QUATERHEAD X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [THE NAME, THE MUSIC , AND THE SCENE]

2020 was an incredible year for the pair, with LUM!X’s international hit ‘The Passenger’ racking up over 80 million streams on all platforms. Similarly ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes’ alongside Ofenbach continues to be an outstanding success months after release, achieving over 320 million streams worldwide to date. The track achieved gold and platinum status in Germany, France, Poland and Austria as well as number 50 in the global Spotify chart.

With a back catalogue larger than most, Quarterhead have earned quite the name for themselves. Working with some of the biggest artists in the industry, from Robin Shulz, LUM!X and  Alle Farben to the Backstreet Boys, Quaterhead’s limitless abilities are inimitable. With 2020 proving to be their biggest year to date, they now look to set yet more milestones in 2021, with ‘Touch My Body’ setting a standard of things to come from the incredible pair.

THE INTERVIEW

CR: Hello Quarterhead, Glad to have you on Canadianravers how are you doing?

QH: Thanks for having us! We’re having a good time right now.

CR: Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves and where does the name ‘Quarterhead’ comes from? 

QH: So this band called Quarterhead is us, Josh & Janik. We started with 15 as an acoustic singer/songwriter project and slowly evolved into the dance/pop/EDM duo we represent now. When we finished school we didn’t know what to do: should we pursue music or not? So we flipped a coin. The name was born.

CR: Tell us a little bit of the story behind the track ‘Touch My Body’, the producing process, as well where did the inspiration come from it?

QH: We really had a crush on 90s R&B at the time we wrote it. So the song came to life at 93BPM with this Rhodes vibe underneath it. We later sped Josh’s vocal up and landed on this awesome dance vibe. It was quite a journey and really not the classic way to write a song.

CR: You have created an amazing track ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes’, it has been recreated from a children’s nursery rhyme, do you think more artists should recreate more nursery rhymes to give them a nostalgic feeling?

QH: We’d never tell anybody what to do or not to do but this was a lot of fun! When we did HSKT the melody was in the room first. When we searched for words somebody said “head shoulders knees & toes” and we really liked the idea to write a song about falling in love with your whole body - from head to toe. So this was how it came together. So “recycling” a nursery rhyme wasn’t the intention in the first place but there’s a lot of things to rediscover, for sure!

CR: We know the Electronic Dance Music scene is huge in Germany how did that influence you as artists? Also, which club in Germany is your favourite to attend.

QH: For us, that’s probably Bootshaus in Cologne. Unlike anything else! But there are many great and very different venues. The diversity is amazing. We grew up with a lot of DJs and dance songs on the radio. That leg some footprints. But as dance is quite universal the influences are definitely crossing borders to other countries as well.

CR: What is the best advice you have received while pursuing your career as a DJs/Producers?

QH: There have been many important ones in different stages but being open to external opinions is very important. Success is always a product of hard teamwork. Whatever you think is right might only be the surface of a bigger truth. 

CR: Where do you think the scene is headed? One year from now? Five years from now?

QH: We really hope that Covid will generate or cause a new love for clubbing, going out, meeting and celebrating with people. It really felt like the club scene had a hard time and lost a lot of attention to Nemlix or all sorts of digital social interaction. Many people might realize that this is never the “real thing” and go out more in the future. Life, friendships and love are to be celebrated! 

CR: What is one track that never gets old for you no matter how many times you hear it?

QH: Dom Dolla - Take It

CR: What is it that you love about the scene? Your subgenre's scene?

QH: We feel the scene is opening up more and more. A house nerd might be more open to pop-remixes, urbanized disco vibes and techno-infused main stage material. All in all, this is a development we really welcome. There is so much to discover! 

CR: Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on that our followers should know about?

QH: We are currently working on an amazing remix with a very well-known vocalist we can’t talk about, but stay tuned! It’s gonna be great.

Lighting Round

Texting or talking? Talk

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Hard liquor or Wine? Wine. Always.

Cake or pie? Cake

Hot dogs or hamburgers. Anything as long as they’re veggy

Xbox or PlayStation? PlayStation

Movie theatre or arcade? Movie Theatre.

Guitar or piano? This one is hard. Changes with the seasons!

Marvel or DC Comics? DC

Dog or cat? Dog

Hot weather or cold weather? HOT, any time.

Quarterhead Socials:

STENY X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [NAME, RECENT TRACK, CULTURE COLLABORATIONS]

Blending their musical mastery from their homes in Switzerland and South Africa, Stefan and Michel have been releasing dance music as Steny since their first release in 2017. Garnering support from industry icons such as Lost Frequencies, EDX, Nora En Pure, Sultan & Shepard and Lucas & Steve, the duo charted on Spotify’s Viral Top 50 the Netherlands with ‘Hideaway’, and continue to gain attention with their distinct sound. ‘Ghost Stories’ marks their first release of 2021, and is destined to light up the soundwaves with its soul-stirring aura.

THE INTERVIEW

CR: Hello Steny, Glad to have you on Canadianravers how are you doing?

S: Thanks for having us….fine thank you!

CR: Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves and where does the name ‘Steny’ comes from?

S: Steny is a collaboration between Stefan a DJ and Producer from Zurich and Michel a talented producer based in South Africa. We found the right chemistry that we were looking for and realized that their musical synergy was absolutely amazing. For this reason, we decided to bring a new music project to life and started producing songs together as “Steny”. We looked for a suitable name that is simple to remember. Steny is derived from STefaN

 CR: Tell us a little bit of the story behind the track ‘Ghost Stories’, the producing process, as well where did the inspiration come for it?

 S: Well, we always try to find inspiration on surfing thru vocals, sounds or music. We found this amazing, Indian-like Ghost Vocal. It was a great inspiration to make something more melodic, something “touchy” with that one.

CR: Since you guys are from Switzerland and South Africa, how have the cultures and sounds from both worlds joined to collaborate and obstacles you might have faced while creating music?

S: It is very special to produce together from this distance, but this has never negatively affected our sound quality. We are very interested in the cultures of the two countries and we try to present this in our music.

CR:  What is the best advice you both have received while pursuing your career as DJs/Producers?

 S: There is always a lot of talk and a lot of promises during our tours, but the best advice we have received was from a promotor in England…… NEVER GIVE UP AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

 CR: Where do you think the scene is headed? One year from now? Five years from now?

 S: As soon as Corona is over and the events can be held again. The parties will be overruned. The people yearn for electronic festivals.

We think at the beginning the whole scene has to work itself out again. What it will look like in five years will show which trends are current. Is always difficult to say. But we hope the electronic music will be melodic with groovy beats 

CR: What is one track that never gets old for you no matter how many times you hear it?

 S: “One more time” from Daft Punk…..this track is so creative and you will still listen in 50 years. Daft Punk was a huge inspiration for the whole electronic dance scene.

 CR: What is it that you love about the scene? Your subgenre's scene?

S: The artist of melodic techno/Progressive House scene don’t just make music to earn a lot of money….no….they do it with great passion. There are many interesting and creative artists. We like this scene because we are like a big family.

CR: If you were not a producer/DJ what would have been your career choice?

Stefan: As a child I always wanted to be a comic artist like Walt Disney, if the music hadn’t come I would have focused on that goal.

Michel: I wanted to be a cook. I still love cooking and you can work wherever you want to worldwide

CR:  Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on that our followers should know about?

S: We are currently working intensively on further productions for our project Steny…. We have collected very good ideas…. We don’t want to reveal too much yet, but we are still trying to develop our music further….We want people to recognize our music, but never sound boring…

Lighting Round

Texting or talking? Talking

Coffee or tea? Tea

Hard liquor or Wine? Wine

Cake or pie? Cake

Hot dogs or hamburgers? Hamburger

Xbox or PlayStation? PlayStation

Movie theatre or arcade? Movie theatre

Guitar or piano? Piano

Marvel or DC Comics? Marvel

Dog or cat? Dog

Hot weather or cold weather? Hot weather

Steny’s Socials:

ANDREW POLOLOS X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [UNTIL WE DANCE, MUSIC STYLE, BEST ADVICE, WHAT 2021 HOLDS IN STORE]

Montreal-based DJ/Producer Andrew Pololos has cultivated local and global attention as a powerhouse DJ during the past decade. With over 1000 worldwide events under his belt across countries like Australia, the Caribbean, Croatia, Greece, Hong Kong, and Mexico, his musical prowess is certainly no secret. Additionally, Pololos has an established residency for The Yacht Week Worldwide. As he continues to captivate audiences across the globe, Pololos has also been expanding his discography,  with his groovy and compelling signature sound garnering thousands of streams across platforms. Preparing for a significant moment in his career, Pololos has been working tirelessly to craft his forthcoming debut album.

THE INTERVIEW

CR: Hello Andrew, Glad to have you on Canadianravers how are you doing?

AP: Always well, thank you for asking :)

CR: Tell us a little bit of the story behind the track For Today’, How did you connect with Andria for this? Also, a little bit about your upcoming Album Until We Dance.

AP: For Today is really special to me because it is inspired by my Greek background. I was so happy to work with the Bouzouki Bros and Andria on this one. (For those that don’t know, the bouzouki is a Greek string instrument similar to a guitar.) Andria and I have been working together since 2015. She is an incredible writer and her out-of-the-box lyrics always sound so great on my beats.

Until We Dance is my baby album conceived during the lockdown. I hope it lifts people’s spirits and I hope that you fellow Canadian music lovers dance away your summer nights listening to the album.

CR: Montreal has started to get a huge House music following, how did that influence you as an artist? Also, which club in Montreal is your favourite to attend.

AP: Montreal had a big house scene when I was getting into DJing and sneaking into raves. Seeing DJs fill up rooms and arenas was the most inspiring thing to see. Currently, New City Gas, La Voute and Terrasses Bonsecours are my favourites to attend.

CR: What is your music/producing style from when you started to where it is right now?

AP: As a DJ I love all genres of dance music, so I’ve always been a bit all over the place in my production style. I’m still not confined to one sound or box and enjoy making everything from deep house to disco to tech house to afro.

CR: We know you have played a lot of cities, which city did you have the best time playing in and what that meant for you?

AP: Aside from Montreal, playing in Athens meant a lot for me. It was surreal to play at the top venues in Greece, where my family is from. Also, Mexico is definitely up there in terms of fun. The people are so nice and open minded.

CR: What is the single event that has changed you and the way you view life?

AP: I DJed an all ages event with thousands of attendees before I was even able to play in clubs. After that, I was hooked and knew that this was what I wanted to do.  

CR: What is the best advice you have received while pursuing your career as a DJ/Producer?

AP: A 5+ hour DJ set is like sex. You need to warm up the crowd with foreplay before burning all your bangers back-to-back to back. In all seriousness, patience and timing of track selection are super important when you are curating music. I treat it like a movie or story that has a beginning, middle and end.

CR: Canadianravers is all about representing Canadian music, so who are your current favourite Canadian artists?

AP: A-trak and Kaytranada are still putting out great music. Andria Piperni, JT Soul, Naida, Stephen Voyce, Ludo Lacoste, David A and many many more.

CR: What do you like to do during your downtime when you are not producing music?

AP: Boating, travel, eat tacos, trade stocks, play soccer, snowboard, hang out with friends and family.

CR: What are some of your goals for 2021, anything our followers should know about?

AP: Get as many people as possible to listen to the album. Release more music. Meet new people. Get back to DJing for crowds and throwing epic parties.

Lighting Round

1.      Texting or talking? Talking

2.      Coffee or tea? Tea (do not drink coffee)

3.      Hard liquor or Wine? Liquor

4.      Cake or pie? Cake

5.      Hot dogs or hamburgers? Burgers

6.      Xbox or PlayStation? Xbox

7.      Movie theatre or arcade? Both

8.      Guitar or piano? Piano

9.      Marvel or DC Comics? DC

10.   Dog or cat? Dog

11.   Hot weather or cold weather? Hot!

CONNECT WITH ANDREW POLOLOS