MAKING THE WORLD HAPPY WITH MUSIC MARTIN GARRIX

We're always thinking about the upcoming festival season and we have a number of people that we hope to see on stages we're heading to! Martin Garrix is a legendary international EDM DJ/Producer with residencies around the world, that we love rocking to. His passion for bringing people together with his music and those that he has collaborated with is undeniable! Just in the last few days alone, he has dropped tracks, revealed his full sets for performances at Amsterdam Dance Events - ADE last fall, and has announced his summer residency in Ibiza which he is currently in the midst of his South American tour. This artist is constantly on the move and we took a moment to find out about how when he fell in love with music, how he approaches creating his music, collaborations, recent releases, his residencies, and how he truly loves when people are able to enjoy his music and the vibe he presents!

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

MARTIN GARRIX: I have always loved music. I grew up in a musical household and started playing guitar by the age of 8. However, the moment I fell in love with electronic music was while seeing Tïesto perform at the 2004 Summer Olympics, for the Opening Ceremonies. They were airing this on tv, and I remember my mom calling me over to come and watch it. The energy that I felt from the music was amazing. After that, I started experimenting with electronic music myself.

AM: How would you define the Martin Garrix sound?

MG: I would say it’s energetic, uplifting and melodic. The most important thing for me is to make people feel something with my music.

AM: What's your creative process when it comes to making your music - where do you start and how do you get inspired?

MG: I can get inspired by basically anything, and inspiration can come at the most random moments. That’s why the voice notes app on my phone is filled with me most random moments. That's why the voice notes app on my phone is filled with me humming new song ideas while I’m on the road. Then when I get into the studio I usually start with melody lines either on guitar or piano. Especially the songs with lyrics they always start with a guitar and vocal or piano and vocal and then afterwards I produce it out. I much rather start with stripped-down versions so the song is strong on its own and not relying on the production. I really enjoy the songwriting process and have a soft spot for beautiful chord progressions and melodies. If the song sounds good with just a vocal and guitar, you can produce an electronic version, rock version, anything. Every song starts and ends differently. I do need to be in my own home studio to finish a song, that’s the place where I work the most comfortable and know the sound system the best.

AM: You have collaborated with a number of artists from Bebe Rexha, David Guetta, Dua Lipa, Khalid, Usher, Tïesto, to name a few. What do you look for when it comes to creating with other artists?

MG: I really need a certain connection with an artist, otherwise I can’t be in the studio with them making music together.

AM: We’ve been fans of your music since Animals and have enjoyed In the Name of Love with Bebe Rexha, Scared to be Lonely with Dua Lipa, Summer Days featuring Macklemore and Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, and Carry You with Third Party, Oaks, and Declan J Donovan. What are 3 of your favorite songs?

MG: It's impossible for me to choose. All my songs have different memories attached to them which make them special to me. Of course Animals will always be special because that song really kickstarted everything for me. At the moment I’m really loving playing the new songs live and seeing the crowd’s response to it.

AM: I’ve had Carry You on a loop since it came out! What's the backstory of the song and how did it come together?

MG: The song was in the making for quite some time before we released it. Third Party and myself created the lead melody a year ago and I premiered it during Ultra Music Festival. After that it become a staple in my sets and I even used it as intro to my sets every now and then. The response from the crowd has been amazing every time I played it, so we just had to finish it. The vocals from Oaks and Declan really pushed the song to another level and I’m super proud of the end result and the responses we have been getting so far.

AM: Last fall you dropped Real Love with South African singer/songwriter Lloyiso. You guys teamed up here in New York and created this song. How did this song come about and why were you so excited to work with him?

MG: I found an Adele cover from Lloyiso online and was immediately blown away by his amazing voice. I reached out to him, but due to travel schedules and visas we weren’t able to meet in person for two years. We finally hit the studio together when we were both in New York and recorded Real Love there. He has one of the most amazing voices I’ve ever heard.

AM: You just dropped Breakaway with Mesto and WILHELM. How did this song come about?

MG: Mesto has been a really good friend of mine for years and we have worked together before. We had an early version of the song which I also premiered at Ultra and we both played it in our sets throughout the summer. A few weeks ago we decided to finish the song and added in vocals from Wilhelm.

AM: A few days ago you dropped your 3 hour set, IDEM for ADE from last fall and we thoroughly enjoyed it! What's it like to perform at that event, especially being in your hometown?

MG: ADE is always a special one for me as it is in my hometown. It had been 4 years since we last did my ADE solo shows at the RAI and it was so special to bring them back. We always have a show for all ages as well which is so amazing. The young kids have the craziest energy! It’s also very special to be able to invite all my family and friends to the show and celebrate together after, that doesn’t happen often.

AM: How do you approach putting your setlists together and what's that process like?

MG: I don’t have a fixed setlist for my shows as I like to feel the energy and responses from the crowd and play whatever song feels like the best fit for that moment. As a starting point I have my intro and last song. Of course there are certain songs that can’t be left out of my set, and I usually have some new music lined up that I would like to test.

AM: Ushuaïa Ibiza just announced that you are back for a residency that will run Jun - Sep! What are you looking forward to for 15 Thursdays this season?

MG: Performing at Ushuaïa feels like coming home. It’s been the same team we have been working with for years and no matter how many shows I’ve done there, it will never not be special. It’s the perfect opportunity for me to test out new music and I’m really looking forward to the shows.

AM: You travel a lot! Just looking at 2024, you rang in the New Year in Bali. You hold residencies in Ushuaïa Ibiza and Omnia and Wet Republic in Vegas. You also have festival dates for Creamfields in Hong Kong and Ultra Miami along with your personal show schedule and special events like Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to name a few!

Where are some of your favorite places to perform?

MG: I am currently in the middle of my South American tour and the love I am getting there is overwhelming. People really know how to party and bring energy which is amazing. I also did an India tour last year which was absolutely crazy. A big part of my most loyal fanbase is over there so that always makes it special. But to be honest, I'm super grateful to be able to play in all these amazing countries. I'm still nervous for the shows because I want every show to be the best and for everyone to have a good time.

AM: What are 3 things that you must have when you're traveling to feel like you have a bit of home with you?

MG: I don’t really have those items to be honest. For me my headphones, laptop and phone are the most important items to have with me on the road.

AM: Do you have any pre-show routines that you do prior to hitting the stage?

MG: I usually like to wind down a little before the show, go through some of the songs I have lined up and then I’m all good to go. I don’t have any superstitious things I do before I get on stage or something.

AM: Do you have any post-show routines that you do after coming off the stage?

MG: I’m usually on a high and like to debrief some things with the team in the dressing room.

AM: When you're on stage, if we could bottle the feelings that you have, what would it be?

MG: I honestly wish I could share it with you because it is the most amazing feeling ever. It’s a burst of adrenaline and happiness mixed together.

AM: You founded STMPD RCRDS back in 2016. Why did you want to launch your label and what should we keep an eye out for as we head into the Spring and the Summer?

MG: I wanted full creative freedom over my music which was the main reason we started STMPD RCRDS. We quickly also started signing other artists and the label grew into this creative hub for all kinds of artists. I’m so proud of the label and all the amazing artists that are releasing on there weekly. We have signed really talented artists like Eleganto, Mesto, DubVision, Julian Jordan but are also releasing S.Salter which is neo-classical music for example.

AM: How do you stay in shape as we're always looking to add to our fitness routines?

MG: This can be a challenge for me, but the last couple of months I have found a routine that really works for me. I try to eat healthy and be in the gym almost every day for a workout. I also really enjoy sports such as padel and wind surfing whenever I have the time.

AM: How do you take time for yourself?

MG: It’s difficult but I do try to take time for myself to do sports or spend time with family and friends. As weird as it may sound, making music is also something I really like to do in my time off. It’s my biggest hobby so making music really doesn’t feel like work to me.

AM: Are there any projects that you can share that we should keep an eye out for that you're working on?

MG: We released Carry You and Breakaway as surprises the past two weeks, but there are two more releases coming up the next two weeks because we are releasing an EP called IDEM. The EP has the same name as the live show because it represents the period leading up to the show where I premiered and played all the songs that will be on the EP. The next release will be Biochemical together with Seth Hills.

AM: What do you want the Martin Garrix legacy to be?

MG: All I want is to make people happy with my music.

IG @martingarrix

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Louis Van Baar

Read the FEB ISSUE #98 of Athleisure Mag and see MAKING THE WORLD HAPPY WITH MUSIC Martin Garrix in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | HONEYLUV

Read the OCT ISSUE #94 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | HoneyLuv in mag.

TAKING THE STAGE | TIMMY TRUMPET

We've had the pleasure of hearing EDM DJ/Producer Timmy Trumpet play and love how he brings his passion for EDM and the trumpet together for an electrifying show! Since he recently performed here in NY at Electric Zoo over Labor Day Weekend, we wanted to find out more about his passion for music, how he connected with his unique style, his creative process, and his busy schedule this summer which includes his residencies as well as the festivals he's appeared at this season.

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

TIMMY TRUMPET: I can’t remember not ever being in love with it. My father taught me to play the trumpet when I was old enough to hold it. His father taught him. I’ve been blessed to have music be the soundtrack of my entire life and I owe it all to them.

AM: We enjoy jazz and love listening to Chet Baker, Thelonious Monk, and Gerry Mulligan to name a few. Our co-founder's great uncle was the late tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson which we listen to as well.

You began your career in jazz and are classically trained. You're known for blending jazz elements into dance music. Where did you get the idea to incorporate the trumpet into EDM as well as being a DJ?

TT: I was practicing in my room one afternoon as a teenager and Daft Punk came on the radio. I started jamming along to it and thought this sounds pretty cool. I started experimenting with electronic music from that day and learning about the genre by starting to listen to other artists. The rest as they say is history.

AM: How do you define the Timmy Trumpet sound?

TT: To me it’s such a powerful, unpredictable, and energetic instrument that cuts through, and I think that’s why it works so well with electronic music. It’s an undeniably live element that is raw and imperfectly perfect, like all good Jazz.

AM: When you're creating new music, how do you approach the creation process as you're integrating a number of elements together.

TT: I start from a place of what not to expect and then pull it back into a place where it makes sense and pleases the senses. I feel like that’s the goal for every great producer. To create something that no one has heard before. It’s much harder than it sounds, the constant struggle to push a sound forward in a new direction. We are all borrowing ideas, influences embedded into our subconscious.

AM: How do you get inspired when creating new music?

TT: I think we’re all inspired by everything that’s around us. Everywhere I’m looking, everywhere I’m walking, everything I’m feeling, everything around us is constantly inspiring me. I’m inspired by the artists I get to work with. I’m inspired by the artists making the best music today. I’m also inspired by artists that made music 100s of years ago. We’re all just borrowing ideas to make our own and move in a new direction. To me it’s all music. Life is music and life is beautiful. I just hope that I’m making music that people love and can share with the ones they love as well.

AM: You have worked with a number of our favorite artists from Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, KSHMR, Steve Aoki, Dr. Phunk, Armin van Buuren, INNA, and Afrojack to name a few. What do you look for when you're collaborating with other artists?

TT: I love collaborating with other artists. It’s my favorite thing to do. You’ve both got ideas walking into the studio or bouncing stems and sending them back and forth from the other side of the world. Sometimes we just discuss ideas backstage at a show. You never know what’s going to come out of it. Some of my best friends are heroes of mine that I’ve always wanted to work with and I’m very blessed for the opportunity to work with them.

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

TT: Ooooh that’s too hard to nail down to just 3 artists. Honestly, there are a million people that I’d love to work with, and I feel like I’m just getting started. I’ve got 3 artists I’d like to work with this year, I’ve got 3 I’d love to work with if I could wish for anything on this Earth and there is a hell of a lot of people between them. But I couldn’t name names.

AM: You've had a busy year with a number of singles that you dropped along with some of our favorite artists! Do you have any songs that are coming out that we should be adding to our playlists?

TT: I’m really excited about a record I’ve got coming out soon with Tinie Tempah and an amazing New York native by the name of Enisa. She’s an incredible vocalist who I only recently got introduced to. I absolutely love her voice. The 3 of us got to perform it together for the first time on the Tomorrowland Main Stage this year and I can’t wait for that one to drop. You’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for that.

AM: You've had a busy summer with your Ibiza residency, Ultra Europe, Tomorrowland and a number of performances globally. This summer you played Lollapalooza which has been on your bucket list for awhile! How was it to hit that stage?

TT: Lollapalooza was absolutely MENTAL! It has been on my bucket list for over a decade. Literally over a decade. I’ve been coming to America to play shows for about 10 or 12 years now. I started at the bottom, but Lollapalooza has always been up on the wall as the target. To be up on that stage was unreal. It was honestly one of the best shows this year. I’ll never forget looking out at that crowd and it looked like an endless sea of people. I’ve never seen a crowd go so crazy from the front to the back all jumping in sync like that before. It was a real thrill and one of the most nervous moments I’ve had before a show this year. It was amazing to feel those butterflies eating away at my stomach and playing a stage like that is not something I take for granted.

AM: Labor Day Weekend is always a busy time, why did you want to have Electric Zoo on your touring schedule?

TT: In the last 12 months New York has become my second home. The love I have for this city and the love it has shown me has been such a rewarding experience. Ever since NY Mets' Edwin Diaz chose to play my track Narco and New York welcomed me and my music and that song in particular into their arms, it’s become a really special place for me. I love everything about New York. So many people from so many walks of life - everyone’s exciting, everyone’s different. I love how it’s got a bit of everything. I love how it’s a city that never sleeps. Every time I come to New York I stay in Times Square because I love seeing all the craziness. Electric Zoo is just part of all of that. So, to bring it home and play a set there after the crazy year I’ve shared with that city is just unreal.

AM: Do you have any routines that you do prior to your performances that help you get ready?

TT: A few pushups, a couple shots of tequila and a quick speech with the team. I owe everything to those guys. They get me up on stage every single weekend. Once we roll out of that tunnel and get to the stage, it’s time to go.

AM: When you've finished performing how do you come down from all of the energy that was on stage?
TT: I’ve no idea how many calories I must burn up on the stage, but I always make sure I leave it all up there. Coming off that stage, most of the time I’m just catching my breath. It usually takes me about five minutes to get my heart rate back down. Then I usually spend about 10 minutes rehydrating. I probably drink 4 or 5 bottles of water as soon as I get of the stage. Once I’ve got over that, the team and I look back over the set and what went right or what we can improve on. We squeeze in a celebratory drink, but if it’s an early flight the next day, then it’s straight back to the hotel.

AM: As someone who is busy and on the go, what are 3 fitness routines that you do to stay in shape?!

TT: My trainer back home in Australia is right into calisthenics so it’s something that I’ve started getting into. The bodyweight exercises are awesome and something I can implement from wherever I am on the road. Especially if the gym in the hotel isn’t great. So, I’m enjoying that and being on stage in the summertime is a workout in itself. Sometimes I play four or five shows in a weekend and it is crazy up there, so it helps running around like a lunatic.

AM: As a musician, DJ, producer, and songwriter, what do you want your legacy to be in dance music?

TT: I want to know that I gave it my best. That I did everything I could to make sure people had the best experience possible at my shows. For one hour at a time I just want people to leave the world behind and rage with me, and the people that are most important to them…their friends. Their memories are more important than mine and if I can be a tiny part of that, then what an honor.

IG @timmytrumpet

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 36 - PG 41 Andrew Rauner | PG 42 + PG 46 Timmy Trumpet | PG 45 + PG 47 Tomorrowland |

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see TAKING THE STAGE | Timmy Trumpet in mag.

SOUNDS HIT YOUR SOUL | HONEYLUV

We caught up with EDM DJ, HoneyLuv who has been on the go for the past few months playing around the world! She has played alongside major artists including Chris Lake, Idris Elba, and Nicole Moudaber to name a few, and has been at a number of clubs and festivals sharing her sound and passion! We wanted to find out more about how she got into the industry, what she enjoys playing, her inspiration and what she has coming up!

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

HONEYLUV: From the earliest moment in my life from what I can remember; the day I was riding in my dad's purple mustang while he was playing Tony! Toni! Tone! It Never Rains I’m not sure why that exact moment stays in my mind, but I like to think it was because of that song.

AM: What do you love about dance music and why do you gravitate towards it?

H: I love dance music because it’s an open book. The music comes in so many colors, shapes and sizes, there is no ceiling when it comes to the music. I also love the fact that people come together on the dance floor to appreciate the art, whether it’s a happy story or a sad one, it’s all embraced and accepted. I believe I gravitated towards it because of my love for the music but also because it felt like home for me.

AM: Before you focused on music full time, you served in the navy. What are things you learned from your service that you have carried into your career as an artist?

H: Well I have always been a person that made a plan and executed what I had set out to accomplish and I feel being in the service just made me more disciplined and organized.

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

H: I didn’t want to, my friends had forced me because they saw something in me that I didn’t and I’m happy they did. Once I saw how much I enjoyed it, i think that’s when it clicked that DJing was for me.

AM: What's your creative process like when you're creating music and what do you start with?

H: I have to have the inspiration for me to get into the studio and create. Which sometimes takes awhile to find that but when I do it’s game time. I usually start with a kick some drums and go from there.

AM: As a house DJ, where do you get your inspiration from?

H: Lately, I’ve been getting my inspiration from traveling, seeing the world and hearing all the different types of variations of house music that are out there; it has really sparked the fire inside me.

AM: When you're in the midst of crate-digging, what are you looking for?

H: I’m not looking for anything in particular, with digging you don’t know what you want. I know for myself, I am just exploring to see what sounds hit my soul in that process.

AM: You have performed at a number of clubs and festivals over the last few months from Coachella, EDC Vegas, Ushuaïa, Hï, Space Miami and more. What is it about getting in front of the crowd and being able to share your passion with them that you love?

H: I love that for those few hours I get to share a piece of my life with them. Music to me is life. I know a lot of people do it for that big check but I really appreciate the music, I appreciate the history, that people seem to forget and I’m more than happy to always remind them on that dance floor where this music comes from and feed their souls in the process. People love it and they just want to have a good time.

AM: You've played alongside Idris Elba, Chris Lake, Nicole Moudaber, and The Martinez Brothers to name a few. What does it mean to you to be able to perform with these artists?

H: It’s an honor to say the least. Truly blessed to be in the shoes that I’m in.

AM: What shows do you have on your schedule for this year that you're excited about?

H: I’m excited about all my shows especially the ones in Europe.

AM: What's your routine like when you're about to perform? Are there things that you do leading up to the show?

H: No routine really. Just chill vibes. Do some last minute crate digging and come into the show with an open mind.

AM: What do you do once you've finished your set as I'm sure there's still a lot energy there!

H: I will go say Hi and thank the people who came out to see me, take a few pictures, chat about life and after that go to my bed lol!

AM: Are there any projects or new music that we should keep an eye out for that you can share?

H: Yes, tons of new music is brewing; I have my own party 4 Tha Luv making its debut soon. Just have to keep your ears to the streets so you don’t miss anything.

IG @honeyluv

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 134 HoneyLuv | PG 136 - 137 Tomorrowland |

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see SOUNDS HIT YOUR SOUL | HoneyLuv in mag.

DROPPING BANGERS | JOEL CORRY

We're always looking for the right vibes for music that will let us navigate our day from commuting, workflow, and nights out! This month, our cover is 5X platinum UK records, 5X BRIT Awards nominee, Joel Corry who has residencies at Ibiza Rocks, TAO Group Hospitality (Hakkasan, Marquee) and who has performed in an array of festivals from Creamfields, Ultra, Tomorrowland, EDC Las Vegas, and Lollapalooza to name a few. His remixes have been part of our playlists and have included collaborations with Saweetie, Charlie XCX, David Guetta, and Bryson Tiller as just a few of the highlights. His remixes have transformed tracks by Megan Thee Stallion, Ed Sheeran, Elton John, and Nina Simone. When it's about good vibes with beats that make you want to stay on the dance floor banger after banger, Joel always has something up his sleeve!

We caught up with him hours before the release of his latest single, Drinkin' with MK and Rita Ora which already has been on repeat for the past few days! This single as well as yet to be released and some of his epic records will be on the upcoming album, Another Friday Night which drips on Oct 6th. We wanted to know more about Joel from his passion for music, how raving in London grew to him collaborarting with artists and creating his music, and what he has coming up as he continues to make his mark.

We also wanted to know more about his approach to creating his music, working with his favorite artists, and more. We also wanted to find out about his time as a professional body builder, winning a number of competitions, and how he navigates his life while he's constantly on the go going from one city to the next.

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

JOEL CORRY: When I was a young boy that was 12 or 13, that’s when I got my first pair of turntables. My older brother was a DJ actually, he’s 3 years older than me so when I was growing up, the music that everyone was playing was garage music back in London. It was all part of the DJing and MCing scene so my brother, he was like an MC and his mates would come over and do DJing and I was like, I just wanted to be cool like my older brother basically. So I said, “mom, get me some decks, I want to do some garage music. I want to be a DJ as well!”

That’s how I started and then I got my decks and I would go into the record shop every weekend and find vinyls. It just became a hobby growing up and then eventually, I started DJing people’s parties and it developed from there!

AM: So, when did you realize that you wanted to do it professionally?

JC: So it was kind of like a slow progress over the years. So I was DJing in my bedroom, and then I started DJing at people’s birthday parties, weddings, and like even DJing at my mom’s friend’s, birthday parties – just wherever! I was sort of the DJ at school and then when I was 17/18, I started playing the nightclubs. You know, at one point in my early 20’s, I was doing 5 residencies a week around London so I was really busy around the circuit and then it was like, “right, I’m doing that thing that I love to do, I’m making money from it, how can I take it to the next level?” That’s what I started to focus on music production and started to release my own music and that’s how eventually – I mean it took awhile so fast forward another 10 years when I got my first hit record, that’s when it really took off to another level.

AM: How do you define your sound?

JC: My sound has changed over the years to be honest with you. It’s kind of been like a progression as I have been through the journey of my love of dance music. But I would say that the sound that people know me from for my productions from my first hit records would be commercial piano house, feel good vibes – you know, my records, I think that they have really defined my career so far, tracks like Head & Heart, BED, Lonely, Sorry – they’re all kind of piano house. Just really uplifting, feel good vibe records that have sort of connected with people, tracks that you want to hear on the dance floor and also tracks that sort of hit you in the feels as well. It’s that nice balance that are records that you want to dance to and also those that you want to put in your car when you’re driving alone and to have an emotional connection with.

AM: I love listening to it when I’m spinning.

JC: A lot of people actually use my records and my tracks for gym playlists. I get that all the time, but I love that, because I’m really into my gym stuff as well! So I’m glad that my tunes are helping people like get those extra reps or cycle those extra miles.

AM: What is your process in terms of when you’re creating music? Are there certain things that you focus on first?

JC: I’d say that there are 2 different ways that the creative process works. The 1st way would be that I’m in my studio and we have a songwriter or an artist come in for the day, we’ll just start with some basic chords going, some loops going, and I’ll just be vibing with the artists or the songwriter and a kind of an idea will come out of nothing. You’re kind of really starting from scratch and I love working that way, it’s so much fun!

Another way things happen is that I get sent a lot of music, so I get sent acappellas or song ideas or demos and if there is something that I hear in it that I really like, then I will take that and develop it myself. So then, I already have a starting point there. So there are 2 different ways really – and I love being in the studio though and sort of being there from the birth of an idea which is always great!

AM: Where do you get your inspiration from?

JC: I feel like I get my inspiration from the dance floor because I’m DJing so much. I’m always on tour and I’m always playing in front of crowds and I guess, taking crowds from a journey, trying to create those moments on a dance floor. So when it comes to my own music, I’m trying to make those records that people are going to dance to and have a great time to, you know? Being a DJ, it’s kind of staying ahead of the game of the trends that are going to work on the dance floor and kind of being on the pulse of those sort of things.

AM: Well, your remixes have included a number of amazing people from Tïesto, Charlie XCX, Elton John, Saweetie – how do you work on that when you’re working with material that already exists that you have the opportunity to present it in another way?

JC: As a DJ, I guess I have been remixing things since I was a teenager. I just use to make edits and mash ups and stuff like that. Crazy mad edits for my sets and remixing and creating my own versions of records is just an important part of DJing and it’s something that I have always done. It’s a way of me putting my own spin on something. So when I play it in my own sets, it’s right for my sound and how I envision that record and I love remixing! So, when I get asked to do a big remix with a big artist like Ed Sheeran, Tïesto – you know it’s such a pleasure to do those things. I’ll listen to the original record and I’ll just think, “what can I add to this to make it different and also to make it fit in with my sound?” Yeah, it just kind of naturally happens when I just hear something, I just kind of get that vision for it straight away and I go from there!

AM: Do you have artists on your bucket list that you would like to work with or do their remixes that you have yet to do?

JC: Well I just mentioned 2 and every time I get asked this question, I always say Ed Sheeran would be my dream collaboration because I am a huge fan of his. He did Bad Habits last year, which is kind of a dance record which I remixed, but I still don’t think that Ed has done a full on dance banger yet. I would love to do that with him! Ed Sheeran would definitely be someone that I would love to work with in the future as a dream! He’s the biggest pop star in the world! You just mentioned Tïesto, I have remixed with Tïesto, but I haven’t collaborated with him yet. But we’re really good friends and I actually played with him in Ibiza last week and I supported him in Ushuaïa and we have already talked about doing a record together so it’s just the timing that needs to be right and the record needs to be right. But I'm sure that that will happen in the future. He's a great guy and a great inspiration to me!

AM: I love his music and remember the first time I saw him was back in 2007 here in NY at the Limelight – he was amazing!

JC: Of yeah, he’s a G man!

AM: Absolutely!

You have your debut album coming out Another Friday Night, dropping Oct 6th. I love OUT OUT, 0800 Heaven, Head & Heart. Tell us about this album and what are you excited about it?

JC: The album is literally what I have been building towards for the last 4 or 5 years of my life. The album is going to have all of the records that you just mentioned on there, all of the hits from over the years, plus my new music like 0800 Heaven that you mentioned and my new single that comes out in a few hours (Aug 25th), Drinkin’ with Rita Ora and MK. It’s also got another 3 new tracks that are on there as well that will come out when the album comes out. So yeah, it’s going to have all the hits that people love, plus my new music, and I’m just really proud of this body of work that’s kind of been my life for the last 5 years. Coming together in one playlist of bangers!

AM: It’s amazing. Like you said, Drinkin’ is out in a few hours with you, Rita Ora and also MK, how did this come about? You performed it live last week in Ibiza at Ibiza Rocks. It’s such a fun song, I’ve played it at least 20 times today!

“I feel like I get my inspiration from the dance floor because I’m DJing so much. I’m always on tour and I’m always playing in front of crowds and I guess taking crowds from a journey, trying to create those moments on a dance floor. So when it comes to my own music, I’m trying to make those records that people are going to dance to and have a great time to, you know? Being a DJ, it’s king of staying ahead of the game of the trends that are going to work on the dance floor and kind of being on the pulse of those sort of things.”

— Joel Corry

JC: Aww thank you, thank you! Drinkin’ actually samples a Chance the Rapper record called All Night which is a banger! I started on this record about a year ago. When I flipped the sample and put that chorus over a house beat, it just sounded so sick for the pianos behind it and I was like, “oh my God, this just really works!”

At that point, it was very much a demo and we wrote like the verses and the pre chorus for it and kind of made this really cool sounding demo.

Me and MK had been chatting about doing a record together for ages and I’m a big fan of MK of course you know, he’s a legend in the game. I was like, “this tune sounds like an MK track.” So I sent it to him and I was like, "bro, what do you think of this?" He hit me back he said he loved it! He loved the sample, he loved the vibe of it, and I sent him my parts that I had done so far and then he did his work on it and then sent it back to me. What he added to it was sick and I was like, “yeah, this is kind of what I envisioned!” Then I was like, “right, now I need to get a vocalist on it.”

When I listened to the track, it just felt like a Rita Ora banger and me and Rita have been chatting for years actually. We had been mates and had worked together on other bits that didn’t quite materialize, but we both really wanted to do a track together. So I texted her and I said, “Rita, I think that I’ve got the one!” I sent it to her and straight away she said, “that’s me, I love it – let’s do it!” At the time, I remember when I texted her, I think that she was in India and then she had to fly to NY and she was like, “I’m going to fit in a day to get this recorded.” Then she ended up flying to London and she got into the studio Sun day afternoon and got the whole thing done. You know what? Fair play to Rita - I respect her so much. Her when you mentioned that we performed in Ibiza Rocks last week, she was on holiday and she took the whole day out of her holiday to do that with me. I love her for that and I’m so excited to be doing this record with her and MK. It’s a great feeling!

AM: That’s amazing!

Clearly, you’ve had a busy summer! All of your performances – you were just here in NY headlining at the Brooklyn Mirage which is awesome. What are some of your favorite cities to do your performances in?

JC: NY is definitely up there! I love NY, NY has always been a great spot for me over the last 3 years. I remember that my first headline show in Webster Hall sold out, then I did the Great Hall last year, I did Brooklyn Mirage this year. So every year, I have sort of stepped it up. The NY crowd always comes out for me. I absolutely love it.

I love Miami, Miami is such a good vibe. I feel that if I lived in America, that’s where I would choose to live. It’s just a bit of me. I love the outdoors, the sort of gym lifestyle as well, the good weather, and the clubs and the vibe. Dance music is just thriving in Miami.

Of course, I have to shout out Ibiza, where I am right now! This is like my second home, it’s a magical island and this place is just different man. It’s just something is special in the air here and I pray that I have a residency here in Ibiza when I’m past 80 years old!

So yeah, Ibiza, Miami, and NY. I love Australia – Australia is always a good time when I go out there on tour in Sydney and Melbourne. Last year, I did Japan for NYE in Tokyo which was a really good experience. So there’s a few good spots that I love.

AM: Next month you’re headlining at London’s iconic Ministry of Sound. How excited are you for this show?

JC: Yeah I’m so excited! I mean, obviously, I’m from London – that’s my home city. I haven’t had a headline show in London in over 2 years. The last one was Printworks back in 2021. It’s a big deal for me! Headlining a show in my own city and then in an iconic club like Ministry of Sound – this is a legendary club. I used to go there as a raver when I was 18 and I remember going to the Defected Records Raves there. So going back there and headlining my own show is so special. It’s also the week before my album comes out so a lot of friends are going to come, family, a lot of people from my label, and people from my label, and people that have worked on my projects over the last few years. I have invited everybody so it’s not just a headline show, I feel like it’s a celebration as well so I’m really excited!

AM: Do you have a set of routines that you do before you perform? Things that you just have to do to get into that mindset?

JC: What I like to do is like, in the hours building up to the show, I always like to have a bit of peace with my laptop, look over my set, listen to music that I am going to be playing in the set and to have a think about what the crowd might be like, how I think that the set is going to go and to just get into that mindset of mental preparation for the set. To get that clarity in my head, I need to be on my own for that and just with my music. When I feel like I’m prepared and I have my USBs loaded up, I get fresh – have a shower, do my hair, put on a twin set -

AM: King Twin Set!

JC: Haha you know that already! They call me the Twin Set King! I get to the show and maybe have a little bit of tequila and then I’m ready to go!

AM: Once the show is over, do you do anything to come down from all of that energy?

JC: I always like having a bubble bath watching some YouTube and maybe a bit of Gordon Ramsay or something – ha! It’s a bit weird I know! But I just feel like, after a show when you need to be able to go to bed, it’s kind of hard to switch off sometimes so you have to do just really normal things. Whether that's having a bath or putting something on on YouTube to just try to separate your mind from all of the madness that just happened and to get back to a normal level again!

AM: Absolutely!

Once again, you have so much going on that is so amazing to see. From the residencies in Ibiza, Tao Hospitality, what are some big upcoming projects besides the album coming out and obviously the Ministry of Sound that we should keep an eye out for?

JC: I guess aside from that, it would just be my touring. I’m back in America quite a lot between now and the end of the year. I’m also about to announce a big tour in Australia. I haven’t been to Australia since the start of 2021. So it’s going to be great to go back down under and also I have some more Asia dates coming up. I mean, I played in Tokyo for NYE, but that’s the only day that I have ever done in Asia so I’m going back to Tokyo and adding a few more in there as well. So between now and the end of the year, it’s like non-stop touring, we have the album coming out, it’s just going to be go go go go go and then I think in Jan, I might have a little week off – ha!

AM: Obviously at Athleisure Mag, we love fitness and you’re like a fitness king as well as you were a body builder before. How did you get into that and why did you want to do that?

JC: So going back to when I was a teenager, I was telling you about when I got my decks and I was DJing in my bedroom, I was also going to the gym a lot. They were my 2 hobbies. If I wasn’t on my decks tearing the house down with my mom screaming to turn the music off, I was down at the gym on the bench press lifting weights trying to get a 6-pack.

I just think that the gym became a hobby and I used to play football a lot. But then I started going to the gym and that became how my sort of love for fitness grew! It just slowly became more and more and more, when I started to see the results from training and I was becoming 18/19 years old, I really started seeing the results coming through, I just got hooked on it. I kind of I guess got obsessed with it as well. But I took it to another level. I wondered how I could take this thing that I loved and go a step further and it was like, I want to go on stage and compete. It was just something inside me saying that this was a box that I wanted to be able to tick off. I wanted to see how far I could push this thing that I loved doing. So in my early 20’s I was competing in male physique competitions. I did that for about 3 years and I did really well in them. I won quite a few of them. I won the Miami Pro, I won the Pure Elite Competition, I got a Pro Card in WBFF so I was really doing it seriously and getting into crazy condition for those shows. It got to a point where I was like, the music is going to be my career so I kind of had to put that competing on the back burner to really focus on the music. Because the thing with the body building and the competitions is that you have to be 100% all in and it’s so much commitment, dedication, and focus to do those competitions, that I didn’t have the capacity to then focus as much on the music. I had to make a decision where I said, “the music is my future, that’s my dream, that’s what I really want to do. I love to do the fitness thing, but I need to reign it in a bit,” and to enjoy it as a hobby and to focus on the music. I also felt like that I had completed what I wanted to do in fitness. I had won the competitions, I had done the cover of Muscle & Fitness Magazine, and I just thought that this is it now. I had done that and now let's focus back on music. But, it still remains a big part of my life. I still go to the gym everyday and it's more so the mental benefit now and the physical just helps me keep on point and keeps me feeling good while I’m touring.

“[After a show] “I always like having a bubble bath watching some YouTube and maybe a bit of Gordon Ramsay or something - ha! It’s a bit weird I know! But I just feel like, after a show when you need to be able to go to bed, it’s kind of hard to switch off...”

— Joel Corry

AM: What are 3 workouts for your abs that we should think about putting into our routines?

JC: So my favorite ab exercise is the hanging leg raise where you kind of hang up on a bar and you just lift your legs up and down. It’s the hardest one, but it’s definitely the best one. You can also kind of add a variation there by twisting your legs and really sort of hitting the obliques. So that has always been my favorite ab exercise. Also doing – you know when you have a bench and you lie down flat on it and then you put the dumbbell between your legs and you raise your legs up and down? I find that that one really hits your sort of lower abs because that’s always the hardest bit to get that bottom bit! That definitely targets that! What else do I do for my abs that I think is really good? Obviously, you’ve got your sit-ups and sort of decline crunches that you can mix that up by using a ball so you can come up further and then to be able to come down. So those are probably my top 3 ab workouts.

But you know what I would say is that definitely, to sort of get your abs to really start popping, it’s true what they say about abs being made in the kitchen – because they are! You can do all of the exercises that you want, but you have to get the diet on lock if you want to get the 6-pack.

AM: We mentioned before that you’re the Twin Set King, where does that come from that you love twin sets?

JC: I know, it’s an addiction – a twin set addiction! I love them! It’s easy! I mean, for boys, we sometimes don’t know what to wear! So if you get a twin set, you’ve got the bottom bit and the top bit! It matches and then it’s job done and you put a pair of trainers on and you know, when I’m touring around in the summer, it’s so hot a lot of the places that I go to. You can’t really wear trousers because it’s so hot so you need to wear a pair of shorts and if you have the top that matches, it's easy! It's become my thing as well isn't it?

AM: Oh yeah, when I was scrolling through your IG, I thought, “this man loves some twin sets.”

You do travel so much, what are 3 things that you always travel with?

JC: My Dyson hair dryer, so good!

AM: Love it!

JC: Obviously my headphones and my USB sticks – very, very important as a DJ and one other thing that I travel around with is a neck pillow! It’s an essential for the flights! Especially the sort of short flights where you’re sitting kind of like this for 3 hours – this is needed!

AM: How do you take time for yourself? Being so busy, how do you make sure that you get the reset that you need?

JC: Do you know what? That’s probably something that I need to work more on. There’s not really a lot of time to myself, but I think that with what I do, I’m kind of 100% all in on it. It’s my hobby, it’s my passion, and there’s not any work separation where it’s like, ok work is over for the day, I’m going to over and chill out. It never stops, it's around the clock, there's always something to do and I just feel like that in this industry, with what I want to do and where I want to get to, I really believe that what I put into it is what I am going to get out of it. I’ve learned that over the years. I’m always scared of taking my foot up off of the gas. I just feel like everyday that I need to be as productive as possible and keep going. I actually feel guilty inside if I have time off. I always feel like I should be working to try to get to that next step. So that’s probably something that I need to work on. My mom is always like, “Joel, you need to take holiday, you need to take a day off.” But I find that hard. I think that when you find something that you love to do, it’s not work, it’s just life! I enjoy it!

“I know, it’s an addiction - a twin set addiction! I love them! It’s easy! I mean, for boys, we sometimes don’t know what to wear! So if you get a twin set, you’ve got the bottom bit and the top bit! It matches and then it’s job done and you put a pair of trainers on ... It’s become my thing as well isn’t it?”

— Joel Corry

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

JC: Oh, that’s a big question man! I guess I want to be able to look back and to be honest, I have already been able to achieve my dreams of having hit records, touring the world, and I just want to be able to keep it going and to take it as far as I can and I guess when I look back over the years, I want to be able to have these big moments with these big records records that really connected with people and made a difference in people’s lives.

There are certain records that I have released over the years and I get messages still to this day, like, this record meant so much to me, it came out at a time when I needed it, and I connected with it. When I read these messages, forget about chart positions or like statistics, to know that like the music that I worked on is connected to people and brought happiness to them means so much to me. I want to keep doing that for years and years and years! Then I can look back on all of these records that had special moments. I want to tour the world and I already am, but there are certain places that I have never been. I’ve never been to South America before, there’s so many places as well just starting to really being able to go into Asia, there’s still places in America that I haven’t been able to be in and states that I haven’t played in. I guess I want to be able to look back and be like, I toured the world, played at some of the biggest festivals, had these huge moments in front of massive crowds, played all of these records that I put my heart and soul into working on – I guess that kind of is the legacy isn’t it? It’s having that big career! When I think of some of my idols like Calvin Harris, David Guetta, and Tïesto – like we mentioned, when you look at their careers, it’s just years and years and years of doing it and big records and big moments and that’s just what I want!

“Oh that’s a big question man! I guess I want to be able to look back and to be honest, I have already been able to achieve my dreams of having hit records, touring the world, and I just want to be able to keep it going and to take it as far as I can ... have these big moments with these big records that really connected with people and make a difference in people’s lives.

I want to be able to look back and be like, I toured the world, played at some of the biggest festivals, had these huge moments in front of massive crowds, played all of these records that I put my heart and soul into working on ... it’s just years and years and years of doing it and big records and big moments and that’s just what I want!”

— Joel Corry

IG @joelcorry

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Front Cover, Back Cover, PG 36, 39 + PG 42 63MIX ROUTIN3S Courtesy of Joel Corry | PG 16, 20 - 35, 40, 63MIX ROUTIN3S PG42 + 9PLAYLIST PG 122 Ibiza Rocks/Gabriel Vazquez | PG 19 USHUAÏA IBIZA |

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see DROPPING BANGERS | Joel Corry in mag.

EZOO NYC: GOING INTO HYPERSPACE

From Sep 1 - 3rd on Labor Day Weekend, we're excited to make our way back to Randalls Island for Electric Zoo for 3 days of our favorite EDM artists that will be back in NY! This long weekend will allow us to listen to some of our favorite artists that we already listen to as well as those that are new to us! This year's theme is Hyperspace and we're looking forward to Tiësto, Kaskade, Kx5, Alec Monopoly, Major Lazer, Timmy Trumpet, and more.

This year, there are 6 stages which will be curated within a theme or genre and we're excited to navigate them to catch the sights and sounds. As usual, you will find an array of genres of EDM on full display to pay homage to dance music and its importance. We always enjoy checking out the installations which is always perfect for those Instagrammable moments with friends and fellow enthusiasts. There are also a number of vendors that will keep us fueled up for an intense 3 days from tasty meals across dietary interests, water stations and cocktails. We'll also head out to an array of after parties that include a number of venues from Webster Hall, Brooklyn Mirage, Marquee, Somewhere Nowhere, The Great Hall at Avant Gardner, and more.

You can check out available tickets and VIP packages if you have yet to firm up your plans.

IG @electriczoony

PHOTO CREDIT | EC/Electric Zoo

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see EZOO NYC: Going into Hyperspace in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | INNA

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | INNA in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | JOEL CORRY

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Joel Corry in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | FERRY CORSTEN

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Ferry Corsten in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | JOHN NEWMAN

Read the JUL ISSUE #91 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | John Newman 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.

CONNECT THIS SUMMER | FERRY CORSTEN

This time of year is always fun as a number of our favorite DJs are all over sharing their music and creations with a number of fans. Whether you see them in person or stream them on your favorite platform, you have the opportunity to experience their sound and what they're working on at that time!

This month, we caught up with Ferry Corsten who shared his 9PLAYLIST with us last year and with so many projects going on and a busy schedule ahead, we wanted to find out more about his artistry as well as what he's been working on. With a career that spans over 2 decades, we wanted to know more about how he got into the industry, what his creative process is, how he decides which alias will embrace his sound and so much more. We also talk about his upcoming album under his name with it's single Connect.

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

FERRY CORSTEN: This must have been when I was about 9 or 10 years old. My dad installed a car cassette played in my room and that’s when I became fascinated with music.

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

FC: When I was about 15 years old, I had already learned that you could do all these cool things with cutting and pasting tape and make edits of songs. I also had learned that with 2 turntables and mixing 2 songs together you could create something new. Soon after that I started clubbing and that’s when I met some guys who had a little studio. They asked me to come by one day and from that point on I was hooked on making or producing music. To be honest, I never really wanted to be a DJ but after my first few successes in the UK the opportunity arose for me to play at the biggest clubs and festivals. Obviously, I grabbed it with both hands and I’ve never looked back.

AM: In your career that spans over 2 decades, you have performed under a number of aliases and have had chart-topping success while also embracing an array of genres, how do you decide what project will go under what name or the need to create another name?

FC: My interests in music or electronic music as a whole have a pretty wide range, so I love to go into the studio and keep myself pumped and challenged by not always making the same type of music. This may be easy for me to understand, but not always as easy to follow for my fans. Therefore, I created these aliases so I can keep making different music without confusing my fans. They now know what to expect when they see a new Ferry Corsten track is coming or when a new Gouryella or FERR track is coming. Each project has it’s own distinct sound, one is more techy, deeper, more diverse and the other is either more trancy or more ambient.

AM: How would you define the Ferry Corsten sound?

FC: I’m always on the hunt for a very strong and recognisable melodic hook. That is the main thing. But I also look for opposites. For example, a beautiful melody played with a nasty sound or with a tougher drive underneath. Combining elements from different genres and blending them together is also something you can expect in a Ferry Corsten track.

AM: What's your process when you're creating new music and where do you look for inspiration?

FC: I always go for the melody first. When I have my hook, the rest of the track builds itself around it. I know a lot of other producers who go for the groove first, but for me its melody first.

I get inspired by all kinds of things. Of course, from new synths and sounds when I’m in the studio, but also from other music, from people, places, happy accidents and wherever the universe takes me.

AM: You have collaborated with a number of DJ's including Paul Oakenfold as well as Armin van Buuren - when you're approaching working with other artists, what is that process?

FC: It’s always great to work on something together. The one thing you need for this however, is an open mind. Being set on your idea without the willingness to compromise is not going to work. Usually, it starts by goofing around in the studio and bouncing ideas off of each other until something sticks. If being in the studio together physically is not possible, sending ideas back and forth is also an option, but not quite the same fun.

AM: Tell me about your latest single that you dropped this month, Connect. The futuristic sound of this song has been one that we have enjoyed listening to!

FC: Thank you. I like where music is going at the moment. It’s an amazing blend of techno, trance, and house. All the sounds I personally love to listen to as well.

AM: What is the meaning behind the name Connect for this song?

FC: I am fascinated with what music does to people, how it connects us all, what it does to our mood and its ability to connect one’s creative outburst with the world. It can also instantly turn a bad day into a good one. Everything is strung together and that is what is being reflected in Connect. Connect is also the first single of my next album which will see the light early next year.

AM: Connect is the debut single from your upcoming album, what can you tell us about the album and will you have any other songs that you will be releasing this summer?

FC: It will be an album full of tracks blending the above mentioned genres of music emphasising the togetherness music brings to us all. Over the next month’s various singles will be released leading up to the final release of the album. Towards the end of the year, you can also expect a new tour in light of this upcoming album release.

AM: With the summer officially starting in a few weeks, what festivals will you be part of and where will you tour?

FC: I will be playing most of the big festivals in Europe, North America and Asia. I will also host my first Resonation Radio stage at Dance Valley in The Netherlands this summer.

AM: Tell me about What the F which allows your fans to enjoy your music reimagined, remixed, and with a futuristic approach?

FC: What The F is a must for everyone who has been following my career. It is an open to close set in which I will only play my own music including crazy mashups of my tracks, updated versions, and remixed versions of certain tracks which you can only hear at this show. Obviously, I will play music from my biggest aliases as well. The name What The F stems from the idea of someone being on the dance floor hearing me play a track he or she didn’t know was mine and thinking…’He did this too????……What The F!!!’ …..F for Ferry of course ;-p

AM: You also have your weekly radio show, Resonation Radio! Why did you want to do this and what can fans hear when they tune in?

FC: I have been doing radio since 2007. My first show was called Corsten’s Countdown but after episode 700 this was changed into Resonation Radio. This name change was because of the change in format of the show giving me more freedom to play a larger variety of genres. Expect the best in melodic house, melodic techno, and progressive trance.

AM: You released Connect on your imprint, Flashover Recordings. Tell me about this label and what artists or projects that you're excited about that will be released?

FC: Flashover is a label releasing progressive trance, melodic house, and melodic techno. We also like to tease our audience with a quirky release occasionally. Our current focus is on US based DJ/Producer Dustin Hussain and hot new Ukrainian talent Cubicore.

IG @ferrycorsten

PHOTOS COURTESY| Ferry Corsten

Read the MAY ISSUE #89 of Athleisure Mag and see CONNECT THIS SUMMER | Ferry Corsten in mag.

STRENGTH IN SOLIDARITY | NYC PRIDE

Since 2017, Athleisure Mag has been a media sponsor in partnering with NYC Pride. During June there are a number of events that take place that bring the LGBTQIA+ and city at large together to celebrate as well as to draw awareness and to highlight the talents, interests and passions of this community. We always enjoy Pride Island which is a fun musical festival that will be headlined this year by Christina Aguilera. There are other events that also take place in this calendar from The March, The Brunch, PrideFest and so much more.

We sat down with Executive Director Sandra Perez of Heritage of Pride, the parent organization of NYC Pride to find out about the roots of the organization, a quick history of Pride here in NY, events taking place next and how they are drawing awareness, celebrating, education and raising money for small businesses. In our JUN ISSUE #90, we will talk about the actual events that took place!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into this year’s theme as well as events that are slated, can you give us some historical background on Pride in NY starting with The Stonewall Riots that took place in 1969?

SANDRA PEREZ: NYC Pride is an outgrowth of The Stonewall Riots. So the first organizers The Gay Liberation March that emerged from The Stonewall Riots, was a loose coalition of organizations that continued to really emerge from the activist perspective. They were focused on basic human rights, recognition within our community, but also really, Stonewall was about people being persecuted and that they didn’t exist publicly.

The cause feels very present. In the last few years and this year in particular. BY 1984, there was a decision made to formalize a pride organizer, we became and were named Heritage of Pride and we’ve been organizing the Pride March and all related events since then!

AM: Which is a huge job!

SP: Yes, we’ll be turning 40 next year! It is a big job.

AM: What is your role and what are the things that you do that are specific to the events for NYC Pride and then what do you do in terms of Heritage of Pride, year around?

SP: Oh my goodness, as Executive Director, it’s always funny because I say that I do everything and nothing, right? Because you have your finger in every little pot! But for the most part, I’m charged with overseeing our events, our fundraising efforts and our advocacy. For me, a big part of what I have been doing since I came onboard in Nov of 2021 so I’m not here 2 years yet, has really been working with the organization and learning. But also, reinforcing our activists’ groups. I think a big part of the story that never gets told about Pride is that so much of the work that we do goes on behind the scenes.

People will think, “oh a march just happened.” No, it didn’t just happen. We rely on 1,000’s and I mean literally 1,000’s of volunteers that help to pull off our events every year. They’re very committed and people come from great distances. They take off of work to volunteer because it is that important to people. I was just talking about this with a staff person, but they were like, “oh my gosh, we’re responsible to the community and making sure that everything goes well.” I was like, “yeah, welcome to Pride!”

AM: Absolutely!

What brought you to Pride and what made you want to work there and to be in the position that you’re in?

SP: I spent a lot of time in the not-for-profit sector. I had run a Latinx organization for many years, I’ve worked for the Ms. Foundation for Women as part of their fundraising and development teams. So for me, my goal has always been mission work. I feel very strongly about being connected to a mission that resonates with me personally. This is a job where I am able to bring every single aspect of myself to work.

AM: That’s great!

SP: Right? You don’t always get that! I can be the Bronx girl that I am, I can be a Lesbian, a Puerto Rican, an American, I can be all of those things. I can do that and be of service to a community that I am part of and I feel strongly about that.

AM: We love that this year’s theme is Strength in Solidarity. What does that mean and how are we going to see that throughout events that are offered this year?

SP: That’s so great! You know, one of the things that continually amazes me is that we open up our themes for nominations which are across the board. So this comes from volunteers, from the general public and this year we landed on Strength and Solidarity, because we felt that it captured the call to action that we need to issue this year. The way we’re seeing that and the way that we’re trying to live into that theme is really looking to bring in all segments and to speak to all segments of the LGBTQ community. There are a lot of differences within the community, but I think that the challenge that we are all facing is very clear. For me, being able to work hand in hand and to work across different organizations is really a big part of what we try to do.

So for example, in The March, you’ll see that we’re looking forward to it. It’s our signature event and in there, it highlights our community partners this year. So you will see organizations that are celebrating big anniversaries this year – PFLAG and The National LGBTQ Task Force. Lambda Legal is being honored as community heroes. We have people from every sector that we also lift up as Grand Marshalls. The Brown and Black trans community is also very prominently represented as our drag queens who are in the front lines now every single day. For us, it’s also challenging. For the floats for example, what we try to do there with corporate partners that have a float, we try to marry them to one of our community based groups that they can share that float and to really expand that opportunity to get people to be involved and represented in The March as well as not just a corporate partner.

AM: That’s amazing. We didn’t realize that.

SP: I know a lot is made of corporations that are involved in Pride events. I am very clear that we vet our partners. A number of them we have asked point blank - what are you doing in our community and how are you living into your DEAI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) at your institution. It’s just a really important moment for us to look at not just unity and solidarity within the community, but to also place and emphasis on allyship and what needs to show up for us at this point in time when so many of our rights are being attacked, violence is an ever present risk that we’re faced with, our volunteers are faced with as well as our staff. It’s a celebratory moment, but it’s also a somber one.

AM: I couldn’t agree more. When we first approached by your team back in 2017 to be media sponsors, people asked why we would want to participate. The first response was that I think it is important to be an ally. As Co-Founders, I’m Black, the other co-founder is a white man and we are a heterosexual couple. On various sets, our teams have had those who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as we have covered those who are as well throughout our issues.

I have always felt that you should be a good ally and be able to share those stories within your pages as representation is important. It’s always been important to me as I want to be able to see myself when I'm out in the world. I've had very close friends that I knew of over the years whether it was being sent to conversion schools/therapies, having a hard time coming out to various people in their circle or simply just not being able to navigate their lives who committed suicide. For me, these were people that were my friends and even in the midst of their struggle there were such a rich fabric in terms of what they offered to the world and each time I always felt so sad that they felt that that was what they had to do and that there wasn’t enough that they could stay and either increase their circles or find community that they could navigate differently.

From those experiences, I have felt that it is always important to be an ally and to have representation reflected. I appreciate that your organization is looking to embrace and work with those that are in your community as well as outside of it. It’s also great to know that when you are with corporate partners which is necessary to put on a production of this nature, that you do create accountability and that you ensure that the benchmarks align with it being done in a way that works for what you need. I really appreciate that.

SP: Yeah, I think that in part and parcel of that, is really looking at engaging. We don’t just have sponsors, we call them partners. We call them partners for a very specific reason. We want to go beyond the exchange of a check. It’s about what are you doing to our community, what are you doing for our community, are you engaged in dialogue? How can we facilitate the dialogue and how can we educate you as to what kind of support our community needs.

I have one of our Co-Chairs, Sue Doster who always says, “we set the table so that people can sit down and have the discussions that need to be had." I say yes that’s what we do and that we go a step further by providing people with the opportunities to do better. For me, that's a real important part of what we need to be doing in the future.

AM: Who are the Grand Marshalls this year?

SP: I'm excited about this year's Grand Marshalls: Billy Porter (American Horror Story, Pose, 80 For Brady), Yasmin Benoit, AC Dumlao, Hope Giselle, and Randolfe "Randy" Wicker. We do have our Grand Marshalls, once again nominated by community members which is really great. I think that they reflect a lot of the community, they reflect the very best of advocates, and they reflect the very best champions that are out there and we look forward to having them take the spotlight and stepping off The March.

AM: For those that may not be able to be there in person, will you guys still have The March broadcast on WABC and will there be other ways to access this event if they miss the live airing?

SP: Yes! I’m very happy to say that we just renewed our partnership with WABC!

AM: Nice!

SP: So you can see us for the next 4 years on WABC!

AM: That’s fantastic!

SP: We’re really happy about that. The March is a live broadcast for 3 hours. You can also see it on ABC7NY.com, ABC News Live, and ABC7 New York's Connected TV apps on streaming platforms Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku. We love for people to know that they can watch this in person, live at home or at another time!

AM: Pride Island has always been one of my favorites! Our team enjoys going – we loved when we saw Madonna back in 2019 – such a great performance. People were losing their ever loving mind! Christina Aguilera just got named as the headliner this year and I love that you guys will hold this at Brooklyn Army Terminal. What can we look forward to in terms of this event?

SP: I mean, I think you can look forward to the great music that has become part of Pride Island and it originated as Dances on the Pier! When we first started way back when, the community had no place to dance because it was forbidden right (Editor’s Note: Dances on The Piers started in 1986). They threw whole parties on the pier and those have morphed into things like Pride Island and so many other events that happen that Fri. and Sat. So Pride Island, you can see a lot of activations, we have talent, we have a few surprises I’m sure and great fireworks which always is fun, we have food and Christina’s set! We’re very excited to have her onboard, she’s such a great champion for the community and I‘m just as excited as you are, let’s just put it that way!

AM: When I saw the release pop out, I was like, “what?!?”

SP: I did squeal as well! There’s no jadedness here! We get very excited over the talent that we have on stage for Pride Island. But equally at all of our events.

We have PrideFest which is our street fair that takes over downtown and that’s 3 stages going on there. We have Family Fest, we’re going to prominently feature members of our community on stage with lots of local talent because this is where they grow and we want this to be a showcase of our community as well as local talent as well. We’re doing Youth Pride this year again in Brooklyn which is an important event for us because we know how much pressure young people are under. We know that it is not a safe time for them. So to be able to partner with Target over many years and they have been the ones advocating for this being a totally free experience for young people to celebrate in safe spaces. That is going to be a fantastic event. I’m really proud that we do that.

AM: I love that when you’re looking at the different events, that you present, The Brunch this year has Black chefs from the LGBTQIA+ community or that TEAZE focuses on women – you create programming where you can really showcase representation so that people can step forward and see something that can interest them. Why is it so important to do that and it’s so complex because you only have so many days but you’re targeting so many demographics?

SP: Yeah we do, because our community is not a monolith. We come in every shape and color and our interests are varied. The event producers that we bring on every year are from the community and have a real commitment to lifting up different segments of our community and that’s what you see when you see The Brunch. We’re celebrating Juneteenth and understanding that historically Black and Brown folks have been marginalized not just in mainstream, but within our communities. So really lifting up that talent and really lifting up our partnerships and what we plan to do beyond The Brunch and beyond the month of June.

AM: How far in advance do you begin planning for the next upcoming Pride event because it feels like you would be working on this one as well as the next one already.

SP: Absolutely! One of my big commitments is to get us to a place where we are planning this 2 and 3 years in advance! Because that’s the time that we would really need to be able to realize the vision, right? One of the things that we’ve done this year that’s different is that we have lightened our calendar and we decided that there are certain events that we do usually in June that were not getting the attention that they merited. So for example, our Human Rights Conference, it will move to Oct. We feel that it will be a really great time to go from the lighter aspects of Pride and really dive into the issues that are facing the community. Not just the issues, but the people leading us and offering new answers. So we’re very pleased that we’re going to move and lean into what we call Pride 365, which means that we will be present in terms of having productions year around. So we’re looking at having a fuller calendar Oct. – Dec. that will allow us to do our Human Rights Conference. We have moved our Family Movie Night and are looking at making it a monthly. It’s really about targeting families and children so that they can participate in a safe theater experience with other parents because I think that that is important to be able to build up that community. Parents who have children that are from that community are also important as well.

AM: It’s great that you looked at what you have done over past Pride months and were able to segment what made sense to stay in that period as well as looking at the longer view by seeing how you can create a fuller schedule that takes place throughout the year. It allows for those that are looking at what you do to understand that these are ongoing initiatives and are not designated for June only. Once again for those that are allies, that we shouldn’t be rallying around June but there are everyday efforts that can be done and are available.

SP: It is an everyday effort and we realize that we need to be banging that drum. We have a very unique space within the LGBTQ ecosystem, but organizations are year around. It doesn’t matter the size, we’re one of the largest Pride organizations, but I’m thinking of rural communities that are trying to put together their first Pride, most of these things come from people who want to create a safe space and our programming allows them to do that if they can leverage our work in service of their community, that really is the goal there. To teach that voice and to keep that platform open for the people that we serve.

AM: Are there organizations or charities that a portion of the proceeds of the sales of tickets/admission go to support?

SP: Actually, we’re very proud of our Pride Gives Back Program! It is a grant program wherein we award upwards of $100,000 a year to a variety of different groups that can apply to a grant program. This year, I think that we’re just sending out the award letters. There may be 15 groups in our cohort and they range from very very small organizations to large organizations who are looking for either support to stabilize. I think that what I love about the Pride Gives Back Program is that it really speaks to the organizations that are at the absolute grassroots. They’re not necessarily being funded yet and we get to find them, fund them, and incubate them. We have some of our grantees who use our space to carry out their events. We really do try to support their work with publicity as well as resources as well as staff time. We want them to succeed, we want them to feel that they are part of our organization.

We’re doing that and we’re also expanding our partnership that we have with Mastercard which will allow us to pilot a grant program for small businesses. We’ll be making announcements for that, later on this month.

AM: We were talking a bit about volunteers earlier, is there still an opportunity for people to be able to apply to be involved in this year’s events?

SP: Absolutely! We are always looking for volunteers. This is the time of year where we sign people up and we make it really easy. All they have to do is to visit our volunteer page and what we do there is provide information to come to meetings and our training. Our volunteers can be hybrid. You can be a day of volunteer and you’ll get some training. We have very experienced volunteer captains and there is always time to hop on board this train!

IG @nycpride

PHOTOS COURTESY | NYC Pride

Read the MAY ISSUE #89 of Athleisure Mag and see STRENGTH IN SOLIDARITY | NYC Pride in mag.

WELCOME HOME!

We love attending music festivals and here in NYC, Govenors Ball kicks off our summer season! This 3-day festival has a number of the hottest artists across 3 stages and a number of genres! Over the past few years, we've attended this event on Governors Island, Randall's Island, and Citi Field. This year, it settles into its new home in its 12th year at Flushing Meadow Corona Park in Queens from June 9th - 11th! This year's acts include Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Diplo, Kendrick Lamar, SOFI TUKKER, and Kim Petras to name a few! Over the 3 days, people can celebrate their favorite artists, have Instagram-worthy pictures, enjoy fabulous food and beverages and more!

We caught up Tom Russell, Co-Founder and Partner of Founders Entertainment who puts on Gov Ball from his vision of creating a music festival that also honors the spirit and diversity of NY! We wanted to find out how Tom got into the music festival industry, his passion for music, how Gov Ball was created, and what first-timers and veterans can expect when they come to the show this year! We delve into partnerships and the future of this festival. Make sure you read next month's JUN ISSUE #90 which will have our recap of this 3 days of music!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into Governors Ball, how did you get into the business of music festivals?

TOM RUSSELL: I grew up in NYC and was obsessed with music from a young age and I was going to concerts at a young age starting in middle school. I got really into punk rock going to concerts on St. Marks Place. As I got older, I went to high school, got really into jam bands, went to New Orleans for college and got really into funk music and world music and all of that of course Hip-Hop since I was young.

I went to a festival called Bonnaroo and had the time of my life and I had the best time ever! I said to myself after that weekend, “I need to work in music festivals." This was my passion. I was living in New Orleans going to Tulane and I discovered that the company that did Bonnaroo was based in New Orleans. So, I wrote them an email, wrote them another email, and another one and they finally wrote me back.

I somehow managed to wiggle my way into there and get an internship. I did it for a semester and then they offered me another internship and then Hurricane Katrina happened and they evacuated their offices to NYC which is where I was born and raised. I was in NYC for that semester as well. They offered me a full-time job and I had to make a decision at that time. Did I want to go back to college, or did I want to take a job with the company that I wanted to do more than anything? I decided to drop out of school, drop out of college with 1 semester to go, and take a job with Superfly. I worked with them for 6 years until I hit my ceiling at Superfly, and I decided that it was time for me to leave to pursue my long life goal of bringing my hometown and beloved city a music festival that they could call its own.

At that time, you had Lollapalooza in Chicago, Austin City Limits in Austin, Outside Lands in San Francisco, but there was no cultural institution in NY and I felt that that was just wrong and it didn’t make sense to me. So I left Superfly to start Gov Ball with a couple of friends of mine. It was good timing and we really hit the nail on the head with our programming and we really tapped into this growing festival culture and this demand for really good live music in NYC. It was kind of off to the races from there!

AM: I love that and that is such a great story!

What I love about Governors Ball is that you have different types of genres that are playing in the same space across 3 different stages. You can obviously see artists that you enjoy that you're already fans of as well as other genres and artists that you weren't familiar with and you always leave adding more to your playlist after going which I think is really cool.

TR: Well that was a huge thing for us. We all looked at our Spotify, Apple playlist, iTunes what have you and we saw that we weren’t just listening to Hip-Hop, rock, or pop, we were listening to everything and it was important to us to put together lineups that had artists that we loved and that we knew were amazing live musicians, but also we had something for everybody. People just have tons of different tastes. We carry that on to this day where we’ll have an EDM headliner, a Hip-Hop headliner, and we’ll have a pop headliner, and everything in between. I think that it just speaks to the variety of tastes that not just music lovers have, but also New Yorkers because it’s such a diverse city.

AM: Absolutely.

What is your process like when you’re sketching out a year ahead or whatever in terms of the different types of artists that you’re bringing in?

TR: So we’re always looking for the biggest and the best. We certainly know what bands have new records coming out. We certainly know what bands have a desire to tour around the Gov Ball time. We know what bands we would love to have, but they’re definitely not touring and we kind of go for all of it and see what sticks. We start out with the headliners and there are artists that we have made offers to every single year in the hopes that it will pique their interests and sometimes we just throw something crazy out there and they come back to us and say yes. Other times, it goes nowhere and we just fall back on artists that really want to play the festival and are releasing a record around that time of year. But for us, it’s important to have the biggest and best things. Because one of the beautiful things about NYC is that New Yorkers have access to the best of everything. We have access to the best food, the best music, the best parks, and there’s so much to do, that it's essential for us to put together a lineup that is the best and that people just can’t say no to because there are so many other things to do in this city. We have to stand out. So, it’s always, how do we put together the biggest and best lineup that will get people to have a double take and say, fuck, there’s no way that I am missing that.

AM: Well this year, it’s going to be at Flushing Meadows, Corona Park. What is the thought process behind finding the ideal space because it is 3 massive stages, plus all of these other activations that are also on-site?

TR: I would say that for any great music festival, the venue is almost as important as the artist. It really defines the vibe of the overall event and for Gov Ball over the years, we’ve struggled to be honest. We’ve moved. We started out as a 1-day festival on Governors Island, we moved to Randall’s Island where we grew to a 3 day festival, and we moved over to Citi Field coming out of the pandemic. But we never really had a large greenspace venue that is iconic and lent itself well to live events and that led us to Flushing Meadows at Corona Park. A park that was built and designed for events many many decades ago. It’s easily accessible by subway and LIRR. It is full of iconic structures, museums, and tons of trees. It’s such a unique green space. We’re so excited for this year and for our fans to see it because the festival will take on a whole new life and a whole new vibe and one that we have really wanted to have since our start. You look at Lollapalooza, they’re in Grant Park. Austin City Limits is in Zilker Metropolitan Park. With Gov Ball, we haven’t had that yet. Flushing Meadows is truly an incredible and special place that we just can’t wait to bring it alive!

AM: I’m excited and looking forward to it!

Food is always a huge component of music festivals as well and you guys have incredible vendors such as our favorites: The Halal Guys, and Taqueria Diana as well as food partnerships by bringing in the Queens Night Market. Why was this important to have such a diverse series of foods?

TR: So for us, we wanted to have the best of everything! The best music lineup and of course, the best food. People need to be able to eat and drink and to listen to great music. With us being in Queens, we couldn’t not think of the Queens Night Market which is such an institution. It has such an amazing collection of vendors from all over the world. We reached out to John Wang, founder of Queens Night Market and he’s so brilliant and what he created there and it’s so special. So we said, “look, we’re coming to Flushing Meadows and you’ve been there for so long and we have created this amazing amazing event, we would love for you to be able to help us curate some vendors that really speak to Queens and speak to what you have built and to help us give more variety to what we are offering.” He was kind enough to make a number of introductions and help us to feature food that will really be additive to the festival and to get people super super excited to have food from around the world. From Mao's Bao to Twisted Potato, La Brasa for those folks that go to Queens Night Market like myself, it’s really going to be great. So they’re going to go from seeing one amazing act to having an amazing meal, to seeing another amazing act to having another amazing meal. What do people want in life? Good food, good music, and good drink. That’s all that you need.

AM: It’s a full experiential opportunity to have all of these things together. What are some things that are being added to this year’s event that may be different from last year? For those who go every year or may have missed a few, what can they expect?

TR: I think that the biggest thing this year is our new venue. I mean, this is going to be a Gov Ball experience that’s unlike any other because it's a brand new site which is full of lush trees and iconic elements like the Unisphere. How we’re bringing the park to life with lighting and décor and art installations. What we’re doing to enhance the trees, it’s really going to be super duper special and for those folks that have been to Gov Ball once, twice, 5 times or 10, they truly have no idea what they are in store for because this venue is a whole new ballgame and it’s so exciting. We just can’t wait for people to be able to see it and to experience what Gov Ball has wanted to be since it’s iteration.

AM: In addition to all of the things that take place on Gov Ball’s festival site, it’s great that you also have After Dark. We love the idea of people being able to continue the party and to see a number of the artists that are performing at other venues around the city and to expand your footprint. Why is this an element that you love including with Governors Ball?

TR: Well look, the festival ends at 10pm because the NYC Parks tell us we have to end at 10pm and I don’t want to go to bed at 10pm! It’s way too early, it’s summertime in the city on a Fri., Sat., and Sun. night. So we reach out to the artists that are playing the festival and we tell them that we want to work with them some more, feature them in an After Dark show, keep the party going and we know the fans will like it. So we have events with Saba, Metro Boomin’, SOFI TUKKER, and tons more. So, for us, it’s giving the people the opportunity to keep the party going. We’re predominantly a NY festival because most if the people going are from NYC and the tri-state area. But there are tons of people that come in from around the country and around the world. So we want to give people the opportunity to see the festival at the park, but also to experience these great venues in Manhattan and in Brooklyn and elsewhere.

AM: That’s smart!

TR: Yeah. We just want to be able to have something to fill out there whole weekend.

AM: For those that won’t be able to attend the festival themselves, is there a way that they would be able to listen to the lineup whether you partnered with a streaming platform or anything else like that?

TR: So we aren’t livestreaming the event this year. If you want to get a take on this year’s music, you can hop onto Spotify and look at our official playlist. But that’s what we have in store for this year and I can’t say enough about this venue and what we are doing there. For those folks that are on the fence for going this year, I can’t sell it enough. It’s going to be super special and super new and Gov Ball unlike any other.

AM: You also have an entire philanthropic component to Gov Ball that involves the community which is amazing. Can you tell us more about that and how you’re supporting these particular initiatives?

TR: Since we started the festival, we’ve always wanted to give back to the local community. When we were in Randall’s Island for years in East Harlem, it was important for us to work with local East Harlem institutions because we were impacting that community the most. The flow traffic from the festival was going right through the East Harlem neighborhood. We started to build these relationships with local non-profit partners.

When we moved over to Queens, we brought that same goal in mind. This year, working with super local organizations such as Chhaya and ECRC (Elmhurst/Corona Recovery Collective) we’re giving them the opportunity to expose their amazing causes to a brand new audience and we’re also giving our audience an opportunity to work towards tickets to the festival by volunteering at those organizations. So for a few hours of work and volunteering, you can get a Gov Ball ticket and we’re fundraising for these organizations. These are super small and local that truly need exposure. They truly need funding so for us to be able to give back to them, it’s a really important initiative of ours. Over the years, we have worked with really large organizations too such as Everytown and Planned Parenthood and we’ll continue to work with those bigger organizations, but it is always important for us to be hyperlocal and to help these smaller organizations that have these great causes who have less awareness and to give them a means to benefit.

AM: Just looking at the future, do you ever see Gov Ball to be the same as a Lollapalooza, an EDC or a Tomorrowland that pops up in other cities around the world? Do you ever think that that would be a journey that Gov Ball will take at some point?

TR: I don’t. I think that Gov Ball is NYC born and bread. I think that the ethos of the event is NYC, we feature NYC artists, it’s NYC food vendors, NYC graffiti artists, NYC contractors and vendors and non-profits. The whole vibe of the event is NYC and we don’t really have the desire to stray from that. I think that the NYC works in NYC. I don’t think that you could plop that down anywhere else and we just want to continue to be able to make Gov Ball the best that it can be and now with us at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. I think this is only the beginning and we’re just super excited to go down this path of this incredible new home and new venue that we’re bringing to life and to just continue to bring NYC the very best in lineups whether it’s food, music, or what have you that we can!

IG @govballnyc

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 100 Charles Reagan | PG 102 Aaron Ricketts | PG 105 Roger Ho | PG 106 Carter Khowe | PG 109 Downs |

Read the MAY ISSUE #89 of Athleisure Mag and read Welcome Home! in mag.

9PLAYLIST | JOHN NEWMAN

Read the MAY ISSUE #89 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | John Newman 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.

9PLAYLIST | MARTIN JENSEN

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | DJ/Producer Martin Jensen in mag.

DROP THE BEAT | MARTIN JENSEN

With a number of festivals already on our list to attend, it's always good to catch up with DJs that we will see throughout this year. We caught up with DJ/Producer Martin Jensen to find out how he turned his love of music into a career, how his production background assists him when he is in the studio or about to perform, who he has collaborated with and his latest release with Days Like This with Jay Sean.

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

MARTIN JENSEN: From a very young age, music was always around me and playing in my home growing up. I never knew what direction I wanted to take – if it was in the industry behind the scenes or even being a DJ or lighting engineer or whatever – was doable. It was only when I first started playing smaller parties that I really got the bug.

AM: In terms of working in the music industry, I know that initially you thought that you would be behind the scenes in terms of lighting engineering and stage design; however, what made you decide that you wanted to DJ?

MJ: That is true! I think it was just a passion for the music, that is something you can’t bottle or capture, only try your best to communicate through your music, whether that be in person at a party or through your productions that people can enjoy. I originally went to go into my fathers family business to work, so taking a step back from that to pursue music as a full-time career felt a little challenging at first but if anything, it made me strive to want to succeed even more as I knew I had the self-belief.

AM: Because of your production background, how involved are you in the design of your show in terms of aesthetics?

MJ: As much as I can be! I always have the final sign off on design, my logos, my press shots, how I want a live show to come across from the concept to the finished product.

AM: How do you describe your sound?

MJ: Feel-good, fun, ready for the party!

AM: What’s your creative process like when you are working on a song?

MJ: It really can vary, inspiration can first come from a melody or even a direction of genre that I want to go in – I might want to go big-room and bombastic one day, or work with a really cool vocalist or writing partner, and take a more house or radio-ready pop route. Its all relative and I let each bit of inspiration, both solo and with collaborators, guide me.

AM: You have collaborated with Nicki Minaj, ALOK, Jason Derulo and more. Do you approach these creative projects differently than those that are solo?

MJ: With Nicki Minaj it was a remix I did, but I have worked directly with ALOK and Jason on our track Don’t Cry For Me. Each project is going to be different, not just in sound but depending on each artists outlook, how we individually want to approach it, so yes. With collaborations its important to have your own signature sound present but for every artist to collaborate in a way that’s effective and brings new ideas to the table.

AM: Days Like This was released with you and Jay Sean. Tell us more about this song and what was it like working together on this with him?

MJ: We really wanted this track to be a feel-good, as we say on it “No one can fuck with me on days like this!”, so we wanted people to feel that essence exactly how we aimed to deliver it. Energetic, confident and unapologetic! It was so much fun to work with Jay, he’s a real veteran in the industry and has worked with so many great artists before so to have him jump on the track with a great collaboration.

AM: Tell us about Me, Myself, Online which was the biggest livestream worldwide as well as a mini documentary.

MJ: It was! It was an idea born out of the pandemic as it was originally meant to be ‘Me, Myself, Live’ where we livestreamed shows around the world but obviously, coronavirus put a stop to that. We decided to bring the shows to people online instead, we streamed on Facebook, Twitch and had some super cool brands involved from amazing locations. Our first edition was from the Telia Parken stadium which is the national stadium in Denmark and we were blown away by the response… so we kept going! It’s definitely something we want to continue on in another direction in the future.

AM: Are you working on songs?

MJ: Yes! I have a brand new single out this February with VAMERO and Gibbs called What A Night, lots more will be revealed soon and I’ll also be announcing more tour dates as we move out of the Winter and into Spring.

AM: You were the first judge that is a DJ to be on X Factor’s Denmark! What is it like to be on this show and to see the talent that hits the stage?

MJ: It was a brilliant experience, to be the first DJ/ producer to ever hold the role of a judge also blew my mind, it was such an honor. When it comes down to it though, it's a really crazy concept when you think about it. The music industry is for sure fast paced and for these young talents to go through such a fast process full or pressure is for sure difficult and I see a lot of those come out stronger, but some don’t. It’s a fine line you really have to balance in ensuring everyone can work together in harmony to do the best they can in their roles. But yeah, it was a crazy time for sure.

AM: Critiques are a major part of success regardless of the industry you work in. When you have your judge hat on, what are you looking for and how do you approach telling people what you liked and didn’t like for each performance?

MJ: Being a judge it is not so much about personal taste, its about breaking down the talent, the attitude, the work ethic and so much more of an act. Sure, one judge mightn’t be a huge rock fan, or another pop, another electronic and so on, but to be able to look at an artist on an elevated level as someone in the industry, helps you to then guide them with exactly what they need – even if that might mean good news or bad news.

AM: We’re looking forward to hitting the festival circuit what are your favorites to play at and where will you be performing this year so that we can keep an eye out?

MJ: I’ll be announcing all my tour dates nearer the time as we still have some finalizing to do but my social media is where you’ll be the first to find out!

AM: Do you have any routines that you do prior to or after a show?

MJ: Its not very “rock n roll” but, no! I like to relax, have a beer, think about what direction I might want to take my sound in during the set (depending on if I’m headlining a club or playing a festival, for example), but its important to also let the crowd guide me too.

AM: As someone who is always on the go and travels a lot for what you do, how do you take time for self-care so that you’re taking time for yourself and getting a bit of a reset?

MJ: I like to play sports, see a chiropractor when I can – 'cos it can be crazy on your body touring all the time! – and mostly just spend time with my friends and family, work on music. Just pretty normal stuff nothing too crazy.

IG @djmartinjensen

PHOTOS COURTESY | Martin Jensen

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see DROP THE BEAT | Martin Jensen in mag.

9PLAYLIST | HBZ

Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | HBz in mag.

9PLAYLIST | MEDUZA

Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | MEDUZA in mag.