Paul van Dyk
Being the first DJ to receive a Grammy nomination (in the then-new category of Best Dance/Electronic album) and having been ranked as the World’s No. 1 DJ by DJ Magazine twice are only two of the many milestones in Matthias Paul’s—or as the world knows him, Paul van Dyk’s—career. Katie Kenny catches up with one of the original “superstar DJs” before his upcoming Hong Kong show to chat about Hong Kong, his latest album and how electronic music is taking over the pop charts.
HK Magazine: How did you get your start as a DJ in East Berlin?
Paul van Dyk: The electronic music was one dimensional back then. So I made my own tapes for my friends, who then started passing it around. So I began to invest more and more time into it. I didn’t have that much knowledge of how to produce music but I knew what I wanted it to sound like.
HK: You have played all over the world and in Hong Kong a number of times. Is there something about our city that keeps bringing you back?
PvD: Hong Kong is always a special place to me. The first time I performed in Hong Kong, it had just been handed over from the Brits and back then there were more grungy shows in big warehouses. But it’s always different when I perform there. The last time, my show was on top of the Ritz Carlton—it was very special. Hong Kong has a very international vibe and you can see this in the clubs. For me, you find a lot of culture in New York and everyone thinks of it as the biggest melting pot—but everyone lives their own way. [Hong Kong] is very inspiring and is always a fun place.
HK: What can people expect from your upcoming show at Play?
PvD: It’s going to be really intense. I always [go into a show] with a clear idea but whatever happens really depends on the audience and the atmosphere. I could play your favorite track but, because of the influence of the audience, when I play it live it will sound very different to you.
HK: This show is just one of the stops on your tour to promote your new album, “Evolution.” What’s the meaning behind the name?
PvD: It’s about electronic music and how it has evolved since I started. This is a reflection of how the whole world has changed. Because of the internet and social media, how we communicate, how we listen to music—it’s all very different than how it used to be and I try to bring this into the album. This is not about my personal evolution as a musician (but my own life always somehow ends up in my work); this is about the here and now of the genre.
HK: How do you feel about the evolution of electronic music in the pop scene? Do you want to create tracks like Rihanna and Calvin Harris’ or Nicki Minaj and David Guetta’s?
PvD: I am not a fan of marketing-oriented music. When I work with someone I feel I need to have a connection with them. There needs to be a reason why I am collaborating with them. I’m not a fan of danceable tracks or any of the popular upbeat top 40s. It’s not what I like so I have no reason to work with these people. I’m not [that type] of DJ, I am an artist who creates my own music. I don’t play other people’s music; I play life. What you hear from me is a combination of the skills I have as a DJ.
Paul van Dyk will perform live at Play on May 10.