In a recent interview with The New York Times, EDM superstar Skrillex opened up about being a trendsetter as part of the publication’s editorial Future Issue, which interviewed several industry leaders about issues related to the future.
During their discussion, Skrillex spoke openly about the role he’s played in developing the sounds of the future, revealing that it essentially all boils down to happy accidents.
“The future is an accident. It’s an accident because you explore. You have to go through with a machete and just hack away and find it. You can’t see it — you just have to go somewhere you haven’t been before. It’s not even about being so far into the future; it’s “How do you say what people want to hear next?” I’m always listening to what the younger kids are doing.
The most inspiring stuff is what you find young kids doing online. It’s so raw. It’s, like, the singularity, the way children are interfacing with different technologies so seamlessly. I was in South Africa and went to this township, and the kids there had really cheap smartphones, and they could still build a window into another world, then adapt that to their culture. Some kids had D.J. gear in a little shack, and they were making this hack between house and African, like African house. Kids! Like, 8 years old. That’s where I’m getting ideas.”
Skrillex’s statement regarding the future serves as an interesting insight into the mindset of one of the most iconic influencers on the state of music of our time. Few artists have had the global success and impact Skrillex has found over the last several years, and for him to boil it down to being accidental is a testament to the producer’s modesty.
His focus on youth culture around the world is something aspiring producers should take note of, revealing an interest in finding inspiration in unexpected places, a penchant that has no doubt helped Skrillex find the success he has.
Published: Nov 10, 2015 03:18 pm