TOMCRAFT X DJS FROM MARS X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [STARTING IN THE INDUSTRY, COLLABORATION ON THE TRACK, THOUGHTS ON TECHNOLOGY HAVING AN IMPACT ON PRODUCING/DJING]

Two legendary forces in the electronic music scene join forces. DJs From Mars and Tomcraft have created an unmatched experience that will leave fans begging for more. Known for their unique style, DJs From Mars have risen to fame by combining infectious beats with their signature intergalactic sound.

The dynamic duo has garnered a massive following across the globe, captivating audiences with their high-energy performances and mind-boggling mashups. With their unparalleled ability to blend different genres seamlessly, DJs From Mars have redefined what it means to be an electronic music act.
Adding to the allure of this collaboration is the revered artist Tomcraft. A true pioneer within the industry, Tomcraft has been at the forefront of the dance music scene for decades, consistently pushing boundaries and setting new standards. With his immense understanding of the art of production, his tracks have become anthems that have cemented his place in electronic music history.

B2B INTERVIEW WITH DJS FROM MARS AND TOMCRAFT

CR: Hello, Max & Luca From DJs From Mars and Thomas aka Tomcraft, glad to have you on Canadianravers. How are you and how has the night been so far?

DJFM: Hello and thanks for having us on board! We’re doing really good thanks 😊 ready for a tour in USA next week!

TC: Hey guys, I'm delighted to be interviewing you. I'm well rested and in a very good mood :-)

CR: How did you both get started in the music industry, and what inspired you to become DJs?

DJFM: We always loved music. We weren’t suppose to be djs, but we always wanted to produce music. Or even play it (one of us used to play guitar in a rock band) so music was really the first love of our life. We followed some random paths and ended up creating the “Djs From Mars” project, it was really a game at the beginning, but now it’s still working great after so many years, so probably the path we chose was the right one 😊

TC: I’m a 90s raver. we were a big community and went raving every week. That's how I got into the scene and soon started DJing. Every week I brought my mixtapes to the clubs until the owners were almost annoyed and so i will never forget my residency in one of the best clubs in Munich;-)

After I started producing there was a competition in a techno magazine. The winner with the best song won a record deal. So I spent day and night in the studio working like crazy. I actually won, that was the starting signal in 1995:-)

CR: DJs From Mars, you are known for your unique mashup style. What prompted you to start creating mashups, and how do you approach finding the right tracks to mix together?

DJFM: We were resident Djs, and we needed some different edits of the most popular songs to play the whole night for 5-6 hours. Since we were able to produce music, we could create our own edits, to make them more dancefloor oriented. Randomly we started adding other samples, and the crowd reactions were always great. So we started uploading these edits on YouTube and BOOM immediately we started receiving remix and booking requests. That happened really quick, and really not on purpose 😊

CR: Tomcraft, your track "Loneliness" became a massive hit. How do you feel about the song's enduring popularity, and how has it influenced your music career? Also how did you connect with DJs From Mars and Hardwell to create a new spin on it?

TC: When Loneliness was recorded, there was great euphoria in the studio. With the release in 2002 it went straight into all the European charts and then #1 in England. i was surprised how quickly it all happened. i'm more than happy that the euphoria with Loneliness is still going on. This has influenced my dj career in particular. I was allowed to play all over the world and meet lots of people.These days I had a big flightcase with vinyl - oh god, that was so heavy:-)

I met the DJs from Mars at a festival in Estonia and we've been in contact ever since. They asked me if they could play a Loneliness mash-up. I don't even remember what they mixed, but it was an idea of the currently released version. When the Mars boys then played with Hardwell at Tomorrowland, the third act in the group was bagged - and then it took its course.

CR: DJs From Mars, your Alien Selection podcast is highly regarded. Can you tell us a little about how this concept came to be, and how you curate the tracks for each episode?

DJFM: We try to play a lot of mash-ups and bootlegs of course. A lot of young Djs are really good in this, so we try to support them as much as we can, because we know how much a dj support means especially at the beginning of a career. So we listen to every promo we receive by email, and select the best ones to play them in the radio show. Also we like to play different styles of dance music, from the new Melodic Techno, to Tech House, to Dubstep or Drum’n’Bass, we try to play different genres to make the show always exciting and never boring. That’s what  we do in our live sets too, so that really defines our style.

CR: Tomcraft, you've been in the industry for over two decades. How do you stay motivated and keep your sound fresh amidst changing trends in electronic music?

TC: I've been DJing since 1993 and, to be honest, I've never had to be motivated. I love what I do and have a lot of fun doing it. As far as sound is concerned, I listen to a lot every day. But my own style always comes first in a production. Only then do I orientate myself to current sounds. If I don't like a trend, I don't go along with it:-)

CR: DJs From Mars, social media plays a huge role in your brand. How do you manage to engage with your fans so effectively, and what advice would you give to aspiring DJs looking to build their online presence?

DJFM: Yes, Social media are really important today. People wants to see what you do in your every day life, not only listening to your releases. So we try to make some contents to explain what we do every day. And basically is working 8-10 hours a day in the studio 😊 We still think that music is the main point for a dj, even if sometimes it seems not. But if you go to the gym, think about your outfit, go to parties every day, you’ll have no time to make music. It could work at the beginning, but music is the main thing to do if you’re a dj. So we suggest to focus on music, work, work, work, and be different from anyone else.

CR: Tomcraft, as someone who has been recognized for your skill in both DJing and producing, how do you find a balance between the two roles? Do you enjoy one more than the other?

TC: Clearly the djing. That's where I come from and that's where I feel alive. In the studio, I like to use the experience of a festival or a long club night. So this is the perfect way for me to find the balance.

CR: DJs From Mars, you have performed at major festivals around the world. Can you share some memorable moments or experiences from your live performances that stand out to you?

DJFM: We were really shocked when we made this remix for David Guetta & Black Eyed Peas “Don’t You Worry”, and 10 days after the release we were playing with David at Ushuaia in Ibiza. So in the backstage we asked him “Maybe can we come on stage during your set and play the remix together?”

And he was like “Hey Yes Why Not!!?” For us it was unbelievable to play with him during his set, the crowd energy was insane. It’s definitely a night we’ll remember forever!

CR: Tomcraft, in your opinion, how has the dance music scene evolved over the years? What are some positive changes you've witnessed, and are there any aspects that concern you?

TC: Dance music has become much more popular, it's hard to imagine life without it. Pop stars want to participate just as much as rappers - that's wonderful and also very creative! The demand is so great that unfortunately the prices for everything have exploded. A young raver can't afford the astronomical prices for big festivals, which is a shame.

CR: DJs From Mars, your tracks often feature a mix of genres and styles. How do you decide which elements to incorporate into your productions, and how challenging is it to maintain a cohesive sound?

DJFM: Since we love every kind of music (we listen every day to Hip Hop, Rock, Reggae, Electronic Music, even Classical Music), we are constantly surrounded by new ideas. So we have a Google Drive Sheet where we can  note all these ideas also from our phone, when we are on the road. Monday morning, back in studio, we select the ideas and work on the best ones. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. That’s why we need to spend so much time in studio: we don’t believe in inspiration. We believe in working on a lot of different ideas, and select the best ones. If you only work on 1 idea in 1 week, and it’s not good, you’ll have nothing at the end of the week....if you work on 10 ideas, there must be something good! 

CR: Tomcraft, you have collaborated with various artists throughout your career. Is there someone you would love to work with in the future, and why?

TC: To be honest, my big dream was to work with the Bestie Boys. Unfortunately, this is not possible anymore. I´m a huge fan from the beginning and would love to work on one of their tracks!

CR: For both of you, what are your thoughts on the impact of technology on the DJing and producing process? Do you believe it has opened up opportunities or presented challenges?

DJFM: We love technology, we love how production softwares changed throughout the years, and how easy is now to edit audio. Technology is at our service: 20 years ago you needed a whole day to edit a vocal. Now a plugin can fix the mistakes in 30 seconds. That means: more time to focus on ideas, and less time to spend in boring technical processes. So yay, technology is helping us, it’s our choice how to use it at our own  convenience!

TC: Both. As technology has become better and better and, above all, much simpler, we have to pay attention to quality. A DJ with vinyl absolutely has to be able to do this, otherwise it will be embarrassing.

CR: DJs From Mars, your live shows are known for their high-energy atmosphere. How do you create such an immersive experience for your audience, and what can they expect from your performances in the future?

DJFM: We try to play always something that people doesn’t expect. Like we’re in the middle of a set, after a Swedish House Mafia rework, all the EDM fans are excited and we go with a Linkin Park remix. And everyone is like WTF??? Then the track starts building up, and we go into the electro drop, and everyone goes nuts! That’s what we love to do in our set, always surprising the crowd, never being boring, always keeping the attention at maximum levels!

CR: Tomcraft, you are also an experienced label owner. How do you approach scouting and signing new talent, and what qualities do you look for in an artist?

TC: First comes the music. If the music is convincing, there is at best an artist behind it. That means someone with character. In the best case, a performer.That would be top ingredients:-)

CR: Finally, what advice would you give to up-and-coming DJs and producers who are looking to make their mark in the industry?

DJFM: Be original, be unique, Do it for the love of music, not for the money and the fame. Work hard, have fun, Enjoy the journey!

TC: Always be yourself. Decide for yourself. Believe in it and don't just do it because it's cool. Of course it's cool, but it only works if it's real.

LIGHTNING ROUND

1.      Favourite Fast Food?

DJFM: We’re Italians!! We eat slow!

TC: Sushi

2.      Go to meal when you’re sick?

DJFM: Rice with oil and parmesan cheese.

TC: Nope

3.      Favourite drink to order?

DJFM: White wine / Champagne

TC: Vodka Soda / Bloody Mary

4.      First Rave/Show as an attendee?

DJFM: Bjork back in the early 2000’s

TC: Mayday Germany

5.      First celebrity crush?

DJFM: Bjork!

TC: Wilma Feuerstein

6.      Favourite comic book character?

DJFM: The Joker

TC: Woodpecker

7.      All-time favourite song?

DJFM: Redemption Song by Bob Marley

TC: Beastie Boys – Pas The Mic

8.      Go to vacation spot?

DJFM: Maldives for relax, Thailand for fun

TC: Italy

9.      What is your guilty pleasure?

DJFM: Listening to cheesy Italian pop songs

TC: Smoking

10.  What is your hidden talent?

DJFM: Cooking pasta 😊

TC: Comedian for my wife

11.  Which social platform do you use a lot?

DJFM: Instagram for sure!

TC: Instagram

Follow Tomcraft:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Follow DJs From Mars:

Website | Facebook | Instagram |  Spotify

CANADIANRAVERS X SABAI INTERVIEW - ILLUMINASIAN @ THE WATERFRONT NIGHT MARKET HOSTED BY ELECTRIC ESCAPE

On Saturday, August 12th, 2023, Illumination stage presented by ProjectXIX debuted Canada’s only all-Asian Canadian DJ lineup at The Stanley Barracks during the Toronto Waterfront Night Market, with DJs like Somna & Hoang in the lineup along with support from DeeCee b2b Quim, Celestial, Intothemiks, Ninekai  & Trekk. All are hosted by Electric Escape.  During this, I had the opportunity to interview Sabai from Monstercat at Hotel X.

For those of you that don’t know. Gene aka Sabai is a Thai-Canadian DJ and producer based in Vancouver, Canada. Sabai started his musical journey at the age of 13 when he picked up the guitar and learned how to play, he debuted his first single back in 2019 “Another Life”. His popular single “Million Days,” in collaboration with Hoang, was released in 2020.  Currently, Sabai & Hoang are on tour for their Million Days tour and in between their time, they had the opportunity to play here in Toronto for us.

That night, following up on Hoang’s set, the crowd was ready for what Sabai had in store. With a new single, “The Call” by Sabai, If Found & Linney being premiering for the first time, it was a set not worth missing. Going from trance with Somna to melodic dubstep with Hoang, everyone was ready for the final set of the night. Especially when the duo Sabai X Hoang are together, a b2b between them could happen at any moment!

Prior to Sabai’s set that night, I had a chance to sit down at Hotel X with him to chat. So i hope you all enjoy this interview.

THE INTERVIEW!!

K: Can you tell us about yourself and where you got the name Sabai? 

Sabai: Yeah, so originally I grew up in Thailand, and I moved to Vancouver when I was 16. So now I consider myself living in Vancouver and how I got the name Sabai. I've always wanted a Thai name as part of my branding. And it was actually my boss at Monstercat, Mike Darlington, who's the founder of Monstercat, that actually helped me come up with Sabai. We were going through a list of cool-sounding Thai words. So I literally just typed in Google and then five of them came up. And then he was like, oh, Sabai sounds cool. And then I went with it along with the meaning around everything that seemed very fitting. So we went with it.  

K: What does Sabai mean again? 

Sabai: Sabai means comfortable in Thai. 

K: What instruments do you play, and at what age did you start? 

Sabai: Guitar is my main. I believe I started when I was in grade seven. So I think that's when I was 13. So it's been 17 years now. And I play a bit of piano as well.  But I would say guitar is my main though.

K: OK, so I see you got a new song coming out soon on August 25th that we can pre-save. So the song's name is “The Call” by Sabai If Found and Linney. I'm excited to hear that song later. What can you tell us about the song? 

Sabai: So, I'm super excited to play the song live. So tonight is going to be the first time that I'm playing the song live ever. And the music is probably one of my favourite productions. This is a song about when you were a kid, and you get that question of, I wonder what I will be when I grow up. I was trying to take us back to when I was like eight years old, I was in my room thinking oh, I wonder who I'm going to be when I grow up. And basically, The Call is a song about following your childhood dream of what you always wanted to do, which is music. And now I'm doing music. So I wanted to write a song that showed that journey of what I manifested wanting to do since I was a kid, and now I'm actually doing it. 

K: So at what moment do you believe you made a mark in the industry? Like a milestone? 

Sabai: When I had a collab with Elephante, the “Love Again” collab, and then when Elephante reached out to me to go on tour with him, and then when we went on tour in the US, that was when I was like, wow, I have fans that are singing along to my songs coming out to see me and why I'm performing together. That was when it started to feel real that this could really be a thing that I could really go along with.

K: So I know Hoang, and you debuted “Million Days” together, and now you guys will be on tour as well. Aside from Elephante and Yetep, who you've worked with together, especially since you made a demo for Tim, and then you guys had the song Love Again. Are there any other artists that you would love to work with? 

Sabai: Yeah, definitely a few, but I feel like it's more like, if it feels right, I'm going to let it happen. But the artists that I really really look up to are Gryffin, Dabin and Slander. There's something about them, especially Gryffin and Dabin. I think the fact that they both play guitar. I just feel like I really really look up to both of them and the same with Slander. That would be like my dream collab. But we'll see.

K: I was actually thinking about how it would be if you both played guitar at the same time. Like, because then that would be crazy. 

Sabai: Yeah, so we actually did that live with Elephante during our show in LA. We built a more extended section for guitar solos, where Tim did his own guitar solo for the 16 bars. And then I did my one guitar solo for another 16 bars. I thought it was fun. And I want to do more of that. But yeah, if there's another collaborator that I could do guitar solos live with, it'd be really cool. 

K: OK. I'm excited for that. So off the top of your head, what's your favorite memory of being a DJ or producer?

Sabai: The one that comes to mind is the LA show, the debut show of the Million Days Tour at the Watsi. That was a very special night. So everyone was there, like my friends from Thailand, Houston, and North Carolina. People were flying around to see me because that was such an important show. And then, on top of that, all the fans that came in bought the tickets three months in advance. They're super hardcore fans who know the lyrics to all my songs and Hoang's songs. It's a fantastic feeling like seeing people sing along to your song. Yeah, so that night, I'd say that's the special night for me. 

K: So, the Ikigai label and the North Star remix contest, do you have any projects coming up in the future that you can share?

Sabai: Yeah, I am actually doing so many things, but one of the main things is definitely, I'll just say it, why not? I'm working on an album right now that I'm really really excited about. I feel like everything that I made this year, it's very special because I feel like I've truly, truly found my purpose in life earlier this year, along with all the music that I've written till now.

I feel like the music that I wrote three years ago was coming from a lot of breakups and pains that I was going through. And that was just me, by myself, in the studio making it, which is excellent, but it's much more collaborative this year. So after I found my purpose, I started to attract similar people who share similar values and everything.

So the music that I'm putting out and creating this year, it's very like, it's crazy. Because it's like songwriters that have been doing this for a long time, and then they're like, everyone's doing music full time, so everyone got their journey to where they are today, and then we share our experience.

So when I started the writing session, I would go around in circles sharing my insecurity and things that I struggle with and why I'm doing music, and everyone in the room would do the same thing. Once we found a common theme, you would write about that. It became something that we were all very invested in, so even The Call is, like, one of those, same with North Star, but that’s like the first two tracks that we put out so far, but yeah, I have a lot more. 

K: What is one goal for yourself for 2023 or 2024?

Sabai: Wait, what year is it now? 2023. Like the goal. I feel like I no longer put so much pressure on goals because I feel like, in the past, I did that. You know, it used to be like, oh, I want to hit one million streams, and then when I hit one million streams, it was like, maybe if I hit five million, I'll be happy. When you hit five million, it was like, oh now I want to play like this stage, and then when I play the stage, it was kind of like, oh.

So I start to realize that it will sound corny, but I feel like when you're feeling like it's enough, like what I have now, and then you're just like, I think I have a long-term goal of where I want to be, right? I want to keep playing bigger shows, and making an impact in people's lives, but it's not so much like I need to put pressure that I need to play EDC by this year or day.

But I dream that I do want to play there, you know? I'm just going to let it pan out slowly. Yeah, so I forgot what the question was, but basically, the true goal that I wanted the most is to get points for airlines so that I'm on a different tier so that I can start flying, like business class. Because I fucking hate flying so much, that would be like my dream, not having to fly coach anymore, but we're not there yet.  

Keith: So what the F*** do DJs do? The real question is, what do you like to do in your spare time?

Sabai: Um, spare time. (Lol) I'm building a lot of businesses right now. I think the side that people only see me right now is me being a musician, being a DJ and producer, but there's so much more to the network and the business that I'm building behind the scenes because, ah, I'll say, why not?

So, there are four businesses that I know that I want to build. That's like my life. So Sabai is one of them. Secondly is Ikigai, the record label, and then third is a podcast. The fourth is a venue, like an event company. All these four, they're all businesses that I'm very, very passionate about, and then all four, they complement each other.

So imagine if you're signing to my label, you know you can go on tour with me, and you can also have an opportunity to go on a podcast to share your story of why you're making music and all that, to reach more fans, and then lastly. It's also the venue that I'm building, you know, we can leverage that, not leverage, not the right word, but we can, this can be like another value that I can add to each other, and then they're all, like, complementing each other. So these are the four core businesses that I'm building right now, on the side, other than making the album and then going on tour and stuff. 

K: Okay, gotcha. And I love the part where you have Ikigai because you're giving back, or like you're giving forward the experience that you can have yourself from Monstercat. Like, I remember Seven Lions, he did a contest for his song back then, and then out of that contest, he had a whole playlist of remixes, which was able to help other producers come forward as well. So I love that you're doing the same, paying forward your experience and sharing that with everybody.

Sabai: And one thing about the label, it's not only the artists that I'm able to help, but it's also the whole creative space, whether you’re an artist, a songwriter, and vocalist, but on top of that, even videographers, designers, anything that's art-related. We can build around this right.
              

So it's very exciting, and also the name Ikigai is, I'll talk about this too because it's like how I live my life now. So the word Ikigai, it's a Japanese word for, um, it's basically how you find, like your purpose in life. So they break it down to this, like in four quadrants, where if you get to do, I believe it's, if it's something that you're good at, something that you can make money from, something that you are passionate about, and then something that the world needs.
              

Like, if you can build a life and make a career where all these four aspects are part of it, that's when you'll find your purpose in life. And once you find that, it's very like, I feel incredibly focused. Then I'm no longer, like, depressed or sad.  It's very like, even if things are overwhelming. It's okay because you know that there's a true purpose, of like where you're going like there's a compass or map for where you're going.

K: All right. So, being Thai, what are your top three Thai dishes? 

Sabai: Very difficult, but Pad Thai is one of them. It's weird. Pad Thai is very popular outside of Thailand. Maybe because there's the name Thai in it, but in Thailand, Pad Thai is equivalent to every other dish. But, like Pad Thai, Gra Prow is excellent. And then anything with oh! Larb. I like Larb. It's kind of like a salad dish that you dip sticky rice in. But yeah. I'm trying to get sponsored right now. My dream would be to go on tour in these different cities. And then, I would just hit a Thai restaurant and bring many of my fans over, and you do, like a meet and greet there. And I eat Thai food, and then I just get the exposure for the restaurant, and that's it. Yeah, I want good Thai food. 

K: That sounds fun. Is there anything you want to say to the readers and viewers?  

Sabai: Reader and viewers. I'd say believe in yourself and whatever you do. Okay, might be a bit long, but I think this is important. I think I believe that everyone will always have to make a decision whether to trust your brain to make a decision for you or your heart to make a decision for you. And then every time, like your brain would be like, you know, go to school, graduate, stick to the 9 to 5. Your brain is telling you that that's the logical, smart move to do because it's safe. 
              

But if your heart is telling you that you're depressed being here, and there's something else that your heart is telling you that you could do more, the longer that you're trying to listen to your brain over your heart, the pain is just going to keep getting bigger and bigger. And one day, it's going to burst. And I believe that the more that you're letting yourself follow your heart, it will. It will be so much more comfortable because that's what and where life is supposed to let happen. So basically, just trust your heart, believe in yourself, trust your intuition, and things will work out. If you just put your work in, like work hard at it.

LIGHTNING ROUND!!!

What's your favourite fast food?  Popeyes. 

What's your favourite drink to order?  Pineapple or something. Anything in pineapple. 

What was your first rave as an attendee? I still remember this one so clearly. It was the Season in Vancouver when Calvin Harris was playing. Yeah. I saw him, and I was like, you know, that's cool. I want to be the guy up there. Yeah, and then I just dropped out of school after.

What is your favourite rave or music festival? EDC.

What's your favourite season of the year? It's not Summer, but it's like. Summer's too hot, but it's. What's the season when it's not raining a lot, but it's more cloudy? 

Fall? Autumn? Autumn's like the rain in Fall. Sure, Fall. It's either Fall or Spring, but in Spring, it rains. Sure, like that season, like the no rain season and a bit cloudy.

Would that be winter, then? Okay, Fall, Fall. Sabai likes Fall.

What's your favourite colour? Blue. 
Starbucks or Tim Hortons? Starbucks

House or trance?  House.

Dubstep or drum and bass?  Dubstep, yeah. Dubstep is good. 

Tech or Psytrance? Psytrance. 

Day or night?  Oh, hard. Day 

Cold or hot? Cold. 

Okay, and then this is the last one.  Who is taller?  Sabai or Hoang? Like, we need to end this because it's not even a question. I'm like, I'm like a foot taller than Mike. 

Mike (Hoang): I'm taller.

Sabai: And I'm like, I get offended because sometimes fans will come up to me and say, oh my god, Hoang, I love your music. And I'm like, I am so much taller than Hoang. What do you mean, Hoang? This is Sabai!

K: Yeah, all right. Well, maybe we can have a comparison at the end.

Sabai: But yeah. Before we go, there's this one thing that so many fans like to do, and it's kind of funny. So I just put it out there because it happened at every show. And then they'll be like a fan that likes to run up to us at the show. And then they're like, oh my god, Sabai, Hoang, I love your music so much. Like, you know, I'm like your number one fan. We value your song, Million Years. And then I'm like, that is not our song. It's weird. Many people think it's called Million Miles and Million Years, mainly Million Years.  But it's Million Days.  But yeah, but it's just like, that's kind of funny.

K: All right. Well, you know what? Million Days is too good of a song. That's when you know you don't know the lyrics.

Sabai: What is it? Million Miles and Million Years and Million Months. Everything.

Mike (Hoang): A million bucks.

Following the interview, we all had a chance to chill and jam during DeeCee & Quim’s b2b and Somna sets. I loved that Sabai was wearing his jersey walking through the crowd in front of the stage, and connecting with the fans! I was even able to get a picture with Sabai and my friends together too, considering my friend Patricia was the one who brought me to a venue in Scarborough back in 2021 to see Sabai! This moment was one where I could share this experience with my friend, who introduced me to Sabai's music.

With Sabai’s set, he delivered, the crowd went bananas as Stanley Barracks was packed up for the night. The Sabai X Hoang b2b did happen at the end of Sabai’s set when they played “Million Days” together. In addition to the one last song, they even played their unreleased single for us called “Daydream”. Getting to hear “The Call” was already a treat, but getting to listen to another unreleased. Yay! What more can we ask for?

For anyone who missed out that weekend, don’t worry; Sabai will be back again soon. He was here in Toronto back in June, so considering he came back for this just a month and a half later. That’s a win for Toronto! For now, Sabai and Hoang are on tour for their Million Days tour, so if they’re coming to your city, make sure you go because you don’t want to miss out on the Sabai X Hoang set!

Hopefully, the next time he’s back in Toronto. We’ll get a full Sabai X Hoang set!

After that weekend, my mind was blown away by how crazy and fun it was. I finally conducted more interviews, video interviews, that is, along with it being 3 DJs. Along with doing the interviews, I even got to chill and party with them for the weekend! But once the weekend was done, I started recollecting my thoughts. Hearing Sabai explain Ikigai himself previously really got me thinking. Where is life going to take me, and what am I going to do to live life the way I want to?

Once again, this was a fantastic experience for real! Thank you to everyone involved in setting up these interviews, along with everyone planning the event. Big thank you to Zahar, aka Zirus Media, for recording the discussion. I hope you all enjoyed these interviews and hopefully, we’ll have more for y’all again soon. This is only the beginning! Haha!

PS: I’m taller than Sabai & Hoang. JKJK! LOL. xD, I’m sorry. I had to add this just now! LOL!

You guys are awesome, and I love the fact that you two are best bros and are a duo like Dab The Sky!

Thanks for reading!!! -Keith Au, aka Keyfu and make sure you check out the full interview below

SABAI SOCIALS

CANADIANRAVERS X HOANG INTERVIEW - ILLUMINASIAN @ the WATERFRONT NIGHT MARKET HOSTED BY ELECTRIC ESCAPE

Photo taken by Zirus Media Photos

On Saturday August 12th 2023, Illuminasian stage presented by ProjectXIX debuted Canada’s only all-asian Canadian DJ lineup at The Stanley Barracks during the Toronto Waterfront Night Market, with DJs like Somna & Sabai in the line up along with support from DeeCee b2b Quim, Celestial, Intothemiks, Ninekai  & Trekk. All hosted by Electric Escape.  During which, I had the opportunity of interviewing Hoang from 88rising at Hotel X.

For those of you that don’t know. Mike aka Hoang is a Vietnamese-Canadian DJ and producer based from Vancouver, Canada. Hoang started his musical journey early on as a kid and to date, he debuted his first single back in 2018 “Don’t Say” with Nevve.   His popular single “Million Days” in collaboration with Sabai was released in 2020.  Currently, Hoang & Sabai are on tour for their Million Days tour and in between their tour, they had the opportunity to play here in Toronto for us.

Two nights before, I had a chat with Hoang on Instagram in regards to his story giving us a preview of his set for Toronto. With “Come Running 2022 - DS VIP” by Darren Styles playing, a song that I love along with it being a Happy Hardcore song, it got my attention right away. Considering that night was Hoang’s debut here in Toronto! I was excited to hear what he had in store for us. When it comes to melodic dubstep and the fact that the duo Sabai X Hoang were here together, this night was indeed a night for the bassheads, sadbois and sadgurls to come out.

Before Hoang’s set that night, I had a chance to sit down at Hotel X with him to chat. So, I hope you all enjoy this interview.

THE INTERVIEW

K: Can you tell us about yourself, your journey, and where the name Hoang came from?

Hoang: That's a loaded question. My name is Mike, and my last name is Hoang, and I'm a Vietnamese-born Canadian from Vancouver, British Columbia. I've been making music since I was about 11 years old, in the sixth grade, but my parents put me into piano lessons early on in the second grade or so. And I wouldn't say I liked the piano. Like, I hated learning it. I hated the classical books and all that stuff and all the theory. But over time, I learned to love it. I discovered electronic music through piano because I listened to many video game music around the sixth grade. And I stumbled upon this artist named Basshunter. He's like a DJ who does like happy hardcore stuff. His music would be pretty evident across, like the maple story montages and things like that. I was like, Oh my God, how do I? I love this music. How do I learn how to make it? And then, I typed on Google how to make dance music. One of the first results was FL Studio, like an audio software. And from there, I just started learning for years and years and years. And I'm 27 now. So I've been at this for a long time.

K: Are you a big gamer?

Hoang: Yeah, I play a lot of Valorant. I’ve played a lot of League, too, like a lot. Like the entirety of high school. I’ve played too much League. And I played Dota, too. Dota 1 and 2.

K: Just curious, how did you connect with Ophelia Records for your recent single “People Change” With RUNN that got highlighted on Ophelia Advent Volume 4?

Hoang: Shout out, Ben. If you see this, Ben. Ben is one of our good friends here with Julien and I, and he's one of the label managers there. Julien and he helped to co-manage an artist, a perfect friend of ours named Senza. And I had this demo with RUNN called People Change for the longest time, and we didn't know where to release it, so Julien shipped it over to Ben. Ben is one of the label owners at Ophelia, and he picked it up, he enjoyed the song, and he saw how special it was to us as well, and he took us in. Shout out to Ben. As for RUNN & I, we put a lot into that song. Into the writing specifically. RUNN, an incredible friend, an incredible voice.

K: What's your process when creating a new track? Do you go around different melodies and demos?

Hoang: Yeah, a lot of people ask me this. There's no concrete answer, but I would say 70% of the time it just starts with a melody. For me, every element of a song stems from the melody, so I hop on my piano at three in the morning, feeling inspired, and I start writing pieces based on how I think or the experiences that I've gone through. I know it sounds like super hippie to say, but those are the reasons why certain melodies sound a certain way: because of the emotion that you're trying to convey from your own experiences. From the piano and then into your DAW, and then you build your song around that. And then the writing comes next with a vocalist you usually are friends with.

K: Okay, I know you got a back-to-back with MVSE coming up at Escape Halloween. Are there any artists that inspire you and you hope to work with one day?

Hoang: There's a lot of artists that I look up to in many different genres, whether it be EDM or K-pop, but Dabin, if you're watching this, I look up to you man. And in the K-pop world, I'm a big fan of IU. I don't know if you IU. She’s a big K-pop star. I’ve been listening to her stuff. As for Dabin, maybe one day. He's killing it, by the way. I've seen many tour shows, and he's an absolute rock star.

K: So, what projects might you be working on that you can tell your followers about?

Hoang: Yeah, so as many of you guys know, we're already running the Million Days Tour with my good brother, Sabai. He's here at the hotel, too. And we have 16 stops left on the tour. There is a lot of work left to do, but on top of that, I have many new singles coming out. And I have one coming up in the next few months with my brother, Yetep. He's crushing it in this world, and we all look up to him as an older brother. So I'm excited to release that record with him. And it comes out, I believe, this October with Linney. A talented vocalist friend, as well. She's dope. They’re both dope. I'm super excited for the song. I'm playing it tonight, too. That song I'm playing tonight.

K: What's your favourite memory of being a DJ or producer?

Hoang: Damn. That's a pretty crazy question. Okay, there's a lot. But recently, with my brother MVSE when we were at EDC, playing EDC was already crazy enough as it was. Still, on day two, right before our set, right before my set precisely, we were walking around the middle area of EDC, near Rainbow Road to meet up with a few friends and team members. And we heard our song, Moments, a collab between Martin and me, playing really loudly. And then we were like, is somebody trolling us? We have a lot of friends who like to put on Bluetooth speakers on the iPhone. And they play the song near you and go like, hey it’s your song. But no one was doing that. And I was like, what's happening? And then I look over at Julian, and Julian's like, they're playing your song. We look up, and it's like the fireworks are being synced to our song. And then we stumbled upon Martin at that very moment. And I was like, holy shit, they're playing our music. They're syncing the fireworks ceremony to our song. And then we're like, we just almost cried. And then that was pretty nice. Because we've been going to EDC for many, many years, so that was, that was unreal. I thank Aaron from Lost in Dreams for making that happen. I didn't, I had no idea that was going to happen. I was freaking out. Like there's no way this is happening.

K: So, at what moment did you believe you made a mark in the industry?

Hoang: There's a lot of times. I don't keep saying that because there's a lot of stuff that we've done over the last couple of years. But as a mark, I don't like to say I've left a mark because I feel like. That signifies the end of what you might be. Yeah, but a big moment where a huge realization just hit me in the face was when my song “Don't Say” first came out, and I've been making music. Like I told you earlier, for many, many years, like over a decade, without any recognition or traction from anyone in the public. And I was more so making music for myself. But I felt like I made a mark at that moment because I just took a chance on that song. “Don't Say” was a song with my friend Nevve, and it was an instrumental I had on my PC for about six months. And it was very different from what I was making for it because I was making a lot of big bro music, happy hardcore dance, and hardstyle stuff. Keep in mind, this is like 2016, 2017. And then I released “Don't Say” “ my first poppy melodic anthem-type song in 2018. And then when that came out, I took a chance on myself, and that was my first official playing release. And then it blew up. And then that's when I first started to realize, oh, maybe I can do this as a living. Perhaps I can chase this crazy dream for all of these years. And I just kept doing it since.

K: Yeah. That song came out before “Million Days”, right? Because I remember seeing it.

Hoang: “Million Days” was like the kicker of it all. Yeah. Nevve and I and Claire worked hard on that one. Super grateful for that song and what it has done for both of our lives, and our careers. Especially our lives.

K: What is one goal for yourself for 2023 and 2024?

Hoang: We have to survive this tour, the remainder of it, like mentally, but I'm super excited for it. But as for goals, I hope to put out some body of work, cohesive bodywork, next year, whether it be an EP or an album. I'm currently already working towards that because we have a lot of new music in the cooker and on top of more shows. You know, more of a personal goal, I just want to make sure that I take it easy.

K: Is there anything that you want to say to your readers or, I mean, readers and viewers?

Hoang: If you are reading this, watching, or listening, I hope you guys have a great day and thank you for supporting us in everything we do. Shout out to Keith. Thank you today, and I'm excited for the show tonight in Toronto. So thank you for having us.

K: So now we are going to go to the fun questions. All right. What are your go-tos when it comes to food and drinks?

Hoang: All things Asian food, but I know I'm not just saying this because I'm being me and biased, but I love Vietnamese food. So there’s pho or anything Vietnamese because it's generally considered like light food. So that's my go-to every day.

LIGHTNING ROUND!!!

What's your favourite fast food? McDonald's.

What's your favourite drink to order? Mango margarita.

What's your first rave as an attendee? It was 2014, you know, it was an event called Insomnia, run by Stanley. So he runs many of the events here in Toronto with you guys and in Vancouver, and he booked Dash Berlin to play, and I was just a little kid then. I was 17 years old, just going out to that stadium rave, and I was like, one day, I want to be a part of this. All right. That's crazy that Stanley is, for many of you guys that don't know, Stanley is a lot of. He runs many big events here in Toronto and Vancouver and also partners with these guys.

What's your favourite rave or music festival? I've been to a lot. EDC is number one in my heart, but number two. I'm just standing on this, but I love going to the Gorge. That place is beautiful. I went there recently to see Illenium’s tour show.

What's your favourite season of the year? Summer.

What's your favourite colour? Blue

So these are a little different. Starbucks or Tim Hortons? Starbucks.

What about house or trance? Trance.

Dubstep or drum and bass? Dubstep.

Tech or Psytrance? Psytrance.

Day or night? Night.

Cold or hot? Cold.

And then this is a fun one. Who's taller? Sabai or Hoang? Hoang. I don't know why everyone keeps saying that. I’m the tallest man in our entire group.

K: I don't know. I just kept seeing the stories, and it's like a joke.

Hoang: I'm just kidding. Yeah, I'm the tallest guy in our entire group. No, I'm kidding.I'm like 5'9". I'm 5'6".

K: Yeah, yesterday at Ray Ray, I was like, who is taller? I can't tell right now. They're both sitting.

Hoang: No, I am taller. And if you guys are watching this, I'm taller than Sabai. I'm calling right now.

K: All right. Keep that in mind, guys. Make sure you watch the next interview.

Hoang: No, don't trust Sabai. Anything that likes comes out of his mouth. I'm taller.

Following the interview, I shared my peas with Mike and his manager, Julian. I’m not lying when I say these peas are that good. We chilled for a bit before Sabai got to where we were to do his interview, too. Once we were done with everything, we all had time to chill and grab some food at the night market before they went on, considering we needed some fuel to last the night.

With Hoang’s debut set, I was not disappointed one bit. The music was great, a lot of the fans knew the lyrics to his songs, and I myself finally got to hear his songs live as well. As for the energy, Hoang brought this energetic grandpa from Happy Twist Potatoes, who was jamming at his stall from the night market, to come party with us as Hoang spun some happy hardcore. Boy, did that hype up the crowd even more.

For anyone who missed out that weekend, don’t worry; now that Hoang had a taste of Toronto, I’m sure he’ll be back again soon! Especially since we’re all Canadians too. For now, Sabai and Hoang are on tour for their Million Days tour, so if they’re coming to your city, make sure you go because you don’t want to miss out on the Sabai X Hoang set!

PS: Even after Somna’s interview, I was still nervous about conducting these video interviews. But after connecting with Mike, I can say, “Tell me the hard part’s over”! Haha! xD

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 Thanks for reading!!! -Keith Au, aka Keyfu and make sure you check out the full interview below

Hoang Socials