The name Skrillex has been detected under the mainstream radar and continues to rise above the underground electronic scene. It’s no surprise that Skrillex achieved world domination from his most recent interview with Yahoo’s Global Anchor, Katie Couric, on June 26, 2015. The topics discussed in the interview just scratch the surface of the music producer and DJ, Skrillex. A one-to-one video interview is an opportunity dreamed about by many journalists. Even though you can find some of this information in the countless biography montages and documentary reels online, the conversation between the two starts to unravel the spirit that is actually Sonny Moore. His composed responses contrast with the high-energy crowd conductor that you see at his shows, which signals that Skrillex is something you need to witness live. Be sure to check out the interview as they chat about Sonny’s seasoned musical experience, EDM as a platform, and the music landscape for him today.
Did you notice the title of this article is different from the title of the video interview? Katie refers to Sonny as ‘The Dubstep King’ because of his influence from the 2010 U.K. garage dubstep to virtually remaking the genre and bringing it to the club scene. According to Sonny, EDM is a platform and not a genre, because it opens the possibilities to create music that advances with production technology. His record label, OWSLA, is another way that EDM reaches out as a platform to “young music.” Sonny’s mentality is meant to inspire the younger generations with more than just sound, but an experience. “In ten years, babies will be making good music!” That’s the kind of motivation that musicians need to keep discovering their own sound through solo projects and even collaborations.
Sonny is truly young at heart, 16 to be exact. This was the young age when his life took a turn into the right direction. His focus in music started with the hardcore emo band, From First to Last, as the lead singer even though he tried out to play guitar. Since then Sonny’s music continued to evolve into a vision after separation from the band. In 2007, he became a solo artist with the release of Gypsyhook.
Listen to Mora for familiar chopped sprite sounds that is later used in My Name is Skrillex.
Katie comments in the interview about the bad rap that electronic music, the EDM community, and specifically Skrillex have coincided with the popularity of drugs. Sonny responded with a positive statement that encouraged a healthy lifestyle. His body would need to be in top shape to be performing more than 300 shows in a year! Other accusations about his image and artistry did not break his composure because “people are just trying to get a reaction.”
As EDM shines in the limelight, it will soon be projected on the big screens. ‘We Are Your Friends’ is set to premiere in theaters August 28, 2015 starring Zac Efron. Several electronic enthusiasts and DJs contradict the image of the industry that this movie will portray. Sonny discredits the quote from the movie trailer “When you’re a DJ, all you need is a laptop, some talent, and one track,” by saying it is not an accurate representation of what he’s done, it’s just entertainment. Ultimately, the message of this movie is about finding your voice. In the very beginning of the interview, Katie even had the chance to display her voice in Skrillex’s studio.
The recent music video release of Jack Ü‘s “Where Are U Now” with Justin Bieber pushes electronic music even more into the spotlight. At first this video was exclusive for Android and Samsung users but is now finally live on YouTube! This was another important topic during the Yahoo interview. Sonny seeks this kind of expression from other artists that lead to impactful music collaborations. The ‘Biebs’ sent over an acapella to Jack Ü and the song’s creation took off from there.
So now after reflecting on the interview, maybe “Making of a Superstar” is actually on point with Skrillex’s ascent. A star is classified by the elements they absorb and their temperature. From Skrillex’s influence, band days, and collaborations with mainstream pop artists, you can definitely say his career is on fire from every single element he’s put into it.