FEATURES
Dutch DJ/Producer Don Diablo, currently #15 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 list, has become a major force in the dance music world where he is credited with being one of the founders of the Future House movement. After scoring multiple hits on Beatport with records such as "On My Mind,” “Universe,” "Anytime," “Chemicals" and "Cutting Shapes"; Don is working on his forthcoming artist album for 2017. A hugely in demand remixer his portfolio includes Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Bastille, Madonna, Birdy, DJ Snake x Justin Bieber and many more. Don has collaborated and produced with artists like Kelis, Alex Clare, Example, Diplo and Tiësto to name a few. A packed global tour schedule playing in excess of 250 live shows a year has seen him play the mainstages of Tomorrowland, EDC, Creamfields, Mysteryland, Lollapolooza and Ultra, whilst selling out his 2016/17 Headline Artist shows in the UK, US & the rest of Europe. Don's record label "HEXAGON" launched in 2015 winning Best New Label on Beatport with the most amount of Top 10 records in its first year. As a producer Don is also credited as the "best selling house artist of all times" on Beatport. The HEXAGON Radio Show is currently broadcast in over 35 countries globally, holding a weekly Top 10 position in the iTunes podcast section every week reaching millions of people across the planet. The Dutchman also has huge passion for film & cinematography, producing all of his own music videos and is currently working on the title theme for a mysterious science fiction film, set for a 2017 release. In the past Don's music was used for series ranging from CSI to Teenwolf and Warner Brothers asked Don to create the worldwide theme song for the much acclaimed “Batman Arkham Origins” game. The track and accompanying video became an instant viral hit racking up millions of Youtube plays and global hype. With an eye for fashion and trends, Don's self designed HEXAGON merchandise line sells out within hours so it's no surprise 2017 will see him launch his first official fashion line. About Future House, the way you created your own signature, reflecting on positive lyrics which was a strong pillar of electronic festivals, but in your case with sounds that make people dance. When before it was more about jumping. I understand, as an artist, every song has a particular process, but if could get in one simple sentence, what do you want to tell the world with your music, what it would be? It's a very good question. I think mostly the songs, like my biggest songs, they kind of tell the story of unity, they bring people together. You know?! If you listen to Chemicals, This Is What We Started, Children Of A Miracle. They kinda have that vibe of bringing people together, uniting them. That's my goal with music, bringing as many people together as I can and just kind bringing a smile to people's faces. And at the same time as a producer, I try to implement new production technics and come up with fresh sounds and try to push things into the future. So it's something that we can move on for instead of look back. With a huge career and fans, with worldwide tours, with 15th in the Top 100 DJs – 2016 of DJ Mag, with the number one spot as Future House Artist of the Year on Beatport in 2016, tell us if you already accomplished one of your first goals when you started? Oh.. When I started I thought I'll maybe play at a local club, you know? I never thought I would be this far. But it's like.. addicted. When you see that you have such a huge fan base and that keeps growing you don't want to disappoint them. You get up in the morning and you look at all those pictures, reactions, flags, shirts, there are a hundred people with the tattoo of my logo on their body. You just feel an obligation to make those people proud. You know? So for me, it feels like I'm just getting started. 
What would you consider your next big goal? I still have so many plans in my head, So much energy. I want to make the live show bigger, I want to drop the album at the end of this year maybe or early next year. I'm working on a film, the clothing line just dropped, I working on the next collection cos it's selling like crazy. It's like, I'm really excited, so it's like I' just started you know?! It's how it feels for me, so I never think about any goals. I think my main is when I'm laying in my dying bed and have the people around, and hopefully, I did that touched people in the hearts, so I would think my goal has been reached. We notice that your songs have always a propose, and we love that. But we think your fans would like to know the story behind "Silence"? Ah, That's a good question. Well, I … The short version of it is, I have been with the same girl for almost 7 years, the love of my life I guess...We were just crazy about each other but If you do what I do… I'm always from home, and she said when you are at home, - I have a studio in my house, so I was always working, I was always trying to... My focus was really on trying to create something that lasts for the years to come, and I think in that process I forgot about what we had. And I knew I had to spend more time but at the same time I always felt like "this is my moment, I need to do it now". And we came to a point that she was like "you have to make a decision" and that's what the song is about. The decision made it self and one day I came home after a long tour and I opened the door and all the furniture was gone, there was no one there. There was just silence, so I sat down on the floor, and I looked at the window and I was like… You know.. there's a lot you have to sacrifice to do what you do. There are a lot of things happening that people won't see from the outside. I know people have their own way to do things but for me, it's being a long journey, a lot of work and a lot of sacrifices … It was eighteen months ago, now I'm happily single, enjoying life, enjoying music, whole new world. Your new song, Save a Little Love is amazing, what would you like to share with your fans about your next steps? It's difficult because every time you'll make a song, you think, that is the song I want to put it out next. It's always the song that you made last and you are so excited about it. I think tonight I'm maybe going to play two or three new tracks in my set but I cannot release all them this year and there's a lot of music also that are not typically Don Diablo. They are more like down temple, or a little bit sexier, some of them more aggressive. But I want people to hear all my sides, I always been making different styles of music, I guess now I'm known by the future house but the common thing is that they are all futuristic and they all have an emotional layer. So far is going well, my fans a very open minded, I hope they are ready for changes. I always see this very dramatic conclusions when you upload something new like "Oh no you are going to change to make this now!" and I always do me but I want to play different stuff too! Don't be afraid! haha haha The clothing line will expand and also I'm working on a documentary film right now…More news on that to come soon! How was like to play in Asia? What is your favorite place to play and why? There's not really a favorite place but I mean my mom is Indonesian, so it's always very special when I play there because is my mother's country. The fans in Asia they represent, so much passion, you can't see they crying on the front and I'm like - Oh I just want to hug you! - Even if it's a new song, and for me, that's the most important thing, my fans should follow me on my journey and trust me if I'm playing something new. It might be my next big song in a year, sometimes people just have to get used to, but in Asia they love it.
How are your feeling after playing here on Tomorrowland?
It's always very emotional for me, I don't know why, but for some reason, everyone from around the world is here, and people there have such high anticipation. There's always some pressure because they do the live stream and broadcast all over the world when normally you just play records you like and whatever, you are just having a good time but here one hour goes out to the world and people can watch for the rest of your life. It has more pressure, more emotion! I started in the back in a small stage four years ago and now I'm on the main stage. That's why I brought my mother! FOLLOW DON DIABLO FACEBOOK - TWITTER - INSTAGRAM @2017 DJ MAG MALAYSIA - THE KRAKEN MUSIC - TOMORROWLAND Comments are closed.
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