Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in electronic dance music? What drew you to the genre, and how did you develop your skills as a producer?
Hello, first of all, thank you for the invitation to this interview. My taste for the genre started a while ago when I used to listen to the radio where they played music by Avicii, Taio Cruz,LMFAO, DEV, etc. Sometime later I discovered on YouTube one of the biggest festivals in the world like Tomorrowland, with the sets of some young guys called Hardwell and Nicky Romero which were of great impact for me, since then I started to develop a special love for EDM. I started as a DJ and played in some celebrations of my friends, years later I started to
create my first mashups and mixes for my Soundcloud and YouTube channel. Now in this new stage as a producer, the road is difficult but not impossible, with the hope of someday being heard by hope to one day be heard all over the world.
Congratulations on your amazing achievement at Tomorrowland! Can you tell us more about the experience of having one of your mashups played by Steve Aoki on the main stage alongside Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike? How did it feel to see your work showcased at such a prestigious event?
Thank you very much, the experience was AMAZING, to have one of my idols write me to ask me for my work was CRAZY! I was in shock after hearing and seeing my mashup being played live in Tomorrowland. I still cant get over it. The best part was to see how Steve Aoki enjoyed my mashup and the audience too.
You had your first presentation in a festival in your country, can you tell us how was the experience in your first show?
Yes, I had my first presentation in a B2B with a friend. Before going on stage, I was very nervous and I was afraid that the set would not be to the public & liking, But everything was totally different, from the first track the audience went crazy, they were screaming, jumping, it was one of the best feelings of my life. I had the great opportunity to show myself and let them know who Stephen Hurtley is.
Your remakes and mashups have gained significant attention and popularity. Can you walk us through your creative process when working on these projects? How do you select the tracks to combine and what techniques do you use to ensure a seamless blend?
Every day I listen to the music that is released weekly, that’s when my ideas come to the surface and I start to familiarize the tracks and put them together in my mind (between old tracks, new ones and vice versa) and that’s when I get those ideas into the DAW, when I feel they sound good together I start working on them. It’s always good to to take references and sometimes I listen to remixes or bootlegs of the track I use. I’ve taken my mashups to another level and all this work is reflected in the constant support from high constant support from top artists!
You mentioned your mashup “I Could Be the One” which combines the EDM anthem. “I Could Be the One” with “Revolution”. What inspired you to merge these particular tracks? How do you approach incorporating multiple elements from different songs to create a cohesive and unique mashup?
I like to combine old tracks with current ones, I was just doing the recreation of a Hardwell mashup which he played at the UMF with his iconic track “Apollo” and his most recent collab “Revolution”.
That’s when I had the idea to merge it with “I Could Be The One” and I incorporated several layers of acapella to have more stereo envelope and added the melody of the same in the buildup for more punch and the formula didn’t fail me, it was a successful combination!
What tools or software do you use in your music production? Are there any specific plugins or equipment that you find essential in your setup?
I use daw FL Studio. To start, I consider essential to have a laptop or pc, headphones, and a lot of desire to progress!
Collaboration is a common theme in the EDM world. If you could collaborate with any artist or producer, who would it be and why? What do you think you could create together?
I have Hardwell as my main idol, and it’s my dream to collaborate with him someday, the style I’m working with is old school style and we could create something incredible together but for that I still have a lot to polish and learn!
What advice would you give to aspiring EDM producers looking to break into the industry? What lessons have you learned throughout your career that you wish you knew when you were starting out?
Guys, from the first moment believe it, be sure of what you want to achieve, when you feel that the road is difficult do not give up and fight for that dream you want to achieve, Sooner or later it will happen, just don’t give up. Throughout my journey I have learned not to depend on hear say, if you want to do something DO IT! no matter what anyone says!
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the future of your music career? Are there any upcoming projects or releases that you’re particularly excited about?
My goal for the future is to consolidate myself as a great producer and take my music to all corners of the world. I have many projects coming up that I am very excited about and are of utmost importance for my career, really stay tuned to my social networks, I’ll be back soon with my weekly radio show, with new mashups and lots of new music!
Can you share a few words about Deep Waves Music?
I really like this project where they support rising artists, in addition to supporting their radio show. Much success in the future for Deep Waves Music and thanks for making me a part of your family!
