We talked about being #1 on Spotify's Dance Rising Charts, musicality and more.ĪTHLEISURE MAG: You’ve been known as a genius for all the amazing music production you've done. He had just arrived after performing in Montreal to kick off Labor Day Weekend and was in NYC just long enough to play a set at Electric Zoo. We sat down with 2019 Grammy Nominated DJ/Producer EDX moments before he hit the stage. SMN: I’m trying, I’m trying – I have to stay on top of that. Then just essential hygiene products – my skincare routine is a big one. I think that the books and the music that I have on my phone keeps the connection between everything. I can take my music with me on it when I want to work from the road. This is going to sound super cliché, but my laptop. SMN: I feel like with my carry on, that’s a good question. I think I caught a Hardwell festival clip in 2012 or 2013 and I was like, “what is this Electric Zoo – it’s crazy!”ĪM: As someone who travels so much, what are 3 items that are in your carry on to feel like you’re at home and centered? SMN: I’m so excited! It’s my first Electric Zoo and this has been a bucket list festival.
Festival season – the festivals that I have played this year, it’s been insane.ĪM: We’re excited to see you perform tomorrow! It keeps the creative flow going and the energy. I feel that the gym it’s not like I’m coming down because I’m working out, but it’s about really staying healthy physically and mentally. When I’m not on the road, I’m in the gym when I’m not in the studio. How do you keep yourself relaxed and focused on what’s happening? R3HAB and I, Timmy Trumpet – there has been a lot of music that I have been working on during the summer so I’m just taking some time off.ĪM: You’re a busy guy and you have been at a lot of festivals this season. So we’re working on a release for that so keep an eye out for that. SMN: Right now, I just finished a collaboration with Afrojack. When you see that color and you’re on stage – it’s just in your face!ĪM: What other collaborations do you have going on that we should keep an eye out for? I feel like when I go in I just say, “ok I’m going to do yellow.” I think that the louder and the brighter the color, it’s just a bigger representation of the style and that energy. So I have done blue, red, orange and now I’m on magenta. SMN: I love that it’s like varied on the season or my mood. How do you love the fact that you can express yourself with your hair color? I’m excited that we got to do it.ĪM: We love the new magenta color. He’s done the harder music like more of the Dubstep stuff and just basically using the Dubstep and the Hard Trap and just giving something that our fan base wanted. Riot Ten and I, we go back and this is something that we have talked about for a minute. How did that come about and how excited are you to finally release this? I don’t like to go to a smaller room and change the setup because I still want to see that same energy.ĪM: So you just collaborated with Riot Ten with Glocks which is pretty exciting. Whether it’s a 100 or 10,000 – like there’s always this raw energy that matches the music. SMN: The vibe or the energy is always there. My favorite part about Hard Trap is basically the energy and uniqueness of the sound that it brings to every set no matter whether it’s a festival or a club – it stands up.ĪM: Does it change for you whether you’re in a massive venue like here at Electric Zoo or if you’re in an intimate club? How does that work for you in terms of vibe? It’s basically a fusion between Hard Style and Trap or like Hip Hop and it’s the best of both worlds. SAYMYNAME: Ok so Hard Trap is a genre that I started in 2012. What is that and what is it about this genre of music that you love so much? We found out about his style of music, his latest collaboration with Riot Ten and what he does when he's outside of the stage and studio.ĪTHLEISURE MAG: So you are known as the Godfather of Hard Trap. Known as the Godfather of Hard Trap, when it comes to style - he definitely has it. We caught up with DJ/Producer SayMyName who is also this month's cover. In the midst of getting in on the good vibes, we sat down with 5 acclaimed EDM DJs to catch up with them on what they're working on, hearing about their sound and more. We also checked out acts that we were less familiar with. Our Labor Day Weekend was jam packed with a number of sets from some of our faves that included Kaskade, Oliver Heldens, Diplo, Good Times Ahead and more. We headed to Randall's Island here in NYC to attend Electric Zoo Evolved which had 40+ hours of EDM DJs, 4 stages, an array of food and beverage options and more.