After having himself quite the year unloading a steady barrage of new music which included eight release on Tchami’s esteemed Confession imprint, Aazar has once again proved to be a force to be reckoned with in addition to being quite the undeniable house enthusiast.
A true veteran in the electronic dance music space popping onto the scene just about a decade ago and hot on the heels of his newest single “Nobody” featuring C-Mart, we took the time to catch up with Aazar!
Aazar ft. C-Mart – Nobody | Download |
TSS: DJing or production – which came first for you?
Aazar: DJing! I was listening to DJ Cutkiller, he is a French DJ/Hip-hop legend and I instantaneously connected with his whole universe and wanted to do the same, scratching as well.
TSS: The world of dance music has changed quite a bit since you first emerged; what are some changes you’ve noticed over the years?
Aazar: People are more interested in your socials than your music! Haha Nah, I think of course what’s trendy in our scene has evolved a lot. I believe that people want to live a more intimate experience, myself included. That’s also the reason why I started the Bakery Sessions! Small and intimate crowds, good music, good food and most importantly, a real connection with people around you.
TSS: How would you say your sound has evolved since first popping onto the scene?
Aazar: I am a better producer now. Initially, I started music production with the trap scene and it was a lot of (good) “noise.” Now, while I still want to make people dance like I did for ‘Nobody’, I am also striving to have more harmony and musical depth and emotions on my records. I am having lots of fun using real synthesizers, which has changed my studio workflow. Let’s not forget that my sound has also evolved because I’ve evolved, I naturally don’t have the same energy as I used to have 10 years ago. Now, I am a father and I don’t want to rush things, I have more patience and I think you can feel it in my music.
TSS: What has been the key to success and longevity?
Aazar: It has been and continues to be a long journey. I think the fundamental elements are: believing in myself, in my music and its quality even though you encounter a lot of self-doubt along the way, self-belief is the true key to success, without forgetting to enjoy the whole process AND having a solid team with you. I’ve never give up even during/after Covid and I’m convinced I still have lots of things to do in this industry.
TSS: What’s your creative process in the studio?
Aazar: It all depends, sometimes I have a very good idea while taking my shower and this is simply how it all begins. I’m starting demos at home cause I don’t need a lot of gear to work; my computer and my headphones. Then I finish them at the studio. That’s generally how it happens!
TSS: Speaking of producing, what hardware and software do you use these days?
Aazar: I’m working on Live Ableton using all the classic VSTs like Serum, Omnisphere, Arturia synths. My friend has all the craziest synths in his studio, such as the first Moog edition, Juno, Jupiter, Triton etc, it’s a real gold mine for a producer.
TSS: When you have a rough week or hit a wall creatively, how do you get back on track?
Aazar: Cooking helps me to calm down while still being creative in a different way. Listening to new music is also inspirational, however, I think the best for me is having genuine quality time with my daughter and my wife. Without my phone, without thinking about making music or work in general. Living the present moment is actually what reconnects me to my creativity.
TSS: Tell us a little bit about your new single “Nobody” featuring Nigerian artist C-Mart and how it came together.
Aazar: That’s a good story! I met C-Mart on Instagram and I was originally working with him mostly on Afrobeat vibes. One day, I asked him if he could work on a Afrobeat record I sent him. The day after he told me « bro this was a good challenge and I think we got something! » I was confused by his answer until I realised that I had accidentally sent him the instrumental version of ‘Nobody’. That unexpected mistake turned out to be the starting point for creating the track.
TSS: How does it feel to continue to have releases on the powerhouse imprint that is Tchami’s Confession?
It feels good; Tchami has consistently shown support, both as a friend and as an artist.
Aazar: It’s very important for me to have such an amazing artist and human being around me, he is always ready to offer help and share good and wise advice. Merci Martin!
TSS: With 2023 quickly coming to a close, what does Aazar have planned for 2024?
Aazar: A lot of new music! Music that reflects everything I’ve said in this interview. Also, my team and I are developing the Bakery Session project… I can’t say too much about it but we had such HUGE support and feedback on the previous one we did that we thought we should keep going and bring it to the next level.
The idea remains the same, to invite talented artists, super popular or unknown and promote good music/lineup with good food/bakery. So far we had TRYM, Tchami, Yellow Claw, Dombresky, AC Slater, Habstrakt, Mercer, Kungs, Wax Motif, Tony Romera, RayRay, Nostalgix, Shift Key and many more. This is a very challenging and exciting project, can’t wait for you to discover what we are cooking!
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