American DJ and music producer Whethan is one of the hottest names in the electronic music scene, with millions of music fans around the world he conquers the biggest music festivals these days.
Where are you from?
I grew up in a suburb on the south side of Chicago called Orland Park.
Tell us about your single ‘Upside Down’, how was the work on it, who were the people who contributed to the single, and what is the story behind it?
Upside Down is a collaboration with one of my favorite bands Grouplove. They wrote the song over a guitar with my friend Sarah Aarons and sent it over to me. I immediately fell in love with it and went on for months of figuring out how to make the sounds match the message in a fresh way. It was definitely a fun challenge for me.
After your breakthrough into the music industry, do you remember the moment you realized you were a rising star in the field
I’d say the moment I realized I was coming up in the industry is when my producer idol, Skrillex, liked one of my songs and wanted to work on music with me. He’s a huge influence on my music so it was definitely an inspiring moment getting to work alongside him.
Who is the next artist you would like to collaborate with?
I’d say the next artist I want to collaborate with is either Don Toliver or Baby Keem. They’re both such fresh and exciting new artists that would be super fun to produce for. I feel like their vocal capabilities would allow me to do some cool stuff with the production.
Favorite moment from your career?
My favorite moment of my career so far is when I got to play Lollapalooza in my hometown of Chicago. Playing this festival was something I always dreamed of doing and accomplishing that was such a cool moment. The show itself also went amazing and the crowd was great so that helped.
Who were the people who influenced you the most from whom you were inspired?
My biggest influences are Daft Punk, Skrillex, and Calvin Harris.
Their sounds are all so unique and identifiable that their hits will definitely turn into classics years from now. They inspire me to do my absolute best when it comes to making music or any other form of art.
What other things do you do besides making music
Besides making music I don’t really do anything crazy. I’ve recently gotten into designing clothes and overall just figuring out how to create the coolest possible merch for this upcoming album. I also enjoy watching weird movies. Right now I’m on a serious Anime kick. Other than that I’ve just been relaxing and trying to stay healthy.
What excites you most about being a DJ and performing around the world
What excites me most about DJing and performing around the world is being able to control a whole room’s energy with your music and whatever else you decide to play. Performing also allows me to connect with fans that I wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to meet.
What are your goals for the future?
My goals for the future are mainly to just expand on my music. I would love to create and score a film because I feel like that would be an amazing challenge and learning experience. Winning a Grammy would also be an amazing dream come true. And of course, I hope to fall in love one day.
Please write a message to your fans.
To my fans, thank you for being patient with the release of my first album. It’s taken longer than I expected but it’s something that I’m really proud of and can’t wait to be in the world. Also can’t wait to be on the road seeing all your faces when this shit is over.
