN: I guess, as an artist who made music on my own terms. For the pure joy of making people feel good, feel elevated, and be able to escape reality for just a moment. Whether that’s through my tracks, or the energy people absorb at a live show.

AM: When you’re not on stage or in the studio, what do you do to take time for yourself as self-care and mental health is something that we prioritize here at Athleisure Mag?

JN: It’s different for everyone, but I find taking a break from social media to be a big help for mental wellness. We consume so much information, a lot of it pointless, so it’s no wonder it can leave you feeling overwhelmed.
I now work closely with a therapist on a weekly basis which I cannot recommend enough and my main thing is getting in cold water.

Also spending time with my wife and family helps to keep me grounded and makes it all worthwhile.

AM: In terms of working out, what are 3 workouts that you do that we can consider to include in our routines?

JN: Each to their own I guess and I’m not really the picture of the pinnacle of fitness, however, for me personally I like to get out with music in my ears and do whatever I can. Whether that be hiking, running or cycling. I also used to love that Shaun T exercise video, I used to do it before every show!

IG @johnnewmanmusic

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | COVERS Front/Back, INTERVIEW + PG PG 26 9DRIP Tomorrowland

Read the APR ISSUE #88 of Athleisure Mag and see FEEL THE MUSIC | John Newman in mag.

FRIENDSGIVING FOR NO KID HUNGRY

Avid readers of Athleisure Mag know that we enjoy sharing a number of initiatives that are taking place with our friends at No Kid Hungry and have talked to a number of fascinating chefs that participate in various campaigns with them. Next month is Thanksgiving and as people think of attending and hosting this food filled holiday, Friendsgiving for No Kid Hungry allows you to spread love to those that are less fortunate. This campaign encourages people to add a fundraising component to their feasts by signing up to host and invite friends to fundraise in support of the effort to end childhood hunger in America. 

In addition to signing up among your group of friends and family, No Kid Hungry has partnered with renowned chefs and culinary supporters to provide hosts with expertise, recipes and tips to ensure that their fundraising feasts are easy! We took some time to talk to two people who are key to dinners that will take place across tables in the states - Emily Elsen, Co-Founder of Four and Twenty Blackbirds pie shops, and Will Elliot, Bar Director of Maison Premiere - both in Brooklyn. We talked with them about how they got into the business, why they have partnered with No Kid Hungry for Friendsgiving and what the holiday season is like for their businesses.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us your journey into the food industry and what led to the creation of Four and Twenty Blackbirds?
 
EMILY ELSEN: Melissa and I grew up working in our mother's restaurant from the time we were little girls. This laid the foundation for our keen interest in and ability to understand and be prepared for the demands of the food world. When Melissa moved in with me in NYC, we had already had aspirations of owning our own business - not necessarily a food business though! As it goes we gravitated back to our roots, and the inspiration for becoming pie makers came from our Grandmother Liz who was famous locally for her handmade pies. One thing led to another, and after a year of developing and planning and running a small home based pie company, we signed our first commercial lease and have never looked back! We sincerely set out to make the best pie in New York City, and to bring attention back to
pie in America.

AM: You and your sister work together - what are your roles/responsibilities and what are Melissa's?
 
EE: We both wear a lot of hats, and we do what needs to get done. Melissa has a degree in finance and I have a degree in sculpture and photography - so we naturally have gravitated to roles that employ our strengths. 

AM: You have a number of locations, tell us about them and are you anticipating additional locations?

EE: Our original shop in Gowanus is a busy, comfy cozy pie shop that has customers in all day long - it's the flagship. Our Café + Pie Counter in the Brooklyn Public Library offers soups, sandwiches, salads and of course pie. Our seasonal shop in Orient, LI offers pie by the slice, breakfast snacks and treats, espresso and pie a la mode - it's a great summer destination. Our newest location, our Pie Counter + Bar in Prospect Heights is a 10 seat counter that offers beer, cider and wine pairings that compliment our pies. Our four thousand square foot production kitchen is where the magic of the pie making happens and we run nearly 24 hours. We will crank out 5000 pies in a week's time for Thanksgiving 2017. Having this kitchen has allowed us to grow into the wholesale market in NYC and to work with larger clients such as Shake Shack on nationwide distribution, Fresh Direct, and Wholefoods. 

AM: With the holidays coming up, we can only imagine how busy a pie shop can be - what are the favorites among customers that we should keep on our radar?

EE: Our Thanksgiving menu has been the same since year two - our takes on the classics have become a tradition for many: Salted Caramel Apple, Brown Butter Pumpkin, Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan and our cult favorite, Salty Honey.

AM: We know that you have partnered with No Kid Hungry for Friendsgiving. Can you tell us about this initiative as well as how you are participating in this effort?

EE: We’re excited to help support No Kid Hungry’s efforts to encourage people to give back during the holidays. Their Friendsgiving for No Kid Hungry is a fun way to celebrate the season while helping others. You can sign-up to host a Friendsgiving on NoKidHungry.org and receive resources to assist with planning your celebration (from decor templates to recipes), as well as fundraising tips to help your family and friends support their work to address childhood hunger in the U.S. Melissa and I are honored to be in great company sharing recipes to help celebrate the season, with two of Four & Twenty Blackbirds’ most popular Thanksgiving pies, Brown Butter Pumpkin and Salted Caramel Apple.

AM: How long have you worked with No Kid Hungry and why is it an organization that you like being involved with?

EE: We’ve participated in other fundraisers for No Kid Hungry in the past, but this year we’re excited to do more as it speaks to the core of what we believe as a Brooklyn neighborhood business - that food brings communities together. No Kid Hungry is doing immensely valuable work in the food arena, from feeding kids in need directly through programs like school breakfast and summer meals, to teaching families how to shop for healthy food on a budget.
 
AM: Between running your locations, your book and teaching courses, how do you take time for yourself to stay fresh for the next thing?

EE: It can be very hard to make time for yourself in this industry. Everyone wants a piece of you and the requests are endless. Finding time to get out of town is important to me, I head to the Catskill Mountains to visit friends, or go to our shop in Orient to enjoy the coast during Summer months  - and Melissa likes to make sure she keeps her Sundays free for her personal life without interruptions of calls and emails.

Getting enough sleep is hard, but important to try to - and I've learned that I need to work hard to keep a balanced diet and eat enough protein and veggies - when you are thinking about and around food all day every day, sometimes you forget to eat it yourself!  

AM: How often do you change your menu as we love that you have some creative pies - what are 3 slices we should try?

EE: The menu changes regularly with the season - about every 3 to 4 weeks, depending upon availability of fruits. 

Lemon Chess, Plum Streusel and Matcha Custard, oh and Black Bottom Oat. 

AM: When you're making pies is there a playlist that you listen to and if so - what is on there now?

EE: We always have great music on in the kitchen - a huge variety of things get played. Lately, I personally have been listening to Isaiah Rashad, M.I.A., Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Calvin Harris - but I love older hip-hop, Motown, reggae, a lot of pop dance music...anything with a good beat and lyrics. 
 

AM: Tell us your journey into the hospitality industry and what led you to becoming a mixologist?

WILL ELLIOTT: I started when I was nineteen years old on a little island off the coast of Maine. I was in college filling all of the front of the house roles. I was the only bartender in the only restaurant on this tiny little island for about seven years. I was also a musician and as many stories go, I started realizing that I was spending more time in restaurants than
playing music and I gradually fell in love with not only cocktail-making, but food and restaurant culture in general.

AM: You head up the bar program at Maison Premiere tell us what this role entails and more about the restaurant.

WE: The role of Bar Director at Maison Premiere is that of wearing many different hats. Of course, my primary role is the menu development and ideation and creating all of the recipes for our cocktails. But beyond that it's being the bar manager, so choosing all of our liqueurs, making sure the bar is properly stocked, and doing all of the nitty gritty work that goes into running a restaurant! Maison Premiere is a really special place-- it's definitely New Orleans inspired, but also has a horseshoe bar like found in Paris. It makes it a very communal place because you interact a lot with people around you and with your bartender.

AM: What are your favorite signature fall cocktails at Maison Premiere?
 
WE: My favorite new cocktail for fall right now is our new Pimms Cup. It uses a cool aged plum eau de vie that is really reductive and oily and has such an intense representation of plum. It's just super aromatic and delicious. The drink also has a little bit of cardamom -- overall just textbook autumnal flavors of stone fruit and warm spices.

AM: With the holidays coming up, what are some warm cocktails that we should enjoy on our next visit to Maison Premiere?

WE: We have a few great warm drinks at Maison Premiere. Of course, the classic is the Maison Hot Toddy, which is pretty fantastic. It's one of those great recipes that works with many different spirits, so if you're not a whiskey person you can still enjoy it! I love the toddy made with Calvados, it's perfect for fall. We also have a delicious drink called the Lady Lyndon made with framboise eau de vie, a rose cream (rose flower water on top), pineau de charentes, germaine-robin absinthe which has a lovely tea-like flavor. It's really great.

AM: We know that you have partnered with No Kid Hungry for Friendsgiving. Can you tell us about this initiative as well as how you are participating in this effort?

WE: Friendsgiving for No Kid Hungry is a way to kick the holiday season off right by giving back. And it’s easy. Anyone can transform their next dinner party or holiday gathering into an opportunity to help others.  I partnered up with No Kid Hungry to share two of my favorite signature cocktail recipes with people who sign up to host Friendsgiving.

AM: How long have you worked with No Kid Hungry and why is it an organization that you like being involved with?

WE: I partnered with No Kid Hungry a few years ago when I learned that one in six kids in America struggles with hunger. The relationship between No Kid Hungry and the culinary community is 30 years strong and makes sense. There isn’t a community more passionate about food and feeding people. Every $1 you raise can help connect a child with up to 10 meals. Every little bit counts.

AM: When you're not at Maison Premiere, how do you take time for yourself to recharge your batteries?

WE: Working in restaurants and bars can be challenging so to recharge I definitely focus on getting some actual rest, first and foremost. Second, I love to go out to restaurants with friends-- like Four Horsemen, Diner, and Spuyten Duyvil. All conveniently located near where I live in Williamsburg. Also, when I get the time I love to head upstate to relax-- Josh, one of the owners of Maison Premiere, has a great cabin upstate that I like to go up to and my family is from rural New Hampshire so those are both great escapes!
 
AM: How often do you update your cocktail list?

WE: It's not super regimented, but we generally like to update quarterly depending on the season. We're constantly working to have cocktails that we love and that fit the seasons!
 
AM: When you're creating cocktails prior to getting them on the menu, is there a playlist that you listen to and if so - what is on there now?

WE: As a musician, I am definitely inspired by music as part of my creative process-- I've been listening to a ton of post-disco/early 80s New York/Bronx-style music. It's super trippy stuff like Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band and Kid Creole and his Coconuts.

Read more from the Oct Issue and see Friendsgiving For No Kid Hungry in mag.