DJ David Guetta on ignoring the hatred of his work on the internet
FRENCH DJ David Guetta, who is playing a one-off concert in Melbourne, talks about the haters on the internet and why he is still relevant.
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FRENCH dance music superstar David Guetta began DJing pop records at the Broad Club in Paris at 17 even before the Acid House explosion of the late 1980s.
But it’s only been over the past few years that Guetta’s career has truly gone stratospheric, shifting eight million albums between One Love (2009), Nothing But The Beat (2011) and Listen (2011). As a producer he collaborates with the biggest names in music: Sia, Lady Gaga, Avicii and Rihanna and he’s flogged 44 million singles thanks to all-pervasive radio hits including Titanium, Sexy Beast and When Love Takes Over.
Now 47, Guetta can’t envisage ever stopping. “I just love what I do, you know? It’s my teenage dream. Even though I’ve been doing this for a long time I’m still very thankful I can play for so many people,” he says in heez outragouz French accent.
Despite raking in $51 million a year according to Forbes — “not based on anything we told them” — Guetta insists his first priority has always been the music.
He’s “super, super excited” about his Cup Eve stadium gig in Melbourne with its “crazy production” — seven LED screens, massive projections, lasers, strobes and 300 pyro hits.
OZ, Melbourne !!!! I'm back in town on November the 2nd for ONLY ONE NIGHT !!!! Tickets : https://t.co/fYSycxReKr pic.twitter.com/pgQp890rnn
— David Guetta (@davidguetta) October 19, 2015“It’s more about the crazy energy when you have a huge crowd like this,” he says. “And when I manage to make everybody feel like one, for me this is when I win.”
But with great success, comes the inevitable blowback.
In the week we chat, Guetta’s been hanging out with Justin Bieber in Las Vegas and it’s got him thinking about that young star’s journey from teen idol to more credible artist with the tropical house flavoured smash What Do You Mean.
“He was like so successful but there was a lot of negativity about him and look he made the hottest, coolest record of the year, so you know, all of this to me is complete nonsense,” Guetta says.
“It’s rare that an artists has the balls to go for something different because they’re always afraid of all the comments like this. I don’t want to be afraid of people who are sitting behind their laptops.
“Some people for example, probably hate that I did Hey Mama because it’s more of an urban twist and some people probably hate that I did Dangerous because it’s not EDM — and some people probably hate that I did that because it’s too EDM — and some people are shocked that I did urban records for Rihanna.
“I think it’s an important thing to have to move (progress musically) … this is probably why I’m still here after all this time — even though there’s always this reaction when I do something different.”
Case in point: when Guetta had a bit of fun and dropped his new release Clap Your Hands at Tomorrowland festival in Belgium in July (it references nursery rhyme If You’re Happy and You Know It) tens of thousands of punters went off. But it attracted some snarky commentary, including a tweet from Calvin Harris that went viral: “Is Guetta’s version of If You’re Happy and You Know It an early ’90s rave referencing stroke of genius or an absolute pile of dog s---?” (Harris quickly deleted the tweet).
No. Guetta says there “absolutely” is a friendly rivalry, but they share a mutual respect and drop each other’s records in their sets.
The wait is over !! Watch my new video now for #SunGoesDown. MY SUMMER LOVE !! https://t.co/juCrQFFtVr
— David Guetta (@davidguetta) September 23, 2015“Sometimes we can like joke about each other but it’s no big deal,” he says. “I don’t really take myself seriously, meaning like I can do more like credible records with Sia … and sometimes I do records for fun, like I did with Bad. These are not records that are meant to go on the radio ... these are just DJ tools.
“I don’t think it’s crazy to feel like a child, because that’s what it is, it’s just like a big kindergarten, a big party.”
At least, that’s what I think he says. We have a little difficulty understanding each other.
“I’m sorry but you have a strong accent,” Guetta complains.
Guetta’s next project is creating the soundtrack and official song for the 2016 UEFA European Championship in France. Details are being kept tightly under wraps and all Guetta will says is that his vocalist is: “very big. Monstrous vocalist.”
“I had one artist in mind and I didn’t play it to anybody else,” he says. “The artist said yes, absolutely the minute they heard it. Everybody wants a good song, something that touches your heart.”
SEE; DAVID GUETTA, NOVEMBER 2, HISENSE ARENA
Originally published as DJ David Guetta on ignoring the hatred of his work on the internet
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