Having a career spanning over a decade in any field is quite the accomplishment especially when it comes to the everchanging world of electronic dance music with BIJOU being one of the fortunate bunch to reach the milestone while seemingly gaining momentum as each year goes by.
The Arizona native and DND RECS head honcho has proven to being a true house enthusiast throughout his career in addition to being a versatile as they come when it comes to his productions boasting a lengthy discography packed to the brim with club weapons. Plus, he is never one to make fans wait too long in-between releases always seeming to be pumping out new tunes regularly.
Still buzzing off the release of his collaboration “Daybreak” with Honey & Badger, we took the time to catch up with BIJOU!
BIJOU x Honey & Badger – Daybreak | Download |
TSS: You’ve been releasing music for just about a decade now; how would you say your sound has evolved since first popping onto the scene?
BIJOU: WOW has it really been that long! Crazy to think about how far things have come since that first release! I would say that my sound has definitely matured in a lot of ways. Whether it be more intricate melodies or records that are simple I feel the music has matured like I had as I’ve grown as a person and producer. I’m still creating that sound that is authentically me but It is incorporating new sounds and new elements to make this more in depth if that makes sense. I’m a much deeper person than I was ten years ago so the music definitely reflects that.
TSS: What has been the key to success and longevity?
BIJOU: I really think it boils down to a few different things. First I want to say my team because I’ve been with them since the start of my career and we’ve put the trust in each other to really execute my vision. Secondly hard work and sacrifice is such a major part of what goes into this type of job. I was just telling someone the other day how for 4-5 straight years I was in the studio on Christmas day. You should’ve seen their faces. It was hilarious. Lastly, I think having a vision and knowing who you are as a person really is huge when it comes to longevity. Understanding who you are really just comes with age, but having that vision for what you want to do and where you want to go as an artist will allow you to know exactly what direction you want to go in.
TSS: When it comes to the electronic dance music scene as a whole, what are some changes you’ve noticed over the years?
BIJOU: I think a big thing that has happened is that fans are so genre specific now. It used to be you could really make a wide array of music and tour and have a strong fanbase. But I’m finding in the last few years that fans really want one thing out of an artist. It’s great as the artist if you are dialed into that and know that your sound is this one specific thing. But it can also be daunting when you want to expand outside of that specific sound and really experiment. I’m a really positive person so i’ve noticed that the scene has a lot of hate and negativity in it at the moment. Everything is about the clout and the internet these days and less about the music. That needs to change.
TSS: What words of wisdom do you have for up-and-coming producers looking to make their presence felt but feel overwhelmed having to juggle all these platforms?
BIJOU: I think the biggest thing is that with so much going on you need to make sure to take time for yourself, even if its an hour a day. Anyone has an hour per day to really sit down and just take some space to really reflect and enjoy whatever you have going on in life. I could sit here and say its grind grind grind, but you HAVE to take time for yourself or you WILL lose your mind. Taking that time really allows you to recharge and recalibrate before getting back to work.
TSS: What gear and programs are you using these days when it comes to production?
BIJOU: I’m just steady on Ableton every single day. Nothing crazy over here I keep it super simple and definitely have my go to plugins but nothing nobody hasn’t done before.
TSS: When it comes to production, where do you find your inspiration?
BIJOU: It’s funny because I used to actually get inspiration from music, but most of the time now it’s based on a specific type of feeling or emotion. I like to take that and really utilize it into my workspace so that I can express it through sound. My goal with that is to really have people feel what I was feeling while in the studio. That’s what I think creates long lasting music and songs that are timeless.
TSS: When you have a rough week or hit a wall creatively, how do you get back on track?
BIJOU: You just have to work through that. I don’t really believe in writer’s block, I just think that whatever you have going at that time isn’t the right thing to be working on. So go work on something else and come back to whatever it is you were working on. Oftentimes with those situations dialing things back on the song and really going sorting through the parts to fine tune it may help. You may find some type of creative flow that takes you back into that project and take it the direction you need it to go.
TSS: Tell us a little about your recent collaboration, “Daybreak” alongside Honey & Badger. How did that one come together?
BIJOU: So one of our managers actually works on both of our projects and one day he sent me this song and goes yo trust me check this out let me know if you want to work on it. And that version of the song was different but the vocal REALLY resonated with me at the time. I was going through a tough time from a relationship standpoint and this vocal really drove me to feel like I had a new life in the situation. He sent me the project and I had it wrapped up in a couple days. I was SUPER inspired by this one so it came together really seamlessly. We sat on it for quite some time until Monstercat came calling and we were stoked to sign it with them.
TSS: How does it feel to make your debut on the powerhouse dance music imprint that is Monstercat with that release?
BIJOU: Honestly Monstercat has been a goal of mine for years so it’s been an amazing experience working with them. It’s cool to see that they are expanding their reach and trying to really push house music now.
TSS: What does BIJOU have in store for the remainder of 2023 and beyond?
BIJOU: My schedule for the next 9 months is insane. I need a vacation LOL. I basically have no weekends off till the end of the year which is amazing, I love being on the road and it’s always a source of inspiration for me. I have a ton of new music coming up which includes another Monstercat single, Drezo collab, Marten Horger collab, some Nightbass singles, another one on SOLOTOKO and I’m wrapping up my EP to drop early 2024. Might be launching a new label start of next year too who knows.
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