German-born producer Tujamo first discovered his passion for music as a teen and honed his craft until his unique take on dance music could be considered a genre of its own. Inspiring hundreds of producers across the globe to try and imitate his unique sound, Tujamo’s energetic and pioneering dance music has seen him collaborate with Danny Avila, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Jacob Plant, Laidback Luke, Martin Solveig, Pep & Rash, Showtek, Taio Cruz and many more. From the biggest festivals on earth including TomorrowWorld in America, Tomorrowland in Belgium, Creamfields in the UK and Summatronic in India through to legendary venues such as New York City’s Webster Hall and Pacha, the prestigious Wynn Resort in Las Vegas and Top 100 Clubs #1, Green Valley in Brazil, Tujamo has played them all. Creating killer remixes for a whole host of artists, including David Guetta, Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Martin Solveig, Jack Ü and former DJ Mag #1 DJ duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tujamo’s own material has had just as much incredible.
Hi Matthias, how are things? Who were your main inspirations from the beginning of Tujamo?
Hey guys! Thanks for speaking with me. Everything is great. Wow, that’s a big question really. I’ve always loved all kinds of music, so I draw on lots of inspirations when it comes to my style. But I guess in this game, there are DJs and producers who have taken things to a whole new level. You know, guys like Tiesto, Steve Aoki or Diplo are always going to inspire you to push yourself a bit harder.
So you first discovered your passion for music in your teen years! Can you tell us about your musical journey from then?
Yes! My girlfriend secretly entered me into a DJ contest and I won it. After that I knew I wanted to make my own music to play in my DJ sets and I just worked as hard as I could to learn my craft and develop my own style. I always say that one track can change your life and I’m lucky enough to have had a few of those successes since I became a professional producer. It’s always about the next record for me though, I’m always working on the next thing!
You became known because of your unique sound. How has your sound changed/developed from when you first started producing?
Recently, I have been pushing myself to bring more pop elements into my music. I still want it to sound like Tujamo, you know? But I love dance music records you can listen to at a festival and at home. My new single ‘One On One’ was a step in this direction and I feel like it’s been received really well so far.
You’re signed to Spinnin’ Records! Has being signed to the label made any changes in your music career?
Spinnin’ is an incredible label and they’ve definitely helped to push my career further. It’s important to make smart choices about who you work with in the music industry and I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without a great team around me.
How different would you say the house scene is in the UK to your hometown?
I don’t know if it’s so different really. I have been lucky enough to travel the world and play all kinds of different parties, clubs and festivals and the one thing that’s always true is that people just want to cut loose and have fun. What the crowd wants to hear always depends on their mood, the location, what’s currently trendy, what the last DJ played… I could go on. But I find there are usually more similarities than differences, it’s one of the great things about music, it brings everyone together!
How much influence has your hometown had on your sound?
That’s an interesting question! I’m originally from quite a small town in Germany called Detmold so I think I always wanted to hear lots of music from the outside world. Maybe all of that searching has helped me be a better producer and to bring more influences into my own tracks.
You also have released the ‘Riverside (Reloaded)’. How did you create this?
The initial idea was definitely influenced by the original track. That was one of the first tracks that just kept sticking in my mind ever since I first heard it. The rest was a very well going collab with Sidney and gettin my touch on it, of course. Once the idea was set, it was clear to me that this one would stand out big time and it did. I see a lot of fellow DJs support it already so I’m very happy with the result.
What does this record say about your musical evolution as an artist?
It is my sound, no doubt about it. I love my brass and trumpets and for me this is what keeps working in clubs and on those big stages. It’s a bit more than just a sound to me. It’s the reason I am the producer and the DJ that I am today. If you have made a name for yourself with a sound well before you have even been on the stage yourself, then that’s something that will stick with you and I’m super grateful to be able to go through an evolution like this.
You’ve played at some huge festivals! Which one has been the best so far?
So many to mention! I really love to play the big ones like Ultra and Tomorrowland, but I think the best touring experience recently was my tour of China. I think I did the second longest run of any Western DJ out there, so it was a great time and a real honour.
Anything we need to keep an eye out for from DJ Tujamo?
We just released one of my single with Miranda Glory & Haris called Body Language. So definitely check those out – and the original if you haven’t heard it!