POWER PLAY
EDM ON
COMMAND
SM: You are a very successful DJ,
performing at sold out shows, what
inspired you to reach out and help
other musicians by showcasing them on
your web show?
J: Thank you, it sure has been a
great couple of years. Recently, I’ve
been having a lot of fun doing these
#TeamJackEL - Artist Spotlight videos
for my YouTube Channel (YouTube.
com/OfficialJackEL). I’ve always been
one to help out artists around me,
especially if I enjoy there music. There’s
tons of great musicians out there, and
lots of them don’t know the first thing
on how to market themselves as an
artist. So I believe I can lend a helping
hand in showcasing there abilities to
the public.
SM: It’s clear you are huge in the
EDM world. Do you think your new EP
Breathe Easy is a transition for you
to reach a new audience, being that
it has a great smooth sound and also
features jazz and R-N-B artist Grammy
Award trumpet player Skip Martin?
J: I’m not one to pigeon hole myself
in one genre of music. I’m constantly
learning, growing and changing as an
artist. Music is my hobby and my job,
so I have to find ways to switch the
creation process up to keep myself
excited in the studio. My Breathe Easy
EP was a very natural project that
has received tons of praise and has
been called “ahead of its time” and
“the sound of tomorrow.” I believe that
although I’m mainly known for my EDM
sound, my true fans can appreciate
my diversity in music. I’ve actually
produced albums for heavy metal
bands & country artists, and every
38 | THE POWER ISSUE
thing in between. EDM is POP (popular)
music right now, so I understand why
my EDM music is the most mainstream.
SM: SLAM has a bit of a history with
DJ Paul from Three Six Mafia. We have
interviewed him at the premiere of
Tunnel Vision as you may have seen.
How did you guys cross paths and start
to collaborate on his new EDM album?
J: I went to guitar center one day to buy
turntables and met a DJ there named
DJFNA, we started talking in the store
and I told him I produce music, he told
me he’d like to hear so we walked into
the Guitar Center studio and I plugged
my phone into the speakers and played
him some music. He didn’t believe I
made the tracks I showed him until I
explained exactly how I did. He was
very impressed and he told me he was
DJ Pauls touring audio engineer/DJ
and worked with him very closely. FNA
invited me out for dinner and then to a
studio session with DJ Paul in Las Vegas
and the rest was history. DJ Paul liked
the sound and wanted to move forward
with more songs.
SM: What do you think is the most
important trait to have to help keep
you grounded in the crazy business of
entertainment?
J: Having other hobbies then just
music is great. I’ve recently taken up
basketball and have been going to
the park to play almost everyday, I’m
very physically active and even on
tour I try to go to the gym everyday.
I love to learn and read and expand
my knowledge on various topics. I also
believe it’s good to surround yourself
with positive individuals. I have a great
Article Key Code - SM - S.L.A.M. Magazine | J - Jackel
manager that makes sure I’m focused.
To me music is what I want to be doing
almost all the time, so I never have a
problem with creating it.
SM: You are originally from Canada and
now reside in Las Vegas. How has Las
Vegas been beneficial to your career?
J: Las Vegas has been very detrimental
to my success as a music producer. I’ve
met tons of fantastic connections just
by going to Guitar Center and other
simple places like that. If you treat
Las Vegas right, it will treat you right.
You just have to hang around the right
crowd and stay out of trouble here. I
believe being raised in Canada also
has been a great benefit as well.
SM: Do you feel a camaraderie with
Drake and Justin Bieber seeing how
they have put Canada on the map for
putting out great music?
J: I believe that Drake and Justin Bieber
had to come to America to make it big
in the music industry. Being personally
from Canada, I know that when I was
fourteen, fifteen and sixteen DJing and
performing in all the clubs all over my
hometown of Edmonton, AB, I didn’t see
any room to grow and or move forward
as an artist, so therefore I decided to
move to the U.S. to pursue music and
expand and branch out as an artist.
SM: What track was the funnest to
make?
J: I’ve created probably around 500
tracks at this point. The Breathe Easy
EP was lots of fun to make, I got to
go out to Jamaica for a couple weeks
to finish the project and gain some
motivation. I always love working with
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