Not everyone can say they have an audience of millions, or have had the chance to collaborate with David Guetta and Tiesto, or perform in front of millions of people, and drop hit songs that can be heard worldwide. Avicii can, and at 22 years young. The fresh-faced, self-taught electronic DJ/ producer, Avicii, and his manager, Ash Pournouri, have accomplished in four years what most people hope to accomplish in a lifetime. The prodigal whiz-kid is driven by a determination to sculpt fresh, innovative and forward thinking electronic music. I had the opportunity to interview Avicii. In the interview, he tells fans what he would be doing without music, how his music has evolved, and even lets fans in on a secret.
Michael Picard: First of all, I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview. If you weren't a musician, what would you be doing?
Avicii: That's a tough question. I would probably work in telecom sales or keep studying like many of my friends.
MP: Congratulations on your success so far. I'm a huge fan of your music and a big reason for that is because your music has its own style, unique to what's already out there, and that's key in the music industry nowadays. How do you get to that Avicii sound, what's the anatomy of an Avicii song, and how has your music evolved?
Avicii: I can never tell which track people will like or not, but the big room melodic house sound is something I enjoy myself and that's what I always produce. I never try to analyze too much.
MP: You've come out of nowhere and now you have a huge following, you're center stage in house music. I remember the first time I heard of you was back in 2010. How'd you do it? What steps did you take to get such a huge following?
Avicii: I guess there's no exact recipe on how to succeed but one of the main reasons is definitely that I met my manager Ash who has made all the difference, the total number of hours I've put into the studio, and of course my loyal fans!
MP: What is something your fans don't know about you?
Avicii: I am actually from Mars.
MP: You're one of the best DJs in the world, but is there something you've failed at? What have you learned from that experience?
Avicii: It took a lot of hard work and many hours in the studio to finalize something I was happy with. If I'd be afraid of failing I would have given up a long time ago.
MP: What do you want people to remember about the way you lived your life?
Avicii: That is such a difficult question, but that both Ash and I have always been in the business for the music, not the money.
MP: You're coming to Bridgeport, Connecticut soon. Are you ready? What should we be expecting, and is there anything you want to say to CT?
Avicii: I'm ready and I'm really looking forward to the show! I don't know what I'm allowed to say, but be prepared; the show is going to be HUGE! Something you've never seen before...
Avicii will be performing in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts on April 17th, 18th, and 19th (respectively). AEG, At Night Management and Ash Alliance are promoting the North American tour, and partnering with Midnite Society, a New York City event production company, to produce these three concerts. Co-founders Ross Atamian and Ilario Altamura had this to say about the upcoming tour, "We are looking forward to three fantastic shows with Avicii on April 17th, 18th & 19th. Since our first date with him back in January his star keeps rising and his musical influence continues to not only transcend electronic music but pop culture in general. If you have yet to experience Avicii live, now is your chance."