RB Exclusive Interview: EDX on the Road to Goldrush

With almost three decades at the forefront of electronic music, DJ, producer, and label head Maurizio Colella, aka EDX, has solidified his spot as an icon within the industry. He’s internationally acclaimed, thanks to his vast catalogue of chart-topping releases that have amassed hundreds of millions of streams and an adoring fan-base in the process. His touring schedule regularly sees him cross multiple countries and continents each week. He’s held residencies at some of the world’s most iconic clubs (Space Ibiza, Privilege Ibiza and Wynn Las Vegas, to name a few) and consistently performs at the most esteemed festivals on the global circuit.

His NoXcuses radio show on iHeart (formerly on SiriusXM’s Electric Area) is currently broadcast to over 40 countries twice a week and his renowned record label, Sirup Music, has released hits from the likes of Avicii, Armin van Buuren, Steve Angello, Tiësto, and more.

I had a chance to talk with EDX ahead of his upcoming set at Goldrush Music Festival to discuss new music, his radio show, and more. Check out his responses below!

Hey Maurizio! Excited to talk with you today. You’ve had an impressive career spanning nearly three decades. I’m sure the electronic scene has changed tremendously during your tenure. What is one thing you miss from your earlier days? How about something you don’t miss? 

Hey what’s up guys, it’s great to be talking to you today. You’re absolutely right, it’s been almost three decades and it’s been an absolutely incredible journey so far. It doesn’t make me feel old at all, haha! The music industry has changed so drastically over the last thirty years or so, from the equipment that we use to DJ and produce, the format of the records, to the way an artist markets themselves. The last ten years has seen a huge change in this latter respect, with the advent of social media and online / digital marketing. This has made it much easier and quicker for artists to share and distribute their music with the world, and you can now build a successful career from the comfort your bedroom. This was obviously very different back in the day, where it would take months from finishing a record to people being able to get their hands on it. On the distribution side, you had to pick a finite number of physical products to manufacture, and when they’re gone they’re gone. I really loved the exclusivity of vinyl, hustling for white label records and the feeling of playing on 12″, but I certainly don’t miss travelling from continent to continent with a seventy pound box of records on my shoulder! So much easier these days with a pair of headphones and a couple of USB sticks.

Your radio show, NoXcuses, has been successfully broadcasting internationally for years. This must give you great access to upcoming artists and new sounds. Are you noticing any trends that we should look out for? 

The whole NoXcuses journey is something that I’m super grateful for and is one of my proudest achievements so far. It’s been running for over a decade now and it’s amazing to give something free to my fans each week and the ongoing support has been incredible. It’s a really interesting platform, because it forces me to listen to new producers and new artists each week, and it’s a great way for me to stay on top of all the amazing new music that’s coming out at the moment and ahead of the curve in terms of musical trends. It’s also a great way to interact with my fans on a weekly basis, which I’m extremely grateful for. I’m really looking forward to 2022 and what the future will have in store.

You dropped “Vommuli” last month, and it has a perfect club vibe! Tell us more about the track and the environment you envisioned when you were creating it? 

Vommuli is definitely a record I made with the clubs in mind, and you really can hear me going back to my progressive and minimal roots. I’m really in love with the record, and I think it will be one of those tracks that stands the test of time. It has a great vibe to it, and it really makes me reminisce about the music I was making around fifteen years ago.

You’ve been hitting cities all over the country this Summer (but not without your share of airport troubles–always the worst!), how has it been touring again? 

It’s absolutely amazing to be back on the road, doing what I love, sharing music with my fans and playing to the people that I love. Seeing people back on the dance floor smiling after all this time is just priceless. I’m pretty lucky, in that travelling and spending lots of time on planes and in airports isn’t something that affects my mood. It’s something I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember and I’m pretty used to it by now. Of course there are often flight delays and cancellations, but I’m very happy to put up with this, if it means I’m able to travel the world and do what I love.

I’m sure you’re happy to be performing live again, but you did seem to have some quarantine highlights! How was the transition to live streaming and do you plan to continue streaming at all now that live shows have returned? 

I’m a very lucky father of a young two-year old, so it was actually amazing to be able to spend time with my wife and my son during the pandemic and lockdown. That was an unexpected highlight and something I’m very grateful for. Livestreaming is definitely something that helped me to stay in touch with my fans from all over the world, and is something that I’d like to explore more in the future, especially for those people that might not have the opportunity to see live music in a club environment, for whatever reason. Watch this space!

We’re excited to have you at Goldrush this weekend! What can fans expect from you during this set? 

I’m also super excited! Arizona is always a big highlight on the US circuit. I’ve been playing there for many years, with some great memories. Goldrush looks like a solid and legit festival weekend and an event I’m very happy to be a part of. Will be great to meet the fans and play some new unreleased EDX cuts.

Finally, our Goldrush motto every year is #canyoudigit. What are three things you’re digging right now? 

Nice weather in LA where I am right now
Being back on tour
Talking with you guys today!

Don’t miss EDX at Goldrush Festival this September 24-26th. Grab your tickets here!