RB Exclusive Interview: Wet Electric Stepped Into 3LAU HAUS

Wet Electric: welcome! You just stepped into 3LAU HAUS; get ready for the ride. Essentially that was how I began my Wet Electric 2016 experience. After receiving my ticket from the box office, I attempt one of the two massive lines sprouting from either side of the entrance among the colorfully clad 20-somethings, all eagerly waiting to enter the waterpark so they can get down to some of electronic dance music’s top artists with their friends dancing in the sun all day long – some, of course, were already enjoying themselves, dancing to pass the time while waiting in line.

I approach the location of my interview and in plain-sight is 3LAU sitting in an over-sized beanbag chair next to an empty one just the same, waiting for me. Thrilled by the fact that I was not only about to meet one of my favorite DJs, but sit down and talk music with him, I think to myself “THIS IS IT!” straighten up, and then happily saunter over to start the interview, half dancing to the music in the background. And guess what? Justin Blau turned out to be just as awesome of a dude as I had imagined!

The man who is now Justin’s own partner in dance music crime, David Carlson, changed his life forever when he picked him up in a bullet proof van 5 years ago in Mexico. Now, according to 3LAU himself, Carlson has become the best manager he could ask for. 3LAU truly has taken quite the journey before becoming the infamous King of Mashups that he is today. We talk about this briefly, as well as several highlights from his DJ career these past 5 years, whats to come with the future of his music, and he even shares special information about an upcoming collab he will start working on after Wet Electric in the studio with an artist he calls his dream to collaborate with.

“If we had more time I totally would stick around, but we have to leave right after my set. I’m actually flying to San Diego to play a show tonight, and HOPING that this weather doesn’t mess with that flight.”

Where are you playing tonight in San Diego?

“Life in Color at the Arena.”

Oh cool, nice!

“It should be really, really cool.”

You do a lot of the Life In Color shows, huh?

“Yeah I have for a while now because since 4 years ago I started opening for a lot of the artists, and you know when I play I like to bring a lot of energy, and that’s what they want for the show too. So I ended up playing at a lot of them.”

Yeah, I have noticed that... Alright, down to business….

“Sounds good! Let’s do it!”

Alright, you initially had gotten your start as a result of a few combining factors including: reaching 1 million views on your YouTube video for your mashup track “All Night Long,” winning Tiesto’s “Work Hard, Play Hard” remix competition with the number 1 ranked remix, and extensive blog support, you got your music out there working overtime as a college student by day, and DJ by night. Taking on the risk of putting your education on pause, you then choose to drop out and pursue your DJ career full time. Now you’re traveling the worldwide, playing mainstage at festivals everywhere, and you’ve become what some may call this iconic “King of Mashups” DJ.

“I do my best; I do my best!”

That’s definitely an area you excel in.

“Thank you.”

What was the hardest part about transitioning from a regular college student to this iconic “King of Mashups” DJ?

“Damn! Well that’s a very honorable title I would say! You know, I think a lot of people ask me, whether it’s so many college kids, or so many people that want to be DJs – I lived that life identically. I think the best piece of advice I have for anybody is the difference between the dream and the reality is just how much work you put into it. And I literally, for the past 5 years I barely sleep, my brain is always racing. I’m constantly trying to think of ideas, ways that I can improve myself, and ways that I can improve my team, and how we can be a more effective team. I think that’s what it is about; it’s not just about the music. It’s about thinking how can we get this music to the most amount of people, and how good is this music in the first place? You know, sometimes I make stuff that’s not good and I have to have the discipline to say I don’t want to release this. It’s a very difficult thing to do.”

You released your first original track “How You Love Me” back in the beginning of 2014. You had spent well over a year working on that track prior before you released it. 

“That’s true.”

How did you keep such a bombshell hidden for so long, and what made it the right time to release it then?

“It’s interesting I think for me “How You Love Me” especially took a long time I think because of the vocal. I knew that the song was a smash and I had been trying to find the right vocal for it for a very long time. I’m very critical; I’m very self-critical of what I release and what I do. Finally, the magic happened; I was in tears when I heard the first draft – I literally was. I was in my studio, I will never forget that moment when I, myself, I was balling with happiness when I got the vocal back from Heather. And it’s so cool because now I know so many of my fans when I play it live and they do the same and I’m like I was there! I was just alone when I was doing it.”

**Laughs** I love that song. You obviously released it at the perfect time in your career, enjoying a clear rise to fame afterwards. Shortly after you played the mainstage at Nocturnal Wonderland 2014. which I was there, and you were my favorite set of the entire festival!

“Aww, thank you, thank you so much!”

That was the first time I had ever gotten to see you perform live, and I’m sure you remember just as well as I do what made that set so special: Your “15 Drops In 30 Seconds“ mix…

“That was fun right? Yeah!”

I had never heard any DJ beforehand like attempt anything like that, nor afterwards. That was incredible; how did you come up with that?

“Well I think a lot of people were talking at the time about how all the music was sounding the same and I was like, well let’s see if it does! And it does, and it doesn’t. you know a lot of those songs, I even included one of mine in there, and you know it’s all dance music. We play it live and so I thought, if all of this music works live, how could it work altogether in a really quick segmented way. I actually made it in 3 hours on a flight.”

JUST 3 HOURS?! NO WAY – WOW! 

“It did! You know, the software that I used, if you’re good with the software, then you can be really quick. But also, if you think about it – 3 hours for 30 seconds of audio, it’s still a lot of time if you think about it. But thank you, I’m glad you’re into that.”

My friends and I still have this video of us during the 15 Drops in 30 Seconds part of your set, and after every single drop in that mix, you can hear at least 3 of us just squealing like OH MY GOD, just absolutely loving it.

“That’s so awesome; I’m so glad!”

Did you notice by the way, that during your set at Nocturnal Wonderland, the mainstage owl opened his eyes for the first time of the festival during your set?

“I didn’t know that, no, cause I couldn’t see up there!”

Isn’t that cool?

“Yeah, no yeah definitely.”

Do you plan on creating more original tracks similar to the type of music incorporated into 3LAU HAUS #42, perhaps any actual future house tracks?

“Yeah, so my recent track that I just came out with, ‘Is It Love,’ it’s not really future house or deep house. It is just super groovy, but I definitely have started to play a little bit more groovy sets. I will be playing 3LAU headlining sets forever, but I’m starting to play more groovy stuff on the side because I love it, and I’m starting to make it too. I actually just did a Seven Lions remix that’s not out yet for his song that’s not out yet either. It’s an incredible song, and I made it like Deadmau5 circa 2008, but like the more modern version of that, and just trying to bring back the vibes. We kind of lost that in dance music in the middle, and I’m really into it now, again, for the first time in a long time.”

You’ve stated before that Porter Robinson was a really big inspiration for you when you first started out. Who would you say is more of your musical inspiration now as t=eg

“You know, I would still say Porter, but I think that’s a really tough question. I’ve been drawing inspiration from a lot of no-name guys recently, as well as, just things that I hear. I was watching Diplo play last night. He was wearing a baseball cap; no one knew it was him. He just showed up in Vegas at a club that Gramatik was performing at, and just started playing a bunch of new songs that I’ve never heard before, and that’s where I draw new inspiration. There’s so much talent out there, and I draw inspiration from places that are more unlikely, and I feel like that keeps me and my music adapting, and keeps my mind moving and gears twisting. It’s people like that who inspire me.”

Like Porter Robinson, you also are a multifaceted artist with several incredible musical talents, like piano, drums, guitar, and you can even sing. Do you plan on incorporating this more-so into your sets in the future?

“Absolutely! One of my new records that I have to get on my laptop for tonight, it’s all piano and guitar, I wrote the vocal, it’s like weird speeds – it’s very cool. Also, I’m going to be singing on a bunch of new tracks as well.”

You’re no stranger to Arizona’s dance music scene, playing LIC and Halloween in Tucson last year, appearing as a special guest here in Phoenix during Zedd’s True Colors Tour, and even helped us ring in 2016, performing day 1 of Decadence this past New Years. What do you find special about LIC?

“Honestly, I love the crowds here. They’re generally very educated, they love hearing new things, and they also go absolutely crazy, so it’s always fun to play here.”

What is your own personal favorite 3LAU mashup? [Mine would be “Five Voices” off of Dance Floor Filth 4]

“Oh that was a cool one! Honestly, that’s probably up there for me, definitely. The new ‘Roses Money’ mashup was super fun to me as well. It’s actually my most successful one – my most successful mashup of all time.”

Well everyone loves that one, including me so I can definitely see why! What about your personal favorite 3LAU HAUS mix? [Mine would be 3LAU HAUS #28 & most recently 3LAU HAUS #42]

“The new one! I did some weird, really different shit in it so I really hope you like it! It’s just super different.”

**Groove Out to 3LAU HAUS #43 here to see what he’s talking about**

Hell yeah, I’m excited to hear it! Do you have plans to collab with anyone in 2016?

“Yes! But I can’t even talk about it yet, but someone that I know a lot of people are going to be VERY happy that I am collaborating with … We’re in the studio this week!”

Who would be the dream to collaborate with?

“Honestly, maybe the person that I’m collaborating with so we’ll see! I would always love to collaborate with Diplo, but we have very different styles. So maybe one day!”

3LAU HAUS #43: Groove Out Tracklist:

1. 3LAU – Is It Love (Feat. Yeah Boy)
2. Alex Newell, Jess Glynne, DJ Cassidy – Kill The Lights (Audien Remix)
3. Rufus du Sol – Like An Animal
4. Skitzofrenix – Bounce (Original Mix)
5. Don Diablo feat. Jungle Brothers – I’ll House You (VIP Mix)
6. HI-LO – Ooh La La (Original Mix)
7. Jack U feat. Justin Bieber – Where Are U Now (Kaskade Remix)
8. Dillon Francis & NGHTMRE – Need You (Original Mix)
9. Jenaux – Get It On (Original Mix)
10. Backstreet Boys – Everybody (Oski x Apashe x Lennon Bootleg)
11. 3LAU & Nom De Strip feat. Estelle – The Night (AK9 Remix)
12. Skrillex, MUST DIE! – VIPs (Original mix)
13. Jauz & Eptic – Get Down (Original Mix)
14. DVBBS & Shaun Frank feat. Delaney Jane – La La Land (Original Mix)
15. The Chainsmokers feat. Daya – Don’t Let Me Down (3LAU Remix)
16. Ookay – Thief (Original Mix)
17. Timeflies – Once In A While (ID Remix)
18. Droleloe vs Zayn – Pillowz (3LAU Mashup)

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