START WITH THE MELODY | OVY ON THE DRUMS

This month, our JUN ISSUE #90 cover comes from producer, composer, singer/songwriter, 2X Billboard Latin Music Awards nominee, 4X Latin Grammy Award nominee and Premios Juventud winner, Ovy on the Drums! If you have enjoyed a number of Karol G's music whether it's her solo or collaborations that she has done with Shakira, Becky G, Future, and more - you have enjoyed the disctinctive sound that merges EDM, pop, and Reggaeton to make a sound all of its own. In addition to his work with this artist, this much in demand artist from Medellin, Columbia has also worked with Nicki Minaj, Steve Aoki, Bad Bunny, and Maluma to name a few.

While we wait for his much anticipated album as a solo artist signed to Warner Music, we wanted to find out a bit about how he approaches creating his music, how he got his start, sharing his sound and how we can define it, as well as working with Karol G.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You’re a producer and singer/songwriter, when did you fall in love with music?

OVY ON THE DRUMS: How did I fall in love with music? Well, the truth is, I fell in love with music... I had never really thought about becoming a music producer or dedicating myself to music, but one day I discovered the program I currently work with and use for all my productions, which is FL Studio. I believe that from that moment on, I fell in love with this whole music thing, creating rhythms, and beats. Since the first day I discovered this program I've felt a passion and love for creating music.

AM: From your love of music, to creating your music. How did you initially break into the into the industry?

You have a creative partnership with Karol G as you produced all but one song on her debut album Unstoppable, Ocean, KG0516 and you were one of the producers on her 4th album, Mañana Será Bonito. How did this partnership come about and what do you enjoy about working with her?

OOTD: Once I started making beats and fell in love with music well, in terms of the industry itself, my first steps were thanks to the university where I studied a bit more about music.

I met some friends called "La Compañía" from San Andres, a beautiful island in Colombia. It was thanks to them that I had a strong approach to the music industry. They opened the doors of their studios to me, and it was through them that I also met Karol G. I am forever grateful to them because it was there that I had my entry into the music industry.

AM: What do you like about the sounds and beats associated with reggaeton, hip-hop, pop, and EDM?

OOTD: Well, what I like the most about the sounds themselves are the percussion and the changes, the cuts that each genre has. I really enjoy analyzing the slicers in each song and the different types and changes in percussion.

AM: You’re a producer and singer/songwriter, how do you define the Ovy sound?

OOTD: The sound of On the Drums today, in any of its three facets, is going to have a very distinctive sound that I have been evolving and refining for a long time. Right now, I consider my sound to be very minimalist, a very simple sound. Within the few elements I use in a production, I strive to make it sound grand.

It has been a bit challenging because, initially, my productions were very saturated, overloaded with sound. Over time, I have learned to select certain sounds to avoid saturating it too much in a production.

AM: When you begin working on a song, where do you start first?

“Well, what I like most about the sounds themselves are the percussion and the changes, the cuts that each genre has. I really enjoy analyzing the slicers in each song and the different types and changes in percussion.”

— Ovy on the Drums

OOTD: When I start working on a song, most of the time I like to begin with the melody. Before creating a song, the first thing I do is sit at the piano and let it convey or evoke whatever mood I'm feeling at that moment. It's what guides me. That's why I love starting from there.

AM: You have worked with several artists such as Karol G, Nicki Minaj, Becky G, Bad Bunny, Ed Sheeran, Steve Aoki, and Maluma to name a few. Where do you get inspiration when it comes to creating music for the artists that you have worked with?

OOTD: I believe that inspiration should always come from within the artist. It starts with creating a rhythm or sound that I personally enjoy and being able to convey that beautiful energy I'm creating musically. Transmitting it to the artists I've worked with is important to me. I want them to appreciate what I do, connect with what I'm creating, and work together as a team. That's how I flow, and I think it's the key to finding inspiration when creating music. It's about transmitting that energy, whether I'm with the artist or working alone, and sharing it with others

IG @ovyonthedrums

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Ovy On The Drums

Read the JUN ISSUE #90 of Athleisure Mag and see START WITH THE MELODY | Ovy on the Drums in mag.

JUST DANCE | INNA

We're always thinking about the song of the summer or a series of songs that we can identify with this time of year when we look back! There's nothing like a series of songs that you can dance too, have great energy and have a number of memories that you can attach to them whether you're solo or with friends and family!

We caught up with Romanian singer/songwriter INNA who is known for this kind of music as well as creating fun videos that are filled with dancing. We wanted to know more about how she came to the entertainment industry, how she goes about creating and collaborating with her music, her latest songs, Dance Queen House and the fact that last year, she croosed over to having over 10 billion views and streams! She tells us all this and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the first song that you remember that made you fall in love with music?

INNA: Hmm, most likely Romanian songs sung by my mother, grandma, grandpa. I was born and raised in a family where music was an important part of our lives. But some of the artists who had a big impact on me when I was a child were Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be an entertainer?

I: From the very first years of my life. I was singing all the time: in the church choir, for my family and friends.

AM: How do you define your style of music?

I: Dance music, energetic, uptempo, about love, friendship, having fun, enjoying life.

AM: When you’re creating new music or a project, how do you get inspired?

I: I find that Inspiration comes from everything around me: my life, my friends lives, my memories, my experiences.

AM: How does your creative process change when you collaborate with other artists?

I: We establish sessions, we start talking about different stuff, we think of a concept, of an idea and we start developing on it.

AM: You have worked with a number of artists from Sofi Tukker, Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Alok and more. What do you look for when it comes to those that you want to work with?

I: Sometimes a song brings artists together, sometimes the idea of “let’s collaborate, I love your music and I respect you as an artist.” It goes both ways.

AM: You’ve released a number of albums and have received a number of MTV Europe Music Awards, as well as others throughout your career. Last year, you crossed over to having over 10 billion views and streams! What did this mean to you to cross that benchmark?

I: It was and it still is surreal! It’s out of my imagination. I didn’t dare to dream it might happen to me. I am truly grateful to my fans, to people listening to my music and to my team, of course!

AM: You kicked off 2023 dropping Yummy, tell me about this song!

I: Yummy is a sexy song I teamed up with Stefflon Don and Dhurata Dora and it kind of sounded like a banger. It’s a nice collaboration, I enjoyed the female energy and the fans enjoyed it as well.

AM: Tell us about the Dance Queen House Album as this seems like an interesting concept in terms of how you go about creating albums that are released in this name.

I: Last year marked the third season of Dance Queen’s House, a session that lasted for 16 days while I was isolated in a house with producers and songwriters from Global Records, my record label. We work on new music, we have fun, we shoot the entire experience and at the end of these days, we release vlogs on my YouTube channel and of course, the album.

This is something I started doing in the pandemic, because I wanted to stay in touch with my fans and since I couldn’t tour, these vlogs and new music were the perfect way of staying close to them. After these three seasons, I managed to release 3 albums Heartbreaker from the first season, Champagne Problems in two parts and Just Dance in two parts as well.

AM: What’s it like to create your songs for albums that are part of Dance Queen House?

I: It’s very nice I get to share the entire process with my fans and also do a lot of activities.

AM: You also dropped your 9th studio album, Just Dance which was released in 2 parts, why did you release it this way and what songs are you excited about?

I: We worked on a lot of music in a very short time, just 16 days, songs that needed time to be produced to sound good. And also, there were lots of songs, so I felt we had to share them separately, so that my fans get to enjoy them.

AM: Tell me about your latest release with Gamuel Sori, Party Songs and how did this record come about?

I: My manager played me the song, I liked it and I jumped on it!

AM: Why is this song going to be on summer playlists this year?

I: Party Songs is the perfect party anthem, with summer flavour and amazing energy!

AM: Do you have any routines that you do before you hit the stage and do you have anything that you do after doing a show to relax or to come down from all the energy?

I: Before the show, I rest for a bit, because I’m usually travelling the same day. After that, I enjoy a coffee to get me energised, I start doing my make-up, my hair and I am getting ready for the show. After the show, I usually spend time with my team, we talk about the show and after that, I have to sleep a lot!

AM: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that we should keep an eye out for?

I: It will be a summer full of shows and festivals and I cannot wait! Stay tuned and check out my socials for updates!

AM: We like asking celebs about how they stay fit. As a singer and dancer, what are 3 workouts what do you do to stay in shape?

I: I’m walking 10 000 steps daily (or more when I have more free time).

I go out with my skateboard

I workout at home, with different routines, depending on the mood that day.

Or I go to the gym and I work out with my personal trainer.

AM: We’re always looking for new dishes that we can add for our meals and we hear that you cook for your friends and family and are vegan! What are 3 vegan dishes that you enjoy cooking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

I: Hummus, guacamole for breakfast (although, most of the times, I skip breakfast)

Melanzana (eggplant with tomatoes, basil, tofu and vegan parmigiana) for lunch

Pasta for dinner

AM: In addition to all of the amazing things that you have done musically, you are an advocate and support an array of causes from being a human rights activists, participating in campaigns against domestic violence, supporting children’s rights, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and raising funds for Ukraine. Why is it important to you to use your platform to support these diverse causes and to make your following aware of this?

I: I believe it’s important to use my voice to do good and help people in need, support causes that need awareness. This is something I won’t stop doing for the rest of my life.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be known as?

I: An artist who brings joy in people’s lives through her music, an artist who loves people and who loves to spread good energy.

IG @inna

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 78 - 79 + PG 144 9PLAYLIST INNA

Read the JUN ISSUE #90 of Athleisure Mag and see JUST DANCE | INNA 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.

STAYING CONNECTED WITH TYLER RICH

For many of us, this summer has been one that we have enjoyed adding events to our schedule, being out and about with friends and family! We caught up with country music's singer/songwriter Tyler Rich who stayed connected with his fans during quarantine with his virtual shows and who is in prep to hit the road with his Two Thousand Miles headline tour as well as touring with Chris Lane's Fill Them Boots Tour this fall!

We talk about how he got into the industry, how he navigated quarantine as an artist, we chat about songs that he created we're fans of, being a sports fan, how he stays fit and other projects that he is working on.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment that you fell in love with music?

TYLER RICH: When I was 8 years old, my cousin took me to see George Strait in concert in Sacramento. I always loved music as a kid, but it was seeing it performed live, that sparked the fire that it was what I needed to do with my life! Also, it doesn’t hurt when your first concert was the King of Country Music himself.

AM: Where do you get inspiration as a songwriter for your songs and what’s your process like?

TR: It comes from all around me really. My wife is my forever muse, and she makes it easy for me. But, a lot of the time I pick up ideas from conversations my friend’s and I are having, digging into their lives for some content. I joke with my wife that I wish we fought more -- strictly for the writing content that would come out of it. I can only write so many happy love songs about her ha ha!

AM: How do you define your sound?

TR: My music is energetic, fun, upbeat, and hopefully uplifting for those that listen. My version of country embodies the sounds of California and Tennessee, all at the same time.

AM: We have talked with a number of artists who prior to COVID-19 were focused on making music and juggling their touring schedules to adjusting to what we all experienced in 2020. How was the last year for you and how did you approach your music?

TR: I spent the year really diving in on what I wanted the next chapter of my music to sound like, how to do some recording from home and figuring out ways to connect with my fans on a deeper level. We had all the down time in the world to spend nights on IG live chatting with fans and creating lasting relationships. It was really amazing to have so much more time than a quick handshake at a meet and greet.

AM: Many artists and creatives found that during 2020, they wanted to maintain their connection with fans virtually. What did you do during that time?

TR: I created a virtual tour called “The Distance,” a play on lyrics in my song “The Difference.” This consisted of Tuesday nights “Tyler & Friends Sing Behind the Scene,” where I invited songwriter friends of mine to come on and tell the stories behind hits they wrote for other artists and then perform them online. I would also cover one of their hits, and play a song the two of us had written together. Friday nights were “Feels Like Home” where I just hung out for an hour playing new songs I’d written that week and getting fan feedback, since we didn’t have a stage to do that like usual. We wrapped up with my wife Sabina and I hosting “Leave Her Wild Sunday Brunch.” Since we couldn’t be drinking mimosas on rooftops, I had to do something to make her happy ha ha. We treated this like a variety show, opening with good news in the world, playing drinking trivia with surprise celebrity guests, and closing each show with an artist performing their current single. It was so much fun! And, as I think about all these now, I'm realizing how much I miss it all.

AM: In terms of how you connected with your fans over the past few months, with all of us re-entering the world again, how important is it to you to still embrace levels of the connections that you were able to have with your fans virtually while going back to in-person interactions?

TR: I would say my inbox for direct messages was at an all-time high during quarantine, and I did my best to respond to all of them. I still try to be as reachable as possible for fans that want to chat, whether it’s about music or just life in general. I have no career without these amazing people, so building relationships with them is special for me as well.

AM: On Two Thousand Miles, we really enjoyed 11:11 what is the inspiration behind this song?

TR: Thank you! “11:11” is one of the few songs on the album I didn’t write, but it’s from some of my favorite writers in Nashville, including the late Andrew Dorff. The first time I heard it when it was pitched to me, I was floored. The emotion behind it, the desperation and heartbreak in the lyric, and melody all drew me in. I knew I needed to cut it right away.

AM: Also on that album is Billie Jean, for the longest time my favorite cover version has been Chris Cornell’s but I truly enjoyed your take on the song. With it being such an iconic song, how do you approach making it your own while still paying homage to Michael Jackson's original?

TR: That’s a massive compliment thank you! His version is incredible. It’s terrifying to do a cover of the “King” of pop, when the brutal Wild West of the internet is ready to rip you apart, but I tried my hardest to make it “me,” yet true to the song as much as possible. I think the most important part of covering something and making it your own, is keeping the vocal melody the same. The music and production can change, but if the melody and lyric change, then you're altering the recognizable part of othe song to fans. I always felt it was such a dark, dirty, blues bar kind of story, that was in a pop song’s body, so I brought a little grit to it.

AM: "Better Than You’re Used To" is such a beautiful song and really makes me think of past relationships as well as my current one. What is the inspiration behind it?

TR: I love that it connects with you that way! My little sister was going through the heartbreak of the century. In a conversation we were having she said “I feel like I’m putting so much in, and getting nothing back.” I told her she needed someone to love her better than she was used to, it rang right when I said it. So, I wrote it down to revisit in the studio one day. The day we wrote the song, I took the inspiration from that, and mixed it with the state I met my wife in. She was sad, feeling defeated, and had given up on love. She just needed someone to love her the way she needed. The song really came out pretty quick, the most honest ones do!

AM: With the vaccines and things opening up again, I see that you have quite the schedule coming up. You’re headlining a tour with Shy Carter and you will also be on Chris Lane’s tour this fall, what are you looking forward to as you get back on the road?

TR: I’m really looking forward to seeing all the fans that we’ve only virtually been able to connect with, but in person! Meet and greets will be so much sweeter, and it’s gonna feel like seeing old friends I bet. I’ve released a lot of new music since the pandemic, and seeing everyone singing new songs, is always the best.

AM: When it comes to performing, do you have pre and post rituals/routines that you do to prepare pre-show or to come down from the energy post-show?

TR: Pre-show is all about connecting with my band. Spending time together, some shots, and building that bond we have all the way up until we are on stage. We always play the best shows when we are having a great time right before running up there to start. After show is all about solo time. Spending 5-10 minutes alone. Cooling down my voice, and taking some mental health time to appreciate what I just got to do, make some notes of what to work on, and then disconnect myself from that so I don’t think about it for the rest of the night.

AM: Looking at your IG, we love seeing you and your wife Sabina. How did you guys meet?

TR: We met at Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, CA in 2016. Just a traditional “hey what’s your name” meeting, nothing involving any dating apps or social media ha. We were all in from that first hello pretty quickly.

AM: My boyfriend and I have been dating for 11 years and we are also co-founders of Athleisure Media as well as other ventures. What is your advice to power house couples in terms of supporting one another in their separate and/or join endeavors and balancing the hectic schedules that exist?

TR: That’s amazing! Congrats, I love that. I can just say from personal experience, the more you try and compete with someone’s passion, or life outside of you, the more people pull away from each other. Lift your partner up, celebrate their wins, push them hard toward their goals, and be their rock. You have to love all of the person you are with, not just part of them, and their careers and passions make up most of who they are, so love that side of them, and I promise your relationship will be so healthy!

AM: What are you working on currently and will you be collaborating with anyone that you’re able to share?

TR: I’m working on what will be following up "Better Than You’re Used To” so heading into the studio to cut a couple new songs this month and have a couple collaboration ideas coming up that I’m hoping come to fruition this fall!

AM: With a full summer ahead are there any projects whether musically or outside of it that you can talk about?

TR: I’m taking a trip to Sweden in mid-September for a media tour and possibly some shows. I’m ecstatic for this trip, and hoping Covid doesn’t halt the plans! Other exciting stuff in the works that involves TV, but I can’t quite talk about it yet, soon though!

AM: When you’re not performing on stage, how do you take time for yourself?

TR: I’m such an introvert when I’m at home. I’m the definition of an extrovert as soon as we are traveling, but other than that, I’m quiet, at home, doing anything but music. I love going to movies, the zoo or a museum alone to walk around and take everything in at my own pace, just disconnect for a couple hours. Alone time is so important, and really sets me up to not be so anxious when surround by so many people every weekend on the road.

AM: What are your go-to workouts to stay fit?

TR: I love my Peloton at home. It’s become part of my weekly routine for sure. Sometimes getting workouts in, can be not as frequent as we’d like on the road so I try to be as active as possible when there is time -- using my jump rope between reps to keep my heart rate up and making each workout count a little more. I also enjoy going for a few-mile run in the cities we are playing through the downtown, a city park or wherever I can.

AM: We know you’re a sports fan from your love with the 49ers and the Warriors - what are you looking forward to next season now that we can resume going to games?

TR: I’m literally counting down the minutes to go to a 49ers game! Being in the stadium is one of my happiest places in the world, surrounded by all the fans, my friends from back home, and watching the guys play. It’s just right around the corner!

AM: Tell me about Rich Rescues and why this is so important to you.

TR: My biggest passion outside of music is for animals. My rescue pup, Abby, has been with me for almost 16 years, and I wish I could rescue all the dogs and cats in the world, though my schedule just doesn’t allow it. So, on the road I visit a couple rescues a week in the cities we are in and promote the animals needing home to my fan’s in that town. Our success rate is almost 100% of finding homes for the animals we have promoted online through Rich Rescues on Instagram and the in-person visits. I wish I could do even more, but know we’re still just getting started.

IG @TylerRich

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Tyler Rich

Read the AUG ISSUE #68 of Athleisure Mag and see Staying Connected with Tyler Rich in mag.

NATURAL PROGRESSION WITH KASKADE

We kick off the New Year with one of our favorite DJ/Producer and Grammy nominated artists, Kaskade. We have a number of his mixes in our playlists to enjoy for activities that we do throughout the day and night. He ended the year with a fantastic NYE show that was socially distanced at a drive-in that was an extension of a number of the shows that he was able to safely perform at as we navigated 2020. We caught up with him to talk about how he got his start, his passion for music, how he stays inspired and what he's working on.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been a fan of your music for a number of years as it’s on a number of my playlists, love working out to it at home, spinning to it at SoulCycle and seeing you at a number of shows most recently at Electric Zoo here in NY in 2019. When did you first fall in love with music and when did you realize that you wanted to create music?

KASKADE: Wow well thank you for the support over the years! I’ve been under the influence of music my whole life, not sure when it took over. I guess the obvious answer is when I was growing up in Chicago, getting educated in these clubs by the world’s best teachers. At some point I just decided I didn’t want a safety net, it was going to be music or nothing.

AM: You have had an amazing background in music from being a record store owner, an A&R director, DJ, songwriter and producer. How have these roles fueled the way that you approach music?

K: Every experience colored the story, gave it some texture. Running a record store is not an easy way to make any money at all but it’s an embarrassment of riches if you think about the fact that you just need to listen to music all day, know who wrote it and what other songs it might reference so you can recommend more music to the person who loves that one song. Working for a label was a huge deal because I got to be inside the machine and see what made it tick. Moving forward from there to playing out and producing and songwriting were just natural progressions like playing on monkey bars. Let go of one and it leads you to the next. They were all important to get me here.

AM: Who were your mentors or sources of inspiration when you began your journey as DJ?

K: I really looked up to the Chicago guys, naturally. They were untouchable and wildly cool. I began by listening to the Hot Mix 5, where they played old disco and B-boy mixes. Frankie Knuckles, Jesse Saunders, and when Steve “Silk” Hurley put out “Jack Your Body” it was over, I was done for. There was never an option to not love this music and make it my house.

AM: How do you define the Kaskadesound?

K: Yeh, I really try not to. Let the music speak and so forth.

AM: How do you stay inspired when it comes to creating new sounds?

K: I try not to overthink it. If you go looking for inspiration it just slaps you around. Is the sky pretty enough to write about? Is the way the ocean is moving lyrical? That girl that just fell down rollerskating, is she my muse? I can’t search for it or I come up empty. But if I leave myself open to remember what’s happening around me, the experiences I’m hearing about and sharing with friends, taking in memories of beauty instead of filming them, I find that they come to me at the times when I need them.

AM: When you begin working on a new song or album, what’s your process in terms of how you begin to create it?

K: I have a hard drive full of ideas, songs that are not right for other projects but needed to live. Usually, I'll go there and start pulling things apart I try not to ever think “this song will begin here, move there and then finish all the way at that point." I put it together in the way that makes sense at the time, then let it rest. Sometimes when I pick it up again, there’s one line that stands out or a lick I hadn’t really felt that suddenly punches me in the stomach. Music is so subjective, always just a reflection of what is happening to a person in that moment. So the idea factory might be full of stuff I hated3 months ago but after my last trip to the supermarket is going to really speak to me.

AM: How do you decide on new projects that you want to take on or those who you wish to collaborate with?

K: It’s usually friends of friends of friends. I can reach out to an artist I think is doing something interesting but there are so many gatekeepers, even in my own camp. It’s trickier than you’d think just to get a conversation. So I like to keep it close, with up and coming people who are working hard in the same way I did. Putting in the time, putting the product out there and hustling in all the ways. If someone hits me up with a line or vocal that rings my bell I’ll always say yes. I don’t really need them to be “the next big thing." I just need them to bring it for our collaboration.

AM: Is there a collaboration that you have yet to do that you would like to see happen and is there a song or album that you would have liked to have been on?

K: Of course everyone has their dream collabs. If Sade hit me up I would have to say no because I would actually die, RIP. I’ve been watching new talent like Gus Dapperton who is interesting as well as someone like Kaytranada and feel like if everything lined up there would be an interesting tapestry there.

AM: There are a number of songs that are on our playlists like Sexy with Kosha Dillz, Lick It with Skrillex, Room For Happiness with Skylar Grey, Move For Me with Deadmaus, Sometimes and your remix of Imag-ine Dragons’ Believer – to name a few. What have been some of your favorite songs that you have created and/or people that you have collaborated with?

K: I get asked this question a lot and never have found the right answer. Honestly, I’ve listened to and played all of my music so much over the years that my favorite ones become whichever ones I haven't heard recently.

AM: What was the moment when you realized that you had made it?

K: In my mind I’ve made it and blown it so many times that it’s just a blur of trying. Always putting in the time, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I guess making it just means that you have the opportunity to continue to work.

AM: You have played a number of festivals and were a pioneer in the concept of Las Vegas residencies, what is it about these environments and playing live shows that you love?

K: It all comes down to the energy of the audience. The show will live and die by what they’re feeling.

AM: What is your favorite festival to play?

K: Sun Soaked.

AM: You’ve been performing via your Road Trip series. How did this come about and how did you decide what cities would be included?

K: It was the most literal instance of necessity being the mother of invention. Obviously with COVID we had to get creative about performances. It was safety first, timing and location second, then the logistics of how can we make this cool and a really new experience for everyone. There were a lot of challenges and I think as we move forward it will only get better but I'm really proud of how we rolled it out and crazy impressed with the audience for respecting the safety guidelines the way they have. We all want what we had before but we all are appreciating what we can get now.

AM: We're assuming that because of the success of that series, that your recent NYE performance was an extension of this as well?

K: Absolutely. When Road Trip succeeded like it did we knew that we could pull NYE off safely as well. Even with the strict guidelines and a curfew before midnight, we got our party.

AM: Are there plans for future Road Trips?

K: Absolutely.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be when people think about the impact that you have had in music?

K: I just hope that people will understand my true love for music. Whether they dig what I created or not, if a person can look at what I’ve done and pull the true intent out of it, we are good.

IG @Kaskade

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Mark Owens

Read the Jan Issue #61 of Athleisure Mag and see Natural Progression with Kaskade in mag.