NEWS
EVENTS
Martin Solveig talks charting singles, classical music and Calvin Harris
House | Wednesday 9th September 2015 | Annalisa
The French DJ and producer has had one big summer, playing regularly in Ibiza and Vegas, as well as at a bunch of other parties in between. On top of that, he’s also seen his single ‘Intoxicated’ featuring GTA achieve huge success, including right here in the UK. We caught him during his down time to talk about charting singles, classical music and Calvin Harris.
Hi Martin, how’s it going? Where are you now?
I’m in Paris, I’m in my office.
So how was Vegas? I heard that you were there a few days ago.
Yeah, yeah I was in Vegas two days ago, it was amazing. I have to say that I’m very, very happy with my residency at XS, Surrender, Encore, it’s really a fantastic location and it’s doing well for me.
And did you go to Ibiza a few days ago as well?
I’m in Ibiza every Wednesday from the first Wednesday of June until the last Wednesday of September. Right now I do Ibiza – Vegas, Ibiza – Vegas every week almost.
Wow that must be tiring!
Yeah it is [laughs]. That’s why I take two days of complete break and I do almost only sleeping, which is basically now.
So when did you first play in Ibiza?
This season it was the last Wednesday of May.
You said that you liked your location in Vegas but what is your most favourite place in the world?
I don’t have one otherwise I would stay there. Of course my favourite location in the world is an Airbus A380! The truth is I love the idea of travelling all the time, I’m always excited for the next location. I think right now I just can’t stay in one place, I’m really happy to travel.
Is there a place you would love to visit the most?
Yeah I’m looking forward to going back to Japan, which is a really fantastic country. I always have so much fun there, I feel like in a different planet and at the same time everything is so refined and interesting and deep, so I should probably go back there at the beginning of next year, early 2016. I’m really excited for that.
I bet you are! What are the most unlikely music genres you listen to?
I don’t know if any type of music is unlikely. I listen to a lot of classical music but I don’t know if it’s really bizarre, probably not, but that’s maybe not what people would expect the most. I listen to a lot of Debussy.
And who is the first DJ that you admired?
When I started there were two names that were really on the top of my list, they were Masters At Work and a German guy called Mousse T.
How does it feel to be at number five in the UK charts with ‘Intoxicated’?
It feels surreal because I think I had my first chart in the UK in 2003, and basically number five is my highest ranking single ever. It’s really surreal to be able to score the highest rank twelve years after the beginning of my career as a producer, so I feel really blessed and very excited. It’s great especially because of Shazam, things have happened very naturally and so I think the English people really made the success and so I feel very honoured in a way.
When are you going to be as rich as Calvin Harris?
[laughs] Never!
Why not?
He’s way, way, way too far! To make it simple, it’s like if you were asking a normal tennis player who has just won a Masters 1000 when he is going to be as rich as Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer. After you score one tournament you just want to score the next. Calvin Harris is a legend and I’m just a guy making music and enjoying the ride.
So what are you most proud of achieving so far?
Actually I’m the kind of guy who really looks ahead all the time so I’m not really proud of anything I’ve achieved yet, it’s not really now the time for me to think about that if you see what I mean. When I’m done with my career then I’ll be able to say. One of the things I’m the most proud of is to have played Coachella twice. That’s a great achievement for me.
Who do you want to be on a line-up with or play with right now?
I would say Duke Dumont.
And who do you want to be on a line-up with least?
Calvin Harris, it’s impossible to play against him! [laughs] I had the case at EDC Vegas this year and it was really difficult for me.
Tell us about the video for ‘Intoxicated’. It’s pretty crazy and everybody seems to love it.
We were thinking of making a video that’s inspired by surrealism, that movement, so it’s a little bit absurd. It’s still fresh looking because it has vivid colours and it’s very happy and very energetic, so it’s basically the right transcription of what the music is about.
Yeah that’s true. Do you sing?
I do sing, not that I sing necessarily well, but the voice on ‘Intoxicated’ is my voice.
Ah wow! What is your life motto?
My only motto is to enjoy myself and maybe try to share a little bit of that too.
What ideas changed your life?
That’s a pretty deep question! I don’t know, it’s too complicated! I’m a very complicated guy.
Tell us something about you that is weird.
Everything about me is weird [laughs].
What question do you hate to answer?
What ideas changed your life? That’s a crazy question.
That’s a good one! What’s been your shittiest moment so far?
When I lost my passport and was retained at immigration because I couldn’t go anywhere.
What is the worst job you’ve ever done?
When I was 17 I did for a month telemarketing, phone marketing, you call people to sell phones or whatever. I did that for a month.
How was it?
It was a good experience actually. It was full of surprises because when you call someone you don’t know anything about, some people are super nice, some people are super aggressive, and you’re the best container of any feeling that they have for the day. You are going to disrupt them in whatever they are doing, so of course it’s always a bad time and you’re gonna be considered the worst people on earth, but sometimes you manage to engage in pretty fun conversations.
What are you in love with the most right now?
The thing I love the most is my life.
That’s good! Can you describe your current state of mind in five words or less?
Sure. Happy, fun, tired, sport, book.
What was the last book you read?
It’s an essay by Jacques Attali.
Was it any good?
Yeah it’s great, I love Jacques Attali, I read all his books, I think he’s a great guy. It’s called Become Yourself.
Follow Martin Solveig on Twitter.
