Over New Year’s Eve weekend, Skrillex and Marshmello descended upon Miami’s Fountainbleau to ring in 2017 in style. Among the evening’s festivities was a performance between the two DJs and Justin Bieber of his song “Sorry,” but that was far from the highlight of the party. In an attempt to appeal to the youthful crowds, CNN held down an awkward interview with Skrillex and his helmeted friend that really has to be seen to be believed.
While the cross pollination between mainstream culture and EDM continues to grow stronger with each passing year, the CNN interview is a reminder that dance music isn’t completely overground just yet. Conducted by father-daughter reporters Gary and Lindsay Tuchman, the conversation quickly takes a turn for the unbearably cringeworthy as it becomes clear that the two are a bit out of their element.
For starters, the interview is conducted too close to the stage, making it difficult to hear Skrillex answer his questions. From there it just gets worse as Gary Tuchman attempts to talk to Marshmello, who nods along to the questions before the reporter notes, “I’ve never talked to a marshmallow before.” It also comes out in the conversation that Gary likes to work out to “Bangarang,” a fact that his daughter is sure to mention.
All in all, Skrillex and Marshmello are good sports about the interview, which definitely makes for a humorous viewing. While dance music culture has certainly meshed with the mainstream over the last few years, the interview is an indication that there’s still a degree of exclusivity to the scene.
