The Paris-born David Guetta, popular for his studio albums such as ‘Just a Little More Love’ , ‘Guetta Blaster’, ‘One Love’ calls himself a DJ first and a producer next. That’s because the 48-year-old essentially stepped into clubs to introduce people to new music trends and serve as a change maker of sorts. Most of his life revolves around travel, social media and making music. On the eve of his performance in India, he takes time for a chat with MetroPlus on what keeps him consistently and musically motivated.
Why did the essential preference over pop to mainstream electronic genre of music happen in your career? Talk on how you relate to electronic music better?
I started to DJ even before house music at 17. I was like, one of the most indie DJs, but absolutely no one knew the name of DJ in a club. I started playing a mix of funk and new wave. It's funny because it's what I do today, a mix of dark electronic sad sounds with happy groovy songs.
I'm actually producing the music that I was doing when I was young. I always felt our music was not respected the way it should have been, and I've done everything to change this.
Do you remember doing anything different for ‘One Love’, for it still is an album that has your widest audience?
'One Love' made me famous for that combination of urban and dance that was new at the time. It really changed the game and opened the doors for dance music in America. It also made me question myself. I really wanted to do something else and came out of my comfort zone.
What do you enjoy doing more, being a DJ, producing music or performing live with various artists?
Music at large is what I enjoy. It’s the essence of my soul. It wakes me up in the morning and puts me to sleep at night.
I can't imagine my world without music. I love to make people dance; it's a way of bringing people together regardless of religion, nationality, sexuality, belief. I got into producing to create songs that were missing from my sets. That’s the opposite path that young talent in the EDM scene take today.
You become a DJ because you’re a good producer. A lot of the new generation wouldn't even understand what I'm saying because they start off as producers.
What do you think an artiste must do to keep evolving?
The technical aspect of music is important, but what makes a record a hit is not the execution - it's the original creative idea. The field and the application of knowledge is more important than the name one makes. Collaboration is healthy and one should be receptive to it. I would just advice all DJ’s to learn to be producers first.
How do you bring about a balance in your personal life, given your extensive travels and rehearsals in odd hours?
I don't really chill out, honestly. It's working, but it's not because I don't have to come out with a new single. I can just make music for fun. So to me, that is making music a hobby. It's still the most exciting thing to me.
Your world is about your studio, travel and music production. Do you sometimes feel disconnected to the happenings on the globe?
Unfortunately I’m travelling most of the times but my manager makes sure I’m well connected and I think social media helps in a big way to keep artists connected to worldly happenings.
Did the terrorist attack in Paris shake you and your beloved mentally?
Yes. It was unfortunate and it took me a while to recover from the news.
What do you have to say about the evolution of Indian independent music? Are you in touch with the tastes of a music lover in this country?
I think Indians are very flexible and are music lovers by heart. They welcome experimentation with an open mind. In terms of experiments, I think there can be a brand new genre with the fusion of world music and Indian classical music. I think possibilities of like-minded mergers shouldn’t be ignored.
Something on your forthcoming collaborations, tours and albums?
It’s too early to comment but I have a big surprise in store in terms of collaborations and touring.
(David Guetta is performing at Sunburn Goa on December 27)
