The 22 year-old known for his outstanding contribution to the electronic scene has been making tidal waves throughout the industry as of late. The first to join forces with W&W’s new label, Mainstage Music. Maurice West grew up in a family of musicians and naturally took on music himself. Working along side some of the most prominent artists in the industry, the Netherlands native is just warming up!
Exclusive Maurice West Interview
*This interview was edited for clarity*
First off, how’s everything going in your life right now?
Pretty smooth I must say. Having a lot of fun in the studio and playing really dope shows. Really excited for everything that’s coming up in the summer as well.
Just off the release of your remix “Selfish” by – Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike & Era Istefi. – How does it feel to have the remix available to the public?
Feels amazing. The weird thing about this job is that you get rewarded in public for something that you’ve been working on in private for hours and hours. This remix was sort of a gamble because the first drop was something I didn’t intend to actually use in the final version. I made that drop just to try out some weird stuff but then when I played it at a festival everybody went crazy. I kept it in there eventually and the feedback from the people online has been amazing! I’m super grateful!
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike ft. Era Istrefi – Selfish (Maurice West Remix)
Where did the inspiration come from for it?
I heard Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike play the original song at a show before it was released. I was instantly hooked because they sampled the chords from Africa by Toto, which is one of my favorite songs ever. I asked them for the parts and immediately started working. I knew exactly what a Maurice West remixed was gonna sound like so it all went pretty fast.
What does your creative process look like when putting a track together? What types of things do you look for or start with?
I almost always start with a melody. Melodies just pop up in my head at the most random of times. I save them by singing them into my phone. I usually then start playing around with that melody on the piano and see what kind of vibe I can create with it and what chords will be cool and give power to the melody. After that, I think it’s really important to find a concept for the song. I always try to tell a story and take people with me on a journey throughout the whole track.
What drew you initially to make the sort of sound you typically produce?
I always used to listen to a lot of Skrillex, Knife Party, Madeon, Porter Robinson but also guys like Alesso, W&W, Showtek, etc. so I think my musical palette came forth from that. I’m just really into energetic and euphoric four-by-four beat music and that’s what I love playing the most.
Maurice West & W&W – Matrix (LIVE Tomorrowland 2018)
How was it growing up in the Netherlands and pursuing music? Was it tough, the best thing for you? Good or bad environment? What type of effect did it have on you?
I think it’s safe to say that as a Dutch person trying to make it as a DJ you have a small advantage over people from other countries. There’s a lot of DJ’s and electronic musicians from here and our country isn’t really that big so there’s a lot of people that you can reach out to that know at least one famous DJ. I started my network by going to clubs that hosted parties with DJ’s that I looked up to and sneak into the backstage to hand out USB drives with my demos. The thing I love about the Dutch DJ community is that everybody always helps each other and we all got each others’ backs.
How was it collaborating with the likes of Tiësto, Hardwell, W&W and KSHMR?
Unreal. I used to watch their sets and listen to their music in my bedroom studio and now I get to work with them, which to me is so crazy. The funny thing is they’re all super nice and down to earth.
What types of things were you able to take away from those experiences?
All of the guys listed above have taught me a lot about how to work your way through this industry. They still inspire me a lot and probably helped me dodge some bullets here and there. It’s also really cool to experience all of these guys their workflow when making music.
What do you have planned in the next few months to a year? Singles? EP?
Singles. Lots of them. Trying to show the world what Maurice West is really about this year. Can’t wait to share my new songs.
Last question here, but when would we see you in Seattle, Washington?!
Nothing planned yet but let’s hope we can make that happen very soon!
After you’ve read through our interview with Maurice West, take a look at our exclusive interview with Dj Chuck Wonderland.
