ROCK THIS WHEN YOU'RE IN VIP FOR YOUR NEXT MUSIC FESTIVAL

Read the JUN ISSUE #114 of Athleisure Mag and see ROCK THIS WHEN YOU’RE IN VIP FOR YOUR NEXT MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

GOV BALL 2025

As we close out the month of May, we're looking ahead to June which is filled with a number of events that includes NY's 3-day music festival - Governors Ball (Jun 6th - 8th), Bar Convent Brooklyn a trade 2-day event that showcases the spirits and hospitality (Jun 10th + Jun 11th) as well as the Summer Fancy Food Show (Jun 29th - Jul 1st) - another trade event that allows us to connect and sample foods from brands that are new to market as well as those who we have enjoyed previously.

We have always enjoyed covering Governors Ball as this music festival takes place in NYC that kicks off the Summer in many ways. This festival takes place in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. What makes this festival unique is that over the course of the 3 days, you have a number of genres of major acts such as Hozier, Olivia Rodrigo, T-Pain, and Benson Boone. But you will also find up and coming artists or those that are on the brink of being names to know that may be new to you!

With phenomenal music scheduled, it's also a great time to take in activations that are available as well as food and beverage vendors that give a depth of variety across dietary lifestyles. It's one of those events that you definitely feel the music community and there a number of memories that are built during this time of year. Last year [Editor's Note: you can check our our pre and post coverage], we enjoyed SZA who was the final act for this festival and we were mesmerized with her performance. We can't wait to see this year's acts and in our JUN ISSUE #114, we will share with you what we saw and will also share interviews with you as well.

IG @govballnyc

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Governors Ball/Paigge Warton

Read the MAY ISSUE #113 of Athleisure Mag and see GOV BALL 2025 in mag.

GOVERNORS BALL 2023

As we mentioned last month, Governors Ball settled into it’s new home Jun 9th-11th at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. In our conversation with the founder of NYC’s music festival that kicks off the summer season. Last month Tom Russell shared with us how he created this 3-day festival and how this location is the best one that allows music enthusiasts to enjoy 3 stages of their favorite artists while being surrounded by a park environment! Over 100,00 people got to see the festival's new home completed with the iconic Unisphere. It’s exciting to see what upcoming years will look like as we continue to flock to this destination. This season there were so many options from enjoying the stages that showcased various genres of music, food and beverage that allowed for diverse appetites courtesy of food partners that includes Queen’s Night Market and of course, Instagramable moments that we’ll remember for many years to come.

As soon as we saw the lineup that included 60 artists, we started sketching out what we wanted to listen to as there was something for everyone whether you listen to hip-hop, EDM, and pop. We also knew that we wanted to see this immersive environment that really allowed you to feel that you transported to what we love most about attending music festivals! Here are some of the moments that we were excited about this took place over this weekend.

If you’ve caught Ice Spice perform, you know that she tends to have more of a relaxed presence when she’s on stage, but she definitely had a lot of energy when she hit the GoPuff stage on the 1st day of Governors Ball. As she rapped across the stage, she was in sync with her dancers and had a fluid show that was really a fun experience to watch.

Friday afternoon, we looked forward to hearing Eladio Carrion’s set. We enjoyed hearing his latest release Coco Chanel, as well as Mi Error and No Te Deseo el Mal.

When it comes to bringing drama to her performances with a side of education, Lizzo always makes it a point to take her time on the stage to share songs that we all enjoy while also providing a state of the union of sorts as she talked about anti-LGBT laws, the environment, and diversity.

We also enjoyed when Odesza hit the stage while the large crowd were entertained with this duo's set as well as digital and literal pyrotechnics. This larger than life performance was a perfect way for Saturday night's headliners to take their set to the next level!

Hands down, we were excited about seeing Kendrick Lamar as he closed out the 3rd night of the festival. He took his time on the stage to have a set that included songs that he has created across his career. His cousin, Baby Keem also came out to perform one of our favorites, Family Ties. Of course, at the conclusion of his set, fans were treated to fireworks and pyrotechnics to close out this successful festival.

In addition to these favorites, we're including some of our other favorite acts as well.

IG @govballnyc

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 112, 121 + 123 Roger Ho | PG 114 + 122 Deanie Chen | PG 116 Alive Coverage | PG 118 Charles Reagan | PG 120 Okay Nicolita | PG 124 Nick W NYC |

Read the JUN ISSUE #90 of Athleisure Mag and see GOVERNORS BALL 2023 in mag.

THE POWER OF HEALING | ALOK

This month, our cover is with EDM DJ/Producer Alok who has over 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, over 26 million fans and is the most listened to Brazilian artist in the world! He is also the 4th Best DJ in the world via DJ Mag's Top 100 in 2021. Known as one of the most influential Brazilian artists of all time, he has worked with a number of icons in creating great music from John Legend, The Rolling Stones, Dua Lipa and more. He previously shared his 9PLAYLIST with us in our MAR ISSUE #75.

We talked about his passion for music, how he approaches it, his latest single DEEP DOWN which is #1 on Billboard here in the US, how he collaborated with Ella Eyre, Kenny Dope and Never Dull, his recent performance and panel discussion here in NY where he kicked off Climate Change Week as well as his intitiative with The Future is Ancestral, his work with indigenous people and their communities and the power of making the world a better place!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you loved music?

ALOK: I think it was when my grandma would sing me songs so that I could go to sleep. So, I think it probably started from that. But I would also say that I never had any doubts about me and music.

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

A: Well that’s actually, my parents were DJs right? It’s kind of a very direct inspiration you know what I mean because honestly watching them performing at parties and stuff and also the ecosystem that they worked in for the festivals and parties – it’s kind of like I got very inspired by that and also the whole lifestyle. For many people, that kind of wasn’t a career to be a DJ. Sometimes, it was weird when I went to school and they asked what did my parents do and I was like, “oh they’re DJs” and people did not understand at all. It’s also like, they kind of didn’t want me to be a DJ to be honest! They wanted me to be able to go to university, but you know I’m a dad now guys and I understood that your kids will not do anything that you tell them to. But they will do exactly what you do! So how can they tell me to not be a DJ when they’re performing everywhere and I was always with them because they had no one to leave me with.

So me and my brother, we started to play at night, but at 12, I would say that we were professional. We started to do our own songs and we started to get our first fees. So 12 years old, we started our career.

AM: That’s a great story! How do you define the Alok sound?

A: I would say that I am a free spirit you know? In my life, I always tried to define my sound. When I was doing psytrance for 7 years, people said that it wasn’t psytrance and that it was kind of house trance. When I started to do house, people said that it wasn’t house – it was kind of whatever. Then I started to say that this was techno and people said, that this was not techno.

So, I said that I created Brazilian Base and they were like, ok this is Brazilian Base and it started to work well. It was that collective mindset where it was like, ok this is Brazilian Base. But at some moment, I didn’t want to be stuck myself to only one kind of style because it’s kind of a prison you know? I feel that my creativity does not fit into one place only. So, it’s like I can do whatever I want to do. Of course, you’ll still feel and kind of understand my signature there and there will be something that you will be able to relate, but definitely it’s not going to stick to one kind of style.

AM: When you’re creating, how do you stay inspired and how do you approach creating your music?

A: It really depends, every music has a different kind of inspiration and where it comes from. For example, sometimes I’m traveling and it inspires me you know? Looking at the ocean or nature inspires me. But also, when I am leaving a process in my life. For example, I was 3 months in Europe so that whole process to be there, inspired me to do songs that relate to the culture. When I’m back in Brazil, for example, I start to create the music based on what’s going on over here to understand specifically the markets because I do not believe that all the time you can create one formula that can work everywhere. It’s hard, but what I do, for example, is that there are songs that I do that perform well in Romania and Poland. So we start to promote over there, but it doesn’t happen really in other parts of Europe and there were songs of mine that went huge in Europe, huge in Mexico and Brazil, but never got across the US. So it’s really about understanding where I am and where I want to be and I am very happy actually that this is the first song, DEEP DOWN that I got #1 on Billboard in the US. But for example in Brazil, it’s not working haha!

AM: OMG what? First of all, I love that song. I love Crystal Waters and love Gypsy Woman so when I heard it, I knew that it was going to be amazing! The fact that it is #1 on Billboard congratulations. Tell me how this song came together with you and Ella Eyre, Kenny Dope and Never Dull. What was it like to put this collaboration together and to be part of it.

A: I feel that this song, if you go to the credits on Spotify, you can see how many people are involved. I think that it’s going to beat the world record of the most people involved in one song! Why? Because as you said, Crystal Waters, there’s also Chicago Hills, and Ella Eyre, she was writing a song which was very similar to Chicago Hills so we said it’s got to be a new version of it. Then I was doing this version with her and suddenly, Never Dull released the mashup on Tiktok between those 3 songs but in the very old school style, I think it was 20 seconds of audio and it became huge on Tiktok. But he didn't have the license for it and it was only kind of a mashup on Tiktok. So I got the idea and I was like, “this is a very good idea” to mix those two classics. So that’s what I did and when I did it, I finished it and I invited Never to be on one of the songs because he inspired me with the idea and also Kenny Dope he had all the rights for the song and it was a lot of teamwork. To be honest, the most hard process of it all was the office. It was the background of how to make the deal work and I was in the creative process and I was ready for a long time already!

AM: You have had such a busy summer! You played in Hï Ibiza in the Main Room and you had your summer residency and you were just at Tomorrowland. What does it mean to you to be able to show your art and creativity to so many people across so many different platforms?

A: The first question you asked me was when did you realize that I loved music. I feel that the music has something that accesses your emotion and it can be like emotionally healing and it can be something where you kind of forget your problems. It reminds you of some memories and some great new memories so to be there, I really feel that I am kind of serving people. I don’t know how their life is going what there issues are or problems – I don’t know. But in that moment, I want them to have their best time of their lives.

That’s kind of the reason why I want to be connected to them when I do the DJ set. That’s why when I am doing the DJ set in Europe, I want to play what brings the energy up. But if I play the same set in the US, it wouldn’t work. If I do the same set in Brazil, it also wouldn’t work. So it’s kind of like I’m respecting the place where I’m at. But it’s a very good feeling when I see people say, “hey this is the best night of my life,” and I say, “how old are you?” They say 50 and I say,”are you kidding me?” The best night in your life? You’re 50, there are so many nights that you've had. But that's the power of the music. It’s not mine it’s just the power of the music. I’m very grateful to be able to spread this around the world.

AM: We just saw your set at Rock in Rio which looked amazing. It was great to see all of the performances that you did as well as seeing that there was a gaming aspect to this festival. Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion were also performing. Can you tell me more about what this festival is and why you wanted to be part of it?

A: This is by far, the biggest festival that we have in Brazil at the International level. We have all of those huge names and of course we have Lollapalooza which is very big. But Rock in Rio, is something that is kind of our own brand. So we feel very proud of it because it’s a local and national festival that has an international component to it as well. It’s probably one of the few ones that can bring all those huge international acts and for me, it’s very important!

In Brazil, 93% of the songs that we listen to are actually local songs. Only 7% are the international ones. Where I am competing with Harry Styles, Adele and all of these people. I’m there in that 7% because my songs are in English and I have this kind of English career right? If you go to the Top 50 on Spotify in Brazil, you won’t see any of the US in there, it’s all just local.

The point is, for me to be there it’s a very important moment for me to position myself of course between all of those huge acts and to show that – it’s kind of like a special moment for me to be there. Everyone that does a show at Rock in Rio is a unique experience that they cannot do anywhere else. So it’s important for me to create this awareness around what we have been doing. It’s also a statement on what’s next.

AM: Your shows have such high energy. Do you have any routines that you do hours before your performance and then are there things that you do after the performance so that you can come down after completing?

A: No, ha ha. It’s funny, in the past I would get very nervous before the show and that’s kind of a sabotage you know? You get too nervous, you lose control of it. So the same feeling that you have when you’re nervous, you also have when you’re excited. It’s the same butterfly in your stomach – excitement or nervousness. I just kind of switch and change the key so that every time I start to feel this nervous energy, I say, “no no this is excitement.” I am excited to be there. I have worked so much to be there that I will go there and I will do my best. I was in Brazil and the reporter was asking me what was going on for the show. I told her that she show has started and she asked me if I had to go right now and I said, “no I still have 10 seconds it’s fine.” They were all shocked because people said that I was too relaxed for the show!

AM: Ok, I’m going to have to remember that. I know at various points when I’m working on something or doing something, I get anxious feelings and I have that “holy shit” moment. But I’m going to think about turning that key to know that what I’m actually feeling is excitement and that is what I am going to tell myself.

A: Yeah. It is actually the same feeling.

AM: When you said it, I know that I know that and it’s a smart thing.

You have a collab coming out next month on Oct 7th. What can you tell us about this?

A: So it’s a collaboration with Ellie Goulding and Sigala. It’s a song that I have been working on for awhile. I think that this one has 30 versions. I’m a big fan. I started it with Ellie and in the middle of the process, I felt that it could connect well with the melody of Enjoy the Silence from Depeche Mode. I did a test and it actually fit very well. So we got the sample of Depeche Mode's Enjoy the Silence and mixed it together with the Ellie Goulding song that she wrote and again, it was a mashup. I’m very excited about this one. I think that it’s going to be very interesting.

AM: We can’t wait to hear this as well!

I know that you were just here in NY at the United Nations over the weekend kicking off NY’s Climate Change Week with The Future is Ancestral Event where you performed on the rooftop of the UN Building as well as partnering with your institute and the UN Global Compact Brazil for urgency to recognize Indigenous People Globally and their importance of the Future of Climate Change. Can you tell me more about what this was for you?

A: Ha you said everything!

AM: Yes, I’m that good!

A: Basically, last year I asked myself, where was the future? And the answer came to me. The future is ancestral. I started to work on an album that was inspired by indigenous roots with the indigenous. I did 12 different tribes. But my connection with them started 9 years ago when I was looking for inspiration in my life. I went on a very long journey. I went 13 hours on the road, I don’t know how many hours on a flight and then 9 hours on a very very small boat and I got suddenly to the Yawanawa tribe and I realized that I was in the heart of the Amazon. I had no option but to live in the culture and at that moment, I started to change my whole perspective about my career level, my spiritual level and also the way that we deal with nature. I also realized that there’s so much about culture and there are various failures and goals.

I felt that last year, we’re always talking about how can we protect the forest, but we are also very disconnected with it. I think that the best way to do this is to listen to what the forest has to say. A good way to do this is through indigenous songs because it’s kind of like they are translating that. I found that the music could amplify their voices. So actually, this project is a very important project of my career. That’s because it’s not about me, it’s about how we can get their voices out there through this collaboration. So I was there and of course at the UN we talked about all the topics among Climate Change and global warming. It wouldn’t make sense not to have the indigenous there and we brought them via the Alok Institute along with the UN Global Compact and we joined forces. And I also did a performance there when we were on the rooftop. So, it was a very interesting environment.

AM: That’s amazing and you also committed to support the Ancestors of the Future fund which benefits the Brazilian Indigenous communities. What can you tell me about this fund?

A: I realized that I’m 31 years old, a white man, I have a lot of privilege and I had access to school, university and everything. I realized that everything that I had learned was wrong. Why? Because they never had the opportunity to tell their story. They also don’t write so everything in the culture is done orally. So it’s kind of like, how can we change this collective mindset about the indigenous and I feel that entertainment is a very good instrument that we can do this through the music, the venue, the Web3 and the cinema. But giving them the protagonists the ability to tell their story with their point of view and so we can learn it properly. Also, what we learn in school is based on a European colonizer point of view. I feel that this will help them to be the protagonist through all of this entertainment stuff and also we have in the second path, technology. So getting good technology to help them preserve the forest – very nice drones, sophisticated tools so that they can instantly integrate and communicate what they wish to say in order to share it with the world.

I was asking myself about the future and we always think about it in an apocalyptic way. Like there are neon cars, there aren't forests any more and there are flying cars or whatever. What is the future like for the indigenous in small boats, in the middle of the Amazon where you can just take a sophisticated phone and scan the birds, you can see the borders of where they are with the scientific points and they are searching for healing with humanity. It’s kind of like, how can we change this mindset of this apocalyptic future? I think that this project is really about bringing consciousness. It’s more than just music you know?

AM: What is the Alok Institute and why did you want to create it?

A: If you asked me 9 years ago if I believed in philanthropy, I would say no. I would have said, why don’t you buy a Ferrari and just be happy. I didn’t have this kind of perspective on philanthropy. But at one point in my life, I had everything that people told me was a success. I had money, I had popularity, I had cars, my partner whatever and I suddenly realized that I was feeling a huge emptiness inside of myself. For me, life had no reasoning anymore. There had to be something else for why we are here.

So first, I went to the indigenous tribe which I told you and it was a very game changing experience. Then after, I went to Chokwé in Mozambique. We had a project where we had 300 kids and I remember that there was a lady there and I think that she was 80 years old and she was blind in both of her eyes. That woman told me that she was praying to God to send someone to help. I told the translator to tell her that God didn’t exist because if he did, there wouldn’t be so much poverty and that he had abandoned her. The translator told me her answer and it changed my whole life! The lady said, “no, no, I’m very connected and I’m praying for him and I can feel it.” So at that moment I realized I was the biggest miserable person there. I had everything and I was complaining about God's existence when she lives in that existence and she was still connected to the divine. She was way more connected then I was. I realized that God never abandoned her. What abandoned her was us, you see the stories of what took place in Africa, we abandoned them and at that moment I realized that I couldn’t abandon the situation any more. Of course, I can’t change the world, but I can change their world. So I started there. We have 20,000 kids there. Oh and I sent her to the hospital and she had cataracts so it was easy to help her. So one year later, she met me personally and saw me and it was a very interesting moment that we had. She finally looked at me.

I realized that my life could only have real meaning if I use my success for philanthropy as well. It’s about making this world a better place, it’s not about me it’s about a big movement that already exists. I was in a depressive mind and I was only thinking about the negative points. I remember I was feeling sick once and I took this antibiotic and the next day, I woke up better and I looked at this medicine and I said, “who created this?” I remember that there were a lot of people that were working hard so that this world is better today and so that we can have a better life. I want to be part of this movement. It’s really about giving meaning to my life.

So the Alok Institute developed after a few years through a lot of money that came through a collaboration that I did with the game, Free Fire. It’s the most downloaded game. And when they asked me what super power that I would like to have, I asked if it was possible to heal people? They asked me if I was sure and I said yes. I was doing music to be on the top charts and yet I was also doing it to use music as a way to heal. Then the Free Fire team gave my character the ability to do this and my character became the top selling one not because of me but because of the super power that actually created a whole new dynamic of the game. So I wanted to heal inside and outside of the game. So I donated 100% of my royalties, to charities around the world. If I could, I would have brought most of it to Brazil because we really need it here, but I also had to bring it to other countries. There was a country that I couldn’t bring in – South Africa because the players there weren’t buying and I convinced them to do it. I convinced them and that was 6 million there.

The Institute came because I really felt that with this amount of money, I needed a structure that had this brain that could think about the best solutions with the money. Because I was only doing it from the heart and there wasn’t any kind of strategy and we needed the Alok Institute to do it in the right way. We are very very very small in terms of employees and I almost don’t spend money to keep it because what we do is co-create together with projects that already exist so when we spend money, it’s not for us. We find the best projects that are going on and we help them to improve. We believe that there are so many amazing projects going on already that they only need that collaboration.

AM: In researching you, speaking with you today, knowing your impact in music as well as learning more about how you are giving back, what do you want your legacy to be known as musically as well as being a changemaker? What is that fingerprint?

A: First of all, I don’t know how, but in the future, the same way that I looked at the antibiotic – where there were a lot of people working hard to make the world a better place – there wasn’t just one person doing that. It was part of a movement. I don’t know who created that antibiotic, but I know it worked.

I don’t want to be reminded with my name, I want someone to remember that a lot of people in the past were part of a movement that made this world a better place. It’s more about giving meaning to my life because I was very afraid of death and what happened after death. But now I know, the right question isn’t what happens after death, the right question is, why are we here? I know that if I don’t do this, I will go back to a very deep depression because this is what drives me. I feel that depression is very hard to explain – it’s like how can I explain to you about something that you have never tried or never tasted? So, the flavor of sugar, but you have never tried sugar – how can I explain that to you? I do feel that people who have depression have a very powerful mind, but it’s just in the wrong direction.

IG @alok

@alokinstitute

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT COVER + PG 19 Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images | PG 16,23 + 24 Alisson Demetrio | PG 20 Ozuna Snake | PG 26 Courtesy of Alok | PG 29, 30 + BACK COVER Hudson Renan |

Read the SEP ISSUE #81 of Athleisure Mag and see The Power of Healing | Alok in mag.

ELECTRIC ZOO

Labor Day Weekend is the "last dance" of the summer and is celebrated when Electric Zoo 3.0 will takeover Randalls Island Park in NY from Sept 2nd - 4th. We're excited for DJ Diesel, Cheat Codes, Afrojack, Carl Cox, Martin Garrix and more who will have sets across multiple stages! This year's 3.0 theme encourages attendees to “plug into the Matrix” for their 13th edition by enjoying their tech driven, electronic dance music paradise. Guests will enjoy more VIP areas, increased free water stations, interactive installations and more.

This year, there are new stage designs! The new stages are integrated together by AI technology. The Landing replaced the Hilltop Arena and will be surrounded by lush greenery for EZoo's first fully-immersive experience. Because of where it's placed in the festival, sound bleeding is no longer a concern for festival attendees. The Grove is also being retired and Morphosis will be the stage where house music evolves. That means pyrotechnics, fireworks, LED walls and more surprises.

In addition to a number of large acts such as those mentioned above, there will also be an inclusion of emerging artists and local ones from NY for attendees to get to know.

We've always been a fan of EZoo's Golden Hour for sunset performances. Diplo will perform on Fri, DJ Snake on Sat and Sun will have Subtronics. Each night, there are a number of after parties across the city from Webster Hall, Marquee and Lavo to name a few.

There's nothing like a festival to bring the love of dance music, artistry, fun sponsors, immersive experiences and outfits that add a whole other color to the festival experience which are perfect for Instagrammable moments!

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Alive Coverage

Read the AUG ISSUE #80 of Athleisure Mag and see ELECTRIC ZOO in mag.

GOVERNORS BALL

Here in NY, we know that the summer season has really gotten underway when Governors Ball's 3 day music festival comes to the city. Held at Citi Field Stadium, fans came to enjoy hearing an array of artists that represent those in hip hop, pop, rock and more. Acts performed across 3 stages: GOVBALL NYC presented by Verizon, GOPUFF Stage and Bacardi Stage. Performances included J. Cole, Kid Cudi, Becky G, Jazmine Sullivan, Playboi Carter, Tove Lo, DIESEL, Halsey, Coi Leray, A$AP Ferg and Jack Harlow to name a few.

In between waiting for the next act, there were plently of options to keep them engaged from Instagrammable areas, staying hydrated at the ElectroLit Zone, Casa Bacardi to enjoy their classic canned beverages and so much more.

This season those who couldn't attend were also about to watch virtually via Governors Ball Livestream on Twitch which was presented by Levi's 501's as well as via the radio on SiriusXM's app to keep the good vibes going.

With high energy all around, here are some of our favorite moments as we count the days down to Governors Ball 2023!

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 110 - 111 Aaron Rickets | PG 1112 - 113 + 116 - 117 Paigge Warton | PG 114 - 115 Greg Noire | PG 118 - 119 Charles Reagan | PG 120 - 121 Roger Ho | PG 122 - 123 Mickey Pierre - Louis |

Read the JUN ISSUE #78 of Athleisure Mag and see Governors Ball in mag.

GOVERNORS BALL

Governors Ball celebrated its 10th Anniversary this year with a 3-Day Festival at Citi Field in Queens, New York. The show marked that live music was back and many artists were thrilled to be on stage for high energy, intimate connection and to delight their fans. Here are some of our favorite highlights from the festival - indeed everyone rejoiced amidst the exhilarating performances and anthems of this big lineup.

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 156, 158, 168 Getty Selects | PG 160 - 167 + 170 Taylor Hill |

Read the SEP ISSUE #69 of Athleisure Mag and see Governors Ball in mag.

ELECTRIC ZOO

EZOO is one of our favorite NYC Festivals and this Labor Day on Randall’s Island Park, EZOO 2021 delivered another brilliant experience of top loved electronic acts, cool stages and tasty food/drink vendors as the US begins to re-open. With big sounds, cool vibes and sunshine abound, here are some of our favorite artists from this year’s event. Minds blown again – EZOO keeps proving it’s definitely a can’t miss event!

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY Alive Coverage

Read the SEP ISSUE #69 of Athleisure Mag and see Electric Zoo in mag.

GET READY FOR GOVERNORS BALL

As we continue to get back into our previous flow, we’re adding a number of things to our calendar such as Governors Ball which takes place Sep 24th - Sep 26th at Citi Field in Queens, NYC and they’re celebrating their 10 year anniversary! Although getting a 3 day ticket is no longer available, you can still get GA single-day tickets for Fri. and Sun. This year, it’s bound to be a great music festival as some of the highlights for Fri includes performances by Billie Eilish, Portugal The Man and Leon Bridges. For Sun, Post Malone, 21 Savage and Burna Boy will be among those hitting the stage! You can also purchase the After Dark shows as well! For those attending, make sure you download the app so that you can be looped into stage times of your favorite artists. In addition, you can find out the COVID-19 protocol health policy that will take place during the festival.

While enjoying your favorite artists, we like that there is a sense of what it’s like to enjoy your favorite eateries in NYC! We’ve been obsessed with Taqueria Diana, DŌ Cookie Dough Confections and Sweet Chick for years and these are just a few of the eateries that will be on-site during this festival. Whether you’re looking for vegan, vegetarian, savory, sweet, beers, etc - you’re bound to find the flavor that you’re looking for. You can skip the lines by ordering on-site via Grubhub to pick up your order at their locker station!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

FESTIVAL SEASON 2021 | ELECTRIC ZOO SUPERNATURALS

We always love when we head back to the grounds of a festival! It’s the music, hanging out in the media tents, catching the vibes and more. Although last year, Electric Zoo didn’t have an in-person festival, we’re excited about this year’s! Electric Zoo will take place from Sep 3rd - 5th with a number of our favorite acts (a number of them have been covers or inclusions in Athleisure Mag - Steve Aoki, Valentino Khan, Kaskade, RIOT TEN)! We look forward to a great 3 days!

FESTICAL SEASON 2021 | PINKNIC

Sept 4th and 5th brings Pinknic to Governors Island! We’re excited that our NOV ISSUE cover in 2020 was SOFI TUKKER and that they will be rocking out here! If you have yet to get your tickets, you should definitely make sure that you do as this music festival is the perfect blend to mix music, rose and more together!

IN THE ZONE WITH RIOT TEN

Over the past few weeks, we've started to see a number of our favorite artists hitting the road to perform at residencies, events and more! It's so exciting to see how we have begun getting into a modified new normal. We caught up with RIOT TEN, a producer and DJ who we have enjoyed including his songs in our playlist. We wanted to find out how he got into the industry, how he stays inspired when making his music, about his new album that launches next month on Dim Mak's label and his upcoming performance at Lollapalooza.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with music and when did you realize that you wanted to work in the industry?

RIOT TEN: For as long as I can remember I always loved music. But it wasn't until the start of high school that I began experimenting with it. That's really where it all started. From then on, I knew I wanted to make music for the rest of my life and there was no one that could tell me otherwise.

AM: How did you get your start?

RT: Well, I guess it depends how you would define "start", but I'd say mine was when I first downloaded FL Studio. I was introduced to it by a friend of mine, Jack Bass, during my sophomore year of High School. The rest is just history.

AM: How would you define your style of music?

RT: I'd describe my style as loud, obnoxious, and high energy. Haha I know it doesn't sound very inviting, but when you're playing in front of thousands of people, and you feel the energy, it makes a bit more sense.

AM: Who would you identify as your mentors musically?

RT: That's a hard one to be honest. As far as producer mentors, I never really had anyone take me under their wing so to speak, but influences are a completely different ferent story. I still draw influence from so many artists, all different genres and different sizes. I also had some artists supporting my music early on that played a big role in my growth. I toured with Yellow Claw, Adventure Club, Excision, and others early on.

AM: You’ve been producing music since you were 15, when did you realize that you wanted to DJ and at what point did you feel that you made it in the industry?

RT: I was around 18 I believe, playing at house parties, when I realized I wanted to DJ. The energy from those parties was something I'd never felt and I was addicted to it. And I'd say I was around 25 when I began feeling "legitimate" in the scene. I know I still have a long way to go, so even though I may be on a larger stage, I still don't necessarily feel like I've "made it"... If that makes sense. When I start headlining festivals, and my music hits #1 on Billboard, maybe then I can rest.

AM: You’re known for dubstep and hardtrap, when you’re not making music, who do you enjoy listening to when you’re just relaxing at home?

RT: I'm a big fan of rap and hiphop, so when I'm driving I'm usually listening to that. Some Smokepurpp, DaBaby, Ludacris, Lil Jon, etc. If I'm relaxing at home, some chill house music does the job. Artists like Kaskade, Deadmau5, stuff like that. But if I'm in my feels, I love some Hans Zimmer, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Ryuichi Sakamoto. That might come as a surprise to some.

AM: Creatively, what’s your process like when you’re creating your music?

RT: It really varies. Sometimes I have a concept of what i want to do and other times I just play around with sounds and see if something cool comes out of it. There are also times where i'll just sit there for hours and nothing good comes out of it. Patience is key.

AM: This past year or so has been one that we couldn’t have scripted. With the lack of being able to tour and with plans being in the air, how did you approach continuing to make music?

RT: It was a hard time for so many of us, but I really do think I wrote some of the best music I've ever made. It gave me so much more time to really experiment, hone in on my craft with different sounds and styles, etc... Although financially difficult, in hindsight it was everything I really needed to continue my career.

AM: What did you learn about yourself during the pandemic?

RT: I realized that I wanted to help others more. I wanted to do more good deeds and be a better person overall. I've always believed in good energy, so the time off at home really helped me actualize it.

AM: We have been playing “Don’t You” on loop as it’s cool to listen to when you’re relaxing but is also awesome for working out. This song has such an ethereal quality to it, what inspired you in creating this?

RT: Honestly, this song was a bit of an accident. It was just one of those times when I was messing around with random sounds while warming up. I started to catch a groove and it literally all came together in the same session. For me, the vocals really opened up a lot of possibilities in the song and sort of became the glue.

AM: You’re releasing your latest album, Hype or Die: Homecoming in July on Dim Mak, tell us about the album and what can we expect?

RT: It's my best body of work, hands down. As far as expectations, you can expect a lot of different styles of bass music. Some of the songs are slow, some fast, some high energy, some more melodic, some aggressive, some tame. I think overall the listening experience is the best I've put out and I am beyond excited for this release.

AM: Who are 3 people that you have yet to work with that are on your list?

RT: Honestly an easy #1 for me is Meek Mill. The energy and rawness he has is something I've always wanted on a song of mine. For the more melodic stuff that I make I would love to work with Maroon 5, or at least Adam. His voice is A1. And on the production side, however cliche it seems, Skrillex would be the ultimate collaboration.

AM: With things reopening again, you’re back on the road performing and you have a number of festivals coming up – you’re playing Lollapalooza – how excited are you to play this festival as well as to get back to juggling a schedule?

RT: I think excited would be the understatement of the century. Haha playing at Lollapalooza has been a bucket lister of mine since I began touring and I'm going to make a major statement with that set. Overall though, don't get me wrong, I did enjoy being at home with the family, so I'm going to miss that a lot. But nothing beats delayed flights, airport food, and crying babies on a plane every week. I'm so ready for it all again. haha

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

RT: Sitting on A LOT of unreleased music right now. We have a new single this month with a music video, a full length album in July, and I just about have the follow up EP finished as well. In addition, I have a side project that I'll be announcing soon as well. We've released a handful of singles already under the alias, but I've yet to disclose my involvement. Excited to see the reaction to this!

AM: When you’re not making music or hitting the road, what do you do in your downtime?

RT: I'm at home with my 2 boys and my girlfriend. I really don't like to go anywhere when I'm not traveling, so you can catch me spending time with the family or playing Xbox with friends. I'd consider myself a gamer, so I definitely like to escape sometimes and play some Apex Legends and Rocket League.

IG @RIOTTENMUSIC

PHOTOS COURTESY | RIOT TEN

Read the Jun Issue #66 of Athleisure Mag and see In the Zone with RIOT TEN in mag.

IT'S ELECTRIC

We headed to Randall's Island here in NYC to attend Electric Zoo Evolved which had 40+ hours of EDM DJs, 4 stages, an array of food and beverage options and more. Our Labor Day Weekend was jam packed with a number of sets from some of our faves that included Kaskade, Oliver Heldens, Diplo, Good Times Ahead and more. We also checked out acts that we were less familiar with. In the midst of getting in on the good vibes, we sat down with 5 acclaimed EDM DJs to catch up with them on what they're working on, hearing about their sound and more.

We caught up with DJ/Producer SayMyName who is also this month's cover. Known as the Godfather of Hard Trap, when it comes to style - he definitely has it. We found out about his style of music, his latest collaboration with Riot Ten and what he does when he's outside of the stage and studio.

ATHLEISURE MAG: So you are known as the Godfather of Hard Trap. What is that and what is it about this genre of music that you love so much?

SAYMYNAME: Ok so Hard Trap is a genre that I started in 2012. It’s basically a fusion between Hard Style and Trap or like Hip Hop and it’s the best of both worlds. My favorite part about Hard Trap is basically the energy and uniqueness of the sound that it brings to every set no matter whether it’s a festival or a club – it stands up.

AM: Does it change for you whether you’re in a massive venue like here at Electric Zoo or if you’re in an intimate club? How does that work for you in terms of vibe?

SMN: The vibe or the energy is always there. Whether it’s a 100 or 10,000 – like there’s always this raw energy that matches the music. I don’t like to go to a smaller room and change the setup because I still want to see that same energy.

AM: So you just collaborated with Riot Ten with Glocks which is pretty exciting. How did that come about and how excited are you to finally release this?

SMN: Oh I’m excited it’s finally out. Riot Ten and I, we go back and this is something that we have talked about for a minute. He’s done the harder music like more of the Dubstep stuff and just basically using the Dubstep and the Hard Trap and just giving something that our fan base wanted. I’m excited that we got to do it.

AM: We love the new magenta color. How do you love the fact that you can express yourself with your hair color?

SMN: I love that it’s like varied on the season or my mood. So I have done blue, red, orange and now I’m on magenta. I feel like when I go in I just say, “ok I’m going to do yellow.” I think that the louder and the brighter the color, it’s just a bigger representation of the style and that energy. When you see that color and you’re on stage – it’s just in your face!

AM: What other collaborations do you have going on that we should keep an eye out for?

SMN: Right now, I just finished a collaboration with Afrojack. So we’re working on a release for that so keep an eye out for that. R3HAB and I, Timmy Trumpet – there has been a lot of music that I have been working on during the summer so I’m just taking some time off.

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

AM: You’re a busy guy and you have been at a lot of festivals this season. How do you keep yourself relaxed and focused on what’s happening?

SMN: For me, it’s all about balance. When I’m not on the road, I’m in the gym when I’m not in the studio. I feel that the gym it’s not like I’m coming down because I’m working out, but it’s about really staying healthy physically and mentally. It keeps the creative flow going and the energy. Festival season – the festivals that I have played this year, it’s been insane.

AM: We’re excited to see you perform tomorrow!

SMN: I’m so excited! It’s my first Electric Zoo and this has been a bucket list festival. I think I caught a Hardwell festival clip in 2012 or 2013 and I was like, “what is this Electric Zoo – it’s crazy!”

AM: As someone who travels so much, what are 3 items that are in your carry on to feel like you’re at home and centered?

SMN: I feel like with my carry on, that’s a good question. This is going to sound super cliché, but my laptop. I can take my music with me on it when I want to work from the road. I have books on my phone. I think that the books and the music that I have on my phone keeps the connection between everything. Then just essential hygiene products – my skincare routine is a big one.

AM: You need to be fresh!

SMN: I’m trying, I’m trying – I have to stay on top of that.

IG @SayMyNameMusic

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

We sat down with 2019 Grammy Nominated DJ/Producer EDX moments before he hit the stage. He had just arrived after performing in Montreal to kick off Labor Day Weekend and was in NYC just long enough to play a set at Electric Zoo. We talked about being #1 on Spotify's Dance Rising Charts, musicality and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You’ve been known as a genius for all the amazing music production you've done. What is the symbiosis between musicality and production to you in terms of making the great sound that you do?

EDX: Well you know, I think that there first, there is always a good song, a nice chord progression and if it’s a vocal song, there is a meaningful vocal. Then you add to it your signature sound and like the high end production. I think that you can have the best production possible if the musicality is there. It’s very hard to touch people when that’s not there. I’m always focusing on touching people with my music and when I have been doing this for so many years, the quality today shouldn’t even be an issue anymore.

AM: So STAY is on the Dance Rising Charts on Spotify. How excited are you about that?

EDX: It’s awesome because it has actually been the #1 track on Dance Rising. That’s something that is so special each time. It’s like making you a Sir for music – every once in awhile when this happens! For me, I’m just a kid living in Switzerland in a neighborhood next to Zurich and just exposed to music and trying to reach the world. This achievement is like a big achievement in my point of view because you actually reach so many people all over the world with this and it’s a good opportunity to be on that Dance Rising once in awhile.

AM: What are your 3 favorite remixes that you have done?

EDX: Haha it’s a hard question! I think that I have done more than 50 or 100 remixes. I don’t know and I’m still counting. It’s hard to pick just 3. I like the remix to the Janelle Monae (‘Make Me Feel’) record because it was just a cool song and I liked the whole vibe from it in the original. All the others are like in themselves, are something special because they all have this collaboration with some other songwriter, singer, artist and being able to get influenced by the original version and to add your own vibe to it to make it your own. It’s something that’s a blessing if you get this opportunity and it’s hard to just pick my favorite ones. But the Janelle Monae remix from last year has really given me the challenge that I wanted once in awhile.

I just started a remix for the new single of Loud Luxury. Which was just sent recently to Sirius XM before the release for their playlist at BPM so it is coming out in 2 weeks. It ended up being an effective remix and I was very excited to tease it and play it out like right now.

AM: We love your remix with Kaskade for ‘Angel on My Shoulder’.

EDX: Oh yes, that was a good one.

AM: Labor Day Weekend has been very busy for you. You were in Montreal on Fri, you are here today in NYC at Electric Zoo and tomorrow you will be in Dallas, how do you keep all that energy going and feeding all of these people your music?

EDX: Well, it’s like a very rewarding industry that we are in. Being able to play out your own music in front of so many people that give you such great feedback each time. It’s actually cool. I’m actually flying out tonight to Dallas because I’m playing tonight and tomorrow I will be out back to Europe!

IG @EDXmusic

PHOTO COURTESY | aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

Talking with the NJ based trio, Cash Cash, we defintiely got their vibe of just giving a great show that is filled with an array of genres that are just about having a good time. We sat down with them right before their show to find out about what they've been working on, how they work with one another and some of the tools of their trade.

ATHLEISURE MAG: So how do you define the Cash Cash sound?

CASH CASH: We’re a mix of a lot of different things. We’re kind of like a buffet. You get everything with us. You get chicken, beef, vegetables, carbs, salad, dessert – we do it all. We work with Hip Hop artists, we work with pop artists, rock artists, alternative artists. We love it all and we’re always mixing electronic music with different feels and styles of music. Even with just instruments or singers.

AM: How does that work to have 3 of you working together in terms of being on stage or in the studio? How do you deal with those dynamics?

CC: We run a majority rules kind of thing. So if 2 people agree on something, then that’s how it goes. If one person cries enough and pleads their case …

AM: Oh nice so the minority vote can come forward and win!

CC: Yeah if they can convince us yeah – haha the minority vote could win that’s funny!

AM: So the song with P!nk, ‘Can We Pretend’ – it’s amazing! How did it come about and how excited were you for that?

CC: Really excited. We did a remix for her in the last month of 2017 and the remix did really well. She was happy with it, the team was happy with it and we have been trying to send her songs for a long time and finally she sent us the acapella and we were like, “this is great, we can do something with this.” So we built a song around that and it came together that way. It was great to finally make that happen because artists are so busy these days. She’s out doing world tours and we’re in the club every night. It was great to finally make it happen.

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

AM: With you guys having so much club time, how do you take time for yourself?

CC: It’s minimal I guess! We’re used to it though. We’ve been doing this for awhile so we’re used to the up and go lifestyle. We’ve been going and you get time off when you get to come home and we love traveling to see the world. It’s always cool to go to new places and then to be able to go back and return.

AM: When you guys are recording, what are your 3 favorite pieces of equipment that you love to use?

CC: Probably the computers – it’s like a love hate thing. Because you think it sucks sometimes, but you couldn’t make music without it. You could have a tape machine, but the computer is better. I feel that it switches – you’ll love a certain synth or something and then you’ll get sick of it, move on and then you’ll look at the wall and there’s your acoustic guitar and you’re like – this is the best!

IG @CashCash

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

Around Athleisure Mag's office, we've been playing DRIP by Boombox Cartel, Dillon Francis featuring Desiigner on loop since it dropped a few days ago. During Electric Zoo, we took some time to hang out with the man himself to find out how he experiments with his sound to make distinctive music while continuing to express himself with his collabs as well as his clothing brand.

ATHLEISURE MAG: How do you define the Boombox Cartel sound?

BOOMBOX CARTEL: I define it as breaking the rules and doing everything wrong. Stuff that’s not supposed to be done and trying to make it work. I try to come up with original ideas and there is a lot of research and development.

AM: What's that like?

BC: Putting a lot of time in the studio and making a lot of weird demos. It’s like evil scientist vibes, but I think that that’s what it is. Then just staying true to the underground and staying true to where we all came from.

AM: How do you get inspired and where does that come from?

BC: Well just influences from when I was a kid. Indie bands, synth rock bands to like Hip Hop to Trap, to Houston stuff to just a big mix. I lived in Monterrey, Mexico for half of my life. I was born in Laredo, Texas in South Texas and I went to music school in Minneapolis. So it’s just kind of like gathering cultures and gathering styles and sounds and just putting it all together.

AM: We’re loving DRIP with you, Dillon Francis and featuring Desiigner from an Athleisure Mag perspective, amazing song to workout to! How did that come about?

BC: Thank you so much and that’s what we wanted! Dillon is one of the most happiest human beings that I know. He’s always really enthusiastic and we tried to make something that meets in the middle. Something euphoric, something happy, something bright, something really colorful and that’s what came to be. And also, with Desiigner, he’s one of the most down to Earth rappers. I work with so many rappers and I think that Desiigner is the only rapper that I can say he is like a genuinely good person that is down to work and to do it for the people. He was there and we were in the studio until 7am like coming up with ideas – smoking weed and my whole house smelled like weed for the next week.

AM: But it was worth it!

BC: But it was worth it! We made a really positive and happy song and we’re all happy to put it out.

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

AM: It’s a hot song. We can’t say how many times we’ve had it on loop.

BC: Thank you so much!

AM: So your FC custom jerseys – those are really cool! Where did that come from?

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

BC: That came from living in Monterrey, Mexico and just going to soccer games every week. I see a lot of baseball jerseys in the EDM community and there’s isn’t enough love for the soccer community. Soccer is just as big or I think bigger! So just playing soccer, every show I go to I ask for a soccer ball and collect a university ball or something like that. I’m a huge fan. So working on those from scratch with a friend in Downtown LA – right now we’re working on a brand partnership with a big company. We did it all from scratch. One of my good friends Colby, helped us out. He has a beautiful warehouse – cut and sew, he created the patches from scratch and they will be back in stock this next week!

AM: Exciting – eventually you can have a whole line!

BC: We have some shorts coming up, socks, the whole kit for the kids.

AM: What are 3 things that you do being so busy and spreading yourself in so many places – to just get back to you?

BC: Yeah, I grew up in Texas with my dad grilling twice a week. So me and my homies barbecue twice a week – or at least once a week. I have a Harley Davidson back at home and I take it out on the 1 highway to go get some fried shrimp and then I come back home and just head to the studio.

IG @BoomBoxCartel

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

One of our favorite remixes is 'Red Lips' by Good Times Ahead as it's been earcandy on our playlist for nearly a decade. So sitting down with this duo talking about a number of exciting changes taking place in the group was a lot of fun. In addition to hearing about their new label, their rebrand and what they've been up to this year, we also found out about where we should be eating the next time we're in Miami.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You guys have had a lot of going on lately – you have the rebrand of your name and your own label. Can you tell us about this?

GOOD TIMES AHEAD: The label is called Good Times/Bad Times and I think that one of our favorite things about having our own label is being able to put out our own music whenever we want. It’s kind of like the main reason. At the same time, it’s also a good platform for us to showcase the Latin influence we have in our music and a lot of the people that we play in our sets and just showcasing that to everyone. Kind of bringing a new thing to the game.

AM: When it came to introducing us to some of his favorite music, our Co-Founder Paul, introduced us to your music. We covered the Fold Festival and we saw you there as well. What is it about your free of genre music and just really bringing together good music?

GTA: For us, it’s mostly just about the energy that music has and the type of energy that makes you feel the way that you do. That’s why whenever we play music, any music that we play either hand selecting it or making it – it, has a certain kind of energy to it. It’s kind of what lets people just have fun as it’s such a fun sound to it. That’s pretty much what attracts us to music in general. It’s about having a good energy about it.

AM: Once again you guys have been super busy with so many festivals. How many have you done just this summer alone?

GTA: This summer probably like 4, but that’s light for us. We still played a lot of festivals and shows, but this year, we took it a little easier because we were focusing on finishing up so much music. 2 or 3 weeks ago we put out our album. We had the record label launch and the whole rebranding of everything. We have been working a lot behind the scenes and just taking this year kind of slow to just work on that. We’ve been doing this now for 8 or 9 years so it’s kind of nice to have a little easy period.

AM: You guys also have a clothing line as well – tell us about that.

GTA: Oh yeah, so it’s kind of something that we dabbled in a little bit. I’m personally a fan of fashion and that kind of thing and street brands. Shout out to Jay of Triple 7 – he hooked us up with so much knowledge on just how to make your own label and your own kind of style. We just kind of wanted to bring that to the festivals that we went to and the parties that we go to and it’s been cool. It’s kind of the same thing that we do with our music. We kind of let the clothes speak for themselves – they’re just really cool and really good quality. They’re good to wear and you can wear them at a festival or just to go out in. It’s kind of in line with our same kind of style as well.

AM: What are you working on right now in terms of collabs?

GTA: We’re definitely doing a lot of stuff as far as on our own with our own label and stuff. We have a lot of collabs. We’ve been playing this one thing we did with this group called Fight Club which they’re actually from here. We have a couple of other ones too. A lot of club music a lot of Latin music. We have been working with a lot of Latin artists. We've had some writing camps last year and this year in Mexico and playing in Brazil and stuff. We’re working with a lot of up and coming people and it’s really exciting especially now that we’re about to launch the label. All of that was for the label and now it’s about being able to put it out and being able to show everyone.

AM: What are 3 restaurants that you guys love eating at in Miami?

GTA: In Miami? Crab Man 305 that’s our number 1! Shout out to Crab Man 305. We’ll also say that there are many many Cuban restaurants, but Sergio’s is a very good restaurant - it’s classic Miami. And then I’d say that obviously Joe’s Stone Crab is a good one – it’s a fancy one but one to go to!

IG @GoodTimesAhead

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

This past Electric Zoo not only included DJ/producer NGHTMRE performing, but he had a stage for the artists on his label Gud Vibrations which he cofounded with SLANDER. We talked with him about his sound, the responsibilities of running his labels, his current tour and of course being at this year's EZoo.

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

ATHLEISURE MAG: How do you define the NGHTMRE sound?

NGHTMRE: I like to just call it bass music. I try to incorporate and tempos and various styles of electronic music in my records and live shows. It’s a mixture of melodic and heavy. I focus on keeping everything high-energy!

AM: In addition to working on your music, you’re also the Co-Founder of your own label along with SLANDER. How is it juggling those responsibilities and needs?

N: It’s great actually. We have a great team helping us and it really allows us to focus on the music rather than having to worry about small details and infrastructure building. It’s only just getting started in our eyes.

AM: You’re back at EZoo and not only are you performing but you have an entire stage with Gud Vibrations artists – how did this come about and how exciting is it to have this going on this going on this year?

N: I think the Gud Vibrations label and brand in general works so well because it came about organically. Me and the Slander boys are great friends and our tastes align so well that we eventually started our own events and parties. We’re extremely grateful for Electric Zoo for inviting us to bring the Gud Vibrations energy to New York.

AM: Gud Vibrations also has its own clothing line – the Bomber Jackets are definitely something cool that we would include in a future shoot – how do you go about deciding what goes into the line and how it feeds the ethos of your label?

N: Gud Vibrations in general is an outlet for us to put out what we think is cool into the world. We don’t have any specific method to deciding what goes out, but if there’s something we particularly love or feel is cool we take our time developing it to make sure it’s exactly how we like it, then share it!

AM: Tell us about The Alchemy Tour.

N: For this tour I’m doing a b2b set with Slander for each show and this is the first time we’ve been able to bring our stage “The Atom” on the road with us! To top it off we’ve been looking up to Seven Lions and The Glitch Mob for years so to be performing alongside them is amazing!

AM: Tell us about collabs and projects that you have dropping within your music as well as things that we should know about regarding the label.

N: Earlier this year I released a record with ASAP Ferg called Redlight! He’s another person I’ve looked up to for a long time so being able to work together and create a full music video together was a special experience. I have a new track with “Zhu” called Man’s First Inhibition that just dropped and is a bit different from my other stuff. I am always collaborating on new music!

PHOTO COURTESY | aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com

AM: You’re constantly on the road going from one gig to the next. Do you have 3 things that you do prior to a gig to get in the right mindset to perform in front of your fans?

N: Nothing usually actually. I spend time in Rekordbox on my computer before each show. Its a software that allows me to plan out and organize my music a bit better so when I’m in stage it’s easier to switch things up.

AM: In addition to traveling, I’m sure you workout, what are 3 workouts that you feel are the core of your fitness routine?

N: I actually only just started doing this recently but I got a personal trailer to help me while I was home for a bit and this is my “on the road” routine.

STRETCHES | Samson Lunge, Worlds Greatest Stretch, Downdog, Frog Stretch and Pigeon | CORE WORK @ 3 Rounds | (Rotation) Russian Twist x30, (Flexion) Leg Raise x30, (Static hold) Plank 30 sec | @ 4 Rounds | Squats x40, SIT UPS x30, Push Up x20 |

IG @NGHTMRE

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO | Paul Farkas

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 26, 52 + 54 aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com | This editorial contains elements of images, courtesy Dreamstime.com: PG 16 Richochet69, PG 19 Rolffimages, PG 29 Nadezda Mikusova, PG 30 Philip Openshaw, PG 34 Golfxx, PG 36 Steve Ford, PG 41 Alisbab, PG 42 Tatiana Kuklina, PG 46 Alphonse99 + Back Cover Santi Ri |

Read the August Issue of Athleisure Mag and see It’s Electric in mag.