ZAXX is a DJ and producer from the east coast who’s now touring with Alan Walker on the Different World Tour. He played at the Showbox Sodo for the first stop on tour, and we talked to him about his music career, Tiësto, Alan Walker, and more.
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Respect My Region Interviews ZAXX
(Edited for clarity)
RMR: Can you introduce yourself to people who might not be familiar with you?
ZAXX: My name is ZAXX or Greg. I’m from Staten Island, NY and I’m a music producer and DJ.
RMR: You started making music while living on the east coast. What was the music culture and environment like?
ZAXX: The music culture in Staten Island was really nonexistent, honestly. It was Top 40 and mainstream music, which was what made it interesting to branch out and find new music beyond what’s on the radio.
RMR: What made you decide you needed to move to the west coast (Los Angeles) to continue your music career?
ZAXX: I don’t know, I think it’s just that the people here are more aspirational, and they aim to be more than ordinary. The weather was a factor too, and a lot of my friends are from the west coast. I just needed a change of scenery for myself and the music, so it just worked out.
RMR: How do you think living in Los Angeles has changed your style or your sound?
ZAXX: Well it surrounded me with a bunch of people who also made music, which I didn’t have in New York. It’s inspirational to be around people who do the same thing you do. So it gives you a lot of fuel to make your own stuff.
RMR: You dedicated video games as the reason for you to pursue music. How did Affliction with Tiësto happen, and how did the track get featured on Ninjawerks?
ZAXX: The song kind of happened on accident. A buddy of mine named [Analogue Deer] who’s from Europe sent me a little guitar sample and I liked it. I pitched it down and wrote a little demo from it, and I sent it to Tiësto. He loved it, and so we made a rough draft of a full song then sent it to the singer. We compiled a mood board of what the song meant to us and all that. She [Olivera] sang over it and we wrapped it up. The track got on Ninjawerks because Ninja loved it and handpicked it. Astralwerks sent it to him, and it happened.
RMR: Speaking of Tiësto, you went on tour with him. What did you learn from the experience?
ZAXX: Um… a lot. Probably the most thing I learned is to make sure you give 100 percent every night. It doesn’t matter how many people are there or what’s going on, you should put on a good show for the people who came to see you. That’s all that matters.
RMR: You’ve known Alan Walker for quite a while, how’d you get invited to tour and open for him?
ZAXX: Alan and I go way back to an FL Studio [music production software] Facebook group. We were around 15 or 16 and we talked a bit and knew each other. Years passed and we both went on our own way. Then we officially met each other in D.C. at Echostage, and we recognized each other there. We did a few shows together in Texas which worked, and our music aligns well. So we decided to do the tour, which is crazy. It sums up this generation… from Facebook to touring, it’s crazy.
RMR: You mentioned in past interviews that you listen to a lot of bands and that has been a big influence for you. Have you ever been inspired to be in a band when you were younger? Or were you?
ZAXX: No, I wish! I wanted to be in a band. I would love to be in one, and that would be sick.
RMR: Indie? Rock?
ZAXX: I don’t know, that’s a good question. It would probably be a mixture. Not straight up rock so probably indie-ish. But I don’t like Starbucks indie-ish. Indie but not I want to sleep… but I don’t know. I also like working solo because it’s just you. I enjoy listening to Led Zepplin, Motley Crue, and all those bands since I was a kid. The 1975 and Bon Iver are also some of my favorites. There’s a lot of bands.
RMR: What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in your career?
ZAXX: I think the biggest obstacle for anybody that does art, whether you’re a painter or a poet, is making honest work. Not work that would make you super popular, but stuff you actually care about. There was definitely a time where I made stuff thinking that this would work. I took a hiatus to try to figure my shit out. My whole life is making music, and if I’m not doing that correctly, then what am I doing? But the biggest obstacle is definitely becoming an honest artist.
RMR: What inspires you to keep going despite hard times?
ZAXX: Probably the people who support me, I don’t like the word fans that much. Whoever who listens to my music and resonate with it keeps me going.
RMR: Is there any advice you wish you had gotten earlier on that you’d like to share with people whether they’re creatives or not?
ZAXX: Sleep is important, and don’t stop doing what you really want to do. If you have a dream, you should chase it. You only live once, so might as well make the most of it.
RMR: But do you advocate for people putting everything into it and giving up their 9-5 job to pursue it? Or just do it as a side hustle until it works out?
ZAXX: Well it depends. I gave up everything for it, but it was a different time. I was a sophomore or junior in school and I started touring in junior year. By senior year, management took me out of school and I started touring with Tiësto. That was the end of it. See you later high school! But if you have a good job, you wouldn’t want to drop it completely. Money is important and you should make money to live comfortably. That’s with any side hustle. If you think you have some crazy talent and it shows, don’t just drop your entire life just in case. However, you should not ignore the fact that there’s something else you could be doing, or you’ll regret it forever.
RMR: Do you have anything upcoming that you’d like to share with the fans or readers about?
ZAXX: Just get ready for my new music, it’s going to be the best I’ve released it. There’s nothing else I can really share without spoiling things.
