04
?02
TIËSTO
From: Holland. Style: “Provocative.” Best known
for: “Continuing being a legend.” Tune of 2013: “Danny Avila
‘Tronco’.” Breakthrough DJ/producer of 2013: “MOTi.”
TIËSTO needs no introduction to any readers of DJ
Mag and most likely not even to someone with just a
passing interest in the Top 100 poll. But what if there
was a dance fan somewhere on (or off) the planet
who did not know who Tijs Michiel Verwest is better
known as?
“As a lifelong fan of dance music I’d want people
to know me as a tireless worker who played some
really tremendous landmark live shows and helped
to de?ne modern dance music,” is the way the man
himself would want to be known. “To help grow
the scene has always been so important to me over
personal achievements,” he humbly adds.
With a career that now spans almost 20 years, DJ
Mag asks if Tiësto ?nds it hard to be excited by new
music? “Not at all,” he explains. “If you listened to
my music when I ?rst started through to the present,
you’ll realise how much it’s changed. There are so
many talented young producers that inspire me
tremendously.” To highlight this, he cites ‘Kveikur’
by Sigur Rós and Ellie Goulding’s ‘Halcyon Days’ as
favourite recent non-dance music and goes on to
tell us how important it is to have an overview which
is not de?ned by a single genre. “I like to think I’ve
played a part in the overall growth of dance music
without labelling genres,” he says. “I guess Tiësto is a
good thing to say because I like people to look at this
name and think of all types of dance music. Through
Have DJs’ fees got out of hand? “I think you need to look at this question from a larger perspective. People
make the same comments about athletes and actors with regards to salaries. It’s the business of entertainment
and clubs are not paying a DJ and incurring enormous production fees unless they can see a return, or at least
break even on the expenses.” Has dance music become the new pop? “I don’t know if you can call it the new
pop because pop encompasses many different genres of music. Basically, anything you hear on commercial radio
and it’s broad. Certainly dance music has a major hand in the production of many of today’s pop hits and some
breakthrough tracks as well; ‘Clarity’ being one of them.” Do DJs have a duty to speak out about drugs? “I
know a lot of dance music fans really look up to DJs and certainly this topic — along with some other topics — do
deserve a discussion. The educational process is continuous.” What would be on your fantasy rider? “Probably
the best pizza in the world (I like to have pizza back stage before my shows) and some of my favourite hard-to?nd drinks. This along with my best friends would be an amazing experience.”
040 djmag.com
my career I’ve always mixed things up. My current
sets have house, trap, hardstyle and much more. The
reason is because I love all of the music and want to
play it for my fans.”
With recent shows such as the 26,000-capacity
Home Depot Center in Los Angeles being billed as
‘the largest single DJ event in US history’, it seems
that coming up with new ideas isn’t a problem. “I
travel the world and pay attention to what’s going on
around me. I’m always looking to do exciting things
and if I have some crazy idea I’ll often want to do it!”
he exclaims. But is he driven by a need to always go
for something bigger than before? “I don’t think it’s
about ‘bigger’, I think moving forward is driven by
ideas and concepts. Taking risks and doing things
just because you think it’s a good idea and that it
feels right for you. If that means playing a massive
arena, ?ne, but moving forward is much more than
that,” he answers.
Having recently moved to live in New York and with
plans for a brand new artist album release in 2014,
things show no sign of slowing down, but who does
he think will follow in his footsteps? “There will never
be a next Tiësto,” he says, “every DJ that makes it to
the top has his own uniqueness.” DAVID MCCARTHY