Three weeks left until EDC lands in Vegas. As the festival is only a weekend long, you can expect Vegas to be buzzing the entire week prior. Not only is the lineup amazing for EDC, the nightclubs and pools are featuring its own performances. Get ready to dance.

Today featured interviews: Morgan Page, Kristina Sky and Chris Lake

Morgan Page

www.morgan-page.com
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A21: What got you into DJing and music?

Morgan Page: I started in college radio in my home state of Vermont, as a high school student. The local station at UVM didn’t required DJ to be students, so I took advantage of that opportunity. I later continued in radio at Emerson College in Boston and started to play out in clubs because I wanted an audience I could see.

A21: Who were your influences going up?

Daft Punk

A21: What was your very first gig?

Morgan Page: My first gig was The Phoenix Landing in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I didn’t even recognize the kick drum coming out the speakers. It was a bit of a revelation!

A21: Describe your sound in your own words?

Morgan Page: Big room melodic progressive house, heavy on vocals.

A21: If you weren’t DJing, what would be doing right now?

Morgan Page: Photography, graphic design, or something travel related.

A21: Your music has been nominated for Grammy’s and various other awards, what do you feel your highest honor has been thus far?

Morgan Page: Definitely the Grammy nod.

A21: “In the Air” is the latest record produced, what makes this album different from other tracks you have produced?

Morgan Page: The album is aimed more squarely at the club than the last album but still experiments a lot with indie and pop. I think the next record will be even more club focused. It’s a tricky balance because you don’t want the album to sound dated or too stylized. My favorite part of the album is the raw songs – you can dress them up anyway they like, but I think they will last.

A21: Who would you love to work with in the future?

Morgan Page: Adele, Imogen Heap, James Mercer from the Shins, Miike Snow.

A21: You performed at EDC 2011 and are coming back this year, what can your fans expect to hear or see from you?

Morgan Page: I’ll be playing new originals, bringing some crazy visuals, and of course playing fan favorites from the new album.

A21: Any advice for aspiring DJs?

Morgan Page: Don’t send unsolicited promos… slowly build your rep and build your contacts one at a time. The shotgun approach doesn’t really work.

Kristina Sky

www.kristinasky.com
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A21: What got you into music overall?

Kristina Sky: I’ve always been super into music since I was like two years old, no joke. I played violin for seven years, sang in choirs, played guitar, went to hundreds of concerts etc…  But it was after collecting 500+ Dance/EDM CDs when I was a teenager, that I became really addicted to the music but was getting tired of not being able to hear what I wanted, when I wanted, so I basically started to collect vinyl records and learned to spin myself! All I really wanted was to record my own mix compilations but had no idea it would turn into a job down the line.

A21: What was your very first gig as a DJ?

Kristina Sky: It was high up in the mountains of Southern California, totally underground. I played a sunrise set and didn’t really know what to expect coming from the DJ side of it, as prior to this I had been a promoter, and before that, a raver haha, but it turned out to be a total blast. I felt totally at home and knew it wouldn’t be the last time.

A21: What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t spinning?

Kristina Sky: I would probably be involved with event production or artist development, as that’s what I went to school at UCLA for in the first place. But, if I couldn’t do that for whatever reason, I guess next up would be, owning a restaurant, being a photographer or working with kids (I was a nanny in high school and college!).

A21: Describe your sound to someone who has never heard it.

Kristina Sky: “Trance” (in the broadest sense of the word) with a phat slice of melodic progressive house and a touch of techno, electro and  breaks.

A21: You have been all over the world, what has been your favorite country to perform in?

Kristina Sky: I’d probably have to say El Salvador and Guatemala are tied for my current favs. They’re very similar. Super sweet people in general and the clubbers there bring a really powerful vibe to the parties. They have a really deep appreciation for the DJs that come through their cities so the energy they bring to the dancefloor is pretty intense.

A21: Is there any track you love right now and want to remix?

Kristina Sky: There are so many tracks I love right now, and I’m loving them just the way they are! I’m kinda focusing on singles at the moment though so if I was gonna do a remix right now I’d actually rather take something special from my past and remix that, for example records like Conjure One – Sleep or Barakka – Song to the Siren. There are certain tracks I have on my remix bucketlist I guess you could say.

A21: What can your fans expect to see or hear from you at the Electric Daisy Carnival?

Kristina Sky: Hopefully a great set full of tracks they’ll love. I’m just really stoked to be a part of such an amazing event and so many of the people that will be there are a huge part of why I get to play great shows like these so I know for sure the vibe will be special.

A21: Do you think it is harder for a woman to make it in the DJ world?

Kristina Sky: Unfortunately, yes. It’s not impossible by any means, but it does make it more difficult. There are a lot of stereotypes that female DJs have to overcome – it’s not right, but it’s still the reality. From day one I’ve always tried to stray away from the gender aspect of this whole thing and keep it about the music. That’s just my preference. But as hard as it may be, if you have serious passion and dedication it can happen.

A21: Any advice for aspiring DJs?

Kristina Sky: Be yourself. Work hard. Be genuine. Don’t take shortcuts. Remember who did you favors and who believed in you. Try to contribute to the progress of dance music as a whole, when you can. Self-promotion starting out is key: if you don’t tell anyone who you are, nobody else is going to. Don’t waste people’s time; it’s valuable. Avoid burning bridges, it’s a small world. Set high standards and don’t lower them for anything or anyone. Play music you love but don’t forget the audience. Follow your dream and your heart!

Chris Lake

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A21: What made you decide to use your name instead of keeping your alias, Christophe D’Abuc?

Chris Lake: Haha, well that alias was purely a one off thing.  I used that name because at the time I was involved in a record label called Cuba Recordings, and I decided to reverse Cuba, and make it sound French.  Not very clever, but anyway, I did that so I could release my bootleg of the Prodigy – Climbatize.  I didn’t want to get sued!

A21: What was your very first performance?

Chris Lake: You know what, I think my first solo performance was at a gay club in Dundee, Scotland.  I must have been 16 and I did a live set of all my own music I was making at the time.  It was terrible music.  I took my Dad with me, and in all fairness I think it freaked him out watching men kissing on the dance floor while his teenage son was playing dance music off drum machines and keyboards.  That’s my clearest memory

A21: What do you think you would be doing if you didn’t go into music?

Chris Lake: I’d be trying to get into music.  It’s the only thing I know.

A21: Describe your sound to someone who has never heard it.

Chris Lake: Well, I think I fuse house music with electro, with a sense of purpose, emotion, and a free spirited movement. I’m not sure if that makes one bit of sense, but it’s the first thing that popped into my head, so I’ll stick with it.

A21: What do you enjoy more, DJing in front of a crowd or producing the music?

Chris Lake: Both are great, but I’ve said this before, that when you’re DJing, you can only play to the crowd that’s in front of you, but when you produce a great dance record, you have the possibility of it reaching many more sets of ears.  I’ve laid in bed after a gig on a Saturday night show, and wondered just how many different DJ’s have dropped my latest release, and how many people listened to it and lost their shit.  It blows my mind!

A21: What is your favorite spot to perform, may it be a city or venue?

Chris Lake: Hmmm, in the USA, I have a few places I really enjoy.  Voyeur in San Diego, Spybar in Chicago, Pacha or Cielo in NYC, the list goes on.

A21: You have performed in Vegas at various locations, what do you in Las Vegas when you aren’t working?

Chris Lake: Well I’ll occasionally gamble in the casino at the Encore hotel, but you’re most likely to find me in one of the restaurants, filling my face.  It’s what I do best, eating.

A21: What can your fans expect to hear or see from you at EDC this year?

Chris Lake: I plan a no holds barred assault of electro, funk and tech, with insane builds, moments of euphoria, and the odd sing along.  Don’t come along if you only want to do a gentle side step dance routine.  That ain’t gonna happen.