Respect My Region got to sit down with up and coming producer Sj before his performance at Trionia 200 in Seattle. Working alongside the likes of Tritonal, SJ is making some exciting moves in the world of electronic music. Learn more about this artist by reading our interview below.
RMR: How long have you been doing this?
SJ: My background is more in songwriting and producing. I’ve played in bands, I wrote for a lot of years just as a song writer for a lot of different artists. I was working in europe a lot, wound up in Amsterdam working, producing and recording with dj’s, then realized you know i’m kinda behind all these songs but i may as well have an artist project as well. To be able to release music, do collaborations and stuff.
So a year ago, I had a record that a couple guys who wanted it. Chad & Dave (Tritonal) had heard it. that song was “Hung Up”. So I brought it to those guys and we did it as a collab. Then they kinda came with Joe, their manager who now manages me, and Will at the label “Enhanced”. They’re like “man, we love what you do, we’d love to keep working together and give you a place to release records.” So that was kinda the beginning for me. It started with like oh this is nice, then a few months later I looked up like “wow i’m really doing it.”
RMR: Do you enjoy being a DJ or producer more?
SJ: I like them both. Right now, there’s so much fun stuff happening for me. I’m out on the road, that’s all new and it’s so much fun. I’ve been out with Tritonal, I did a few dates on the Horizon Tour with them & Seven Lions. Got some stuff coming up. I really love being up in front of crowds. When producing i’m just normally in the studio hauled away for so long, it’s such a big difference. you get out to a show, you see how people consume and react.
RMR: I’ve read that you started a foundation, could you tell me more a little about that?
SJ: About 6 years ago, I co-founded an organization that does work in Calcutta, India. We have a facility there called our “Dream Home.” It’s a home for slum girls and orphans who come out of the slums of Calcutta and some of the villages who have all sorts of abuse and things they had to endure. So, we have this place where they can go live, have food, and go to school. There is a bunch of medical as well as emotional care available to them.
RMR: What are your goals for the next few years?
SJ: Ooh, great question. I think on the writing, recording, and releasing front , I have a stack of music that are just waiting to release. I actually just had one come out today. It’s just awesome. It’s the first thing we’ve done together since “Hung Up”, so we have a couple things we’re working on. I’m just trying to write as much music as possible and release as many records this year as I can. The other half is to just get on the road. I have some things that aren’t quite confirmed yet, that are coming up this year.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeLk0qKlEzu/?taken-by=tritonal
RMR: What is the one place you’d love to perform at?
SJ: You, know. One of my favorite experiences was at EDC a few years ago, so there’s something about that festival that feels like a full circle to me. That was the first time where I was thinking to myself “this is it. This is the point where I need to go further into what I’m doing.” I think that is on the top of my list, at least for now.
RMR: Outside of DJing/producing, what are your passions? What else are you really into?
SJ: I love my friends. I have really amazing friends all over the place, but more than that, I love great spiritual community. I really love connecting with people. That’s why I love the EDM scene, it’s like a family feeling. There’s a familial atmosphere. I really love meeting people, and listening to things, and studying.
RMR: Is this your first time in Seattle?
SJ: Actually, no it’s not. It’s my first time here in probably 4 years, though. I love Seattle. It’s one of the few cities in America that I feel I could live in.
RMR: A lot of people say that, you have that home atmosphere. It just feels like home, wherever you are.
SJ: You’re right, it totally does! It’s also a really big and exciting city too, which is cool.
RMR: So who is someone that you would like to collaborate with in the future? If you could pick your number one, who would it be?
SJ: I’d love to collaborate with Zedd, and there are a few like him that go without saying, of course. But, for me, there are two sides to it. One is the producer side in the studio, and the other is the DJ side. So yes, Zedd. Most of what comes to mind is new producers, or artists. that’s what I’m drawn to. But, the other part for me, because I’m a songwriter, is on the vocalist side too. And that’s a hard one too, because there are so many great female vocalists out there. But I would say is Becky Hill. I love her voice so much. It’d just be amazing to work with her. But honestly, what I say today about wanting to collaborate with so and so artist can change tomorrow.
RMR: Who or what inspired you to get into the music scene?
SJ: I don’t know if it was ever one thing. When I was younger there was always music. There was always some sort of instrument around that I’d pick up, and say, “Ah, I’m gonna learn this.” I continued to be inspired when I work with people or run into artists who are so passionate about what they do, like with Chad and Dave. I see them on stage, and I see the crowd in front of them, that inspires me. That makes me want to go back and like dig in, write more music, and release more music, and play more. So I think just watching people who are above me was what inspired me, I just wanted to chase what they were doing.
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