How does it feel to be playing on the main stage at 23 years old?
Pretty sick! I debuted at Ultra last year at the Worldwide Stage. This year I brought a live saxophone and trumpet player. I’m bringing more and more live instruments to my shows. I think dance music is definitely moving more to a live band approach. The fans are getting tired of seeing just a DJ.
How’d the Heartfeldt pool party go?
Really good. It sold out completely. I think the crowd was really good, they came for the artist and the music which is hard to find during all these shows.
Explain how Heartfeldt Radio come about?
It started a bit more than a year ago. I was already doing mixes and listening to new music I wanted to share. So we decided to fill it up. Its played on more than 50 radio stations worldwide.
It seems like more and more DJs are starting their own radio shows.
You need to. As a DJ, your main role is to be a curator. When you play just shows, you’re playing for a limited amount of people, even if it’s a big show.
https://soundcloud.com/heartfeldt/sets/sam-feldt-heartfeldt-radio-2
How did Spinnin’ Records discover you?
It was about three years ago. I was already DJing, but under a different alias and a different sound. I made a track called “Alien” and after two or three months, I built up the courage to send it to them and they replied in like two hours. The track is still on my SoundCloud.
About a week ago you released the track “Open Your Eyes” with Hook N Sling. How are you feeling about the track?
Its doing really well on Spotify, I’m excited.
https://soundcloud.com/samfeldt/sets/sam-feldt-hook-n-sling-open
What are you listening to when you have time?
Listen to my radio show and find out! The reason I do the radio show every week is to show what I’m listening to. I also update my Spotify playlist every week.
Where do you see house music going in the next decade? Will it continue with a more tropical and deep sound?
I think house will always have sub-genres. There will always be the underground and the mainstream. Right now, its focused more on melodies and getting a good singer on board. Look at Martin Garrix right now. He is almost making pop tracks. I don’t think there is a difference between a pop track and a dance track right now. It’s nonexistent. On mainstream radio you hear a pop track and a dance track and the other way around. The Chainsmokers are a perfect example.
Do you believe in luck?
Yeah, I do believe in luck. There is always a factor of luck, I guess. I just played the main stage and there could’ve been a thousand things that went wrong. Even if it’s outside of your control, thats luck. It may sound cheesy, but if you keep working on your passion, you will make it. I’ve been trying to do this for seven years before I was signed.
Is there anything we haven’t touched base on that you would like to talk about?
I have a new album coming up. It’s going to be a double album, about 18 or 19 tracks. I’m doing a single with Akon and two other big singles. I have a lot of festivals coming up and a packed summer in Ibiza.