With a passion for music and performing at a very young age it was always destiny that Winky would be on stage thru-out Indonesia as a regular fixture packing out events, clubs and festivals no matter what night of the week. Armed with a stage presence and tunes that drop subwoofers into the deepest of drops it doesnt come as a suprrise to those who have been around him since his university days. Studying acting and playing in a heavy metal band its exciting to hear what might be just around the corner for the next chapter of the Winky Wiryawan story. Want to know more and read one of most humble and down to earth local spotlight’s we have had the pleasure of covering to date? Look no further as edition #22 is a great insight into one of Indonesia’s leading lights.
What a surprise, it’s been a long time we want to have an interview with a multi-talent senior artist like you from our own country. First of all, let start, do you remember the first day you have a interest in the DJ live? Beside that, we know that you are musicians and actor too. What is the special thing that you feel about DJ compare to those two thing?
My musical history start when I was in Junior High, playing guitar and listen to Metal and even Death Metal. I moved to Jakarta from Bandung and I started to exploring music from Hip-Hop. After that I saw the DJ doing scratching and I realize that it was an important thing. I start to be a DJ since I was in the middle of my Senior High times and at the end of my Senior High, I started to play at the underground scenes in Jakarta.
Basically, all of my career are start at the same times, but I’m started to learn to be an actor since I was in Elemantary School, I join the theatre. But, why I’m choosing DJ compare to my other professions, because I get a lot more bookings and my life really into music. I didn’t forget my roots, and now I’m starting to continue my metal band again and for my acting career, there will be an upcoming fun projects in a couple of months.
Who’s your biggest influence as a producer? Have you ever got a collaborations with those DJ’s and producers?
For DJ’s, my favorite are Carl Cox, Madeon and Zedd for the commercial side. Lately, there’s a talented producer called Grey. But, beside those four, actually there’s a lot of house DJ that the public didn’t know and maybe they didn’t know the roots from San Francisco. There’s this DJ called Jeno, with his Acid House and Nu Disco. For the local side, I have collaborate with a lot of artists from Indonesia and for the internationals, when I used to be a semi resident at Embassy, there’s this DJ from Seattle called Jeno that ask me to move to Seattle and New York, because they really like my productions and they want me to enter the breaks scene because I played a lot of breaks in that time. But, I didn’t take it, because I have an offer to the entertainment showbiz in Indonesia and movie. I didn’t regret it at all. I think if you want to be serious in one professions, you have really to dig into it. But luckily, I can do that all in the same times.
What was the story behind you get chosen as the judge at the biggest producer TV show, The Remix? What’s your comment about the producer that came from Indonesia? As a senior producer in Indonesia, what makes us difference compare to the international producers outside from Indonesia?
It was really my privilege in NET. TV, because THE REMIX is one of the most successful TV show for the music in Indonesia. It all started when I have a chance to remix a local song from Iwan Fals – Bento, with Evan Virgan (producer from Bali). That song get into the biggest hits in NET. TV. Then, they offer me to make The Remix Competition. The process continue and there’s a people from India who sell the license and we take it. But, there’s an agreement that we’re the one who make the basic ground from the script and others. I don’t want this tv show turn to a mellow dramatic show and really chosen by their musical skill.
For the producer in Indonesia, they are all so talented and we already chose best from the best for this TV Show. Beside their musical skill, we also understand that not all of our audience understand about the electronic music. So, the talents must understand about Pop and market and the commercial shit. Something like that. I’m really proud with the winners that has been chosen from the first year. Even though they already are a great producers, I still have to make sure that they are still stay in the path of the Indonesian commercial side. It was a crazy experience for me.
Indonesia have a lot of hi-tech and skillful producer, that have the same to the International producer like the producers from Japan. The most unique things that we had are we had a lot of traditional sounds that we can make them as a sampling. Like I have a friend that is a Hip-Hop producer in Yogyakarta, he produce his songs using the traditional sampling. I don’t think they have it outside from Indonesia, Japan and India. So, if you want to make an electro song, you can put those traditional sampling and that makes an interest from the international people. That’s my opinion
When you make or produce a song, is there any favorite place or ritual that you have to be or done before you make those great beats and melody? What is your criteria when it comes to choose an artist to fill the vocal part at your upcoming song?
I think I’m more into a DJ, and not a producer. I never have a make a list.
Usually it depends on the song that we gonna make and I think all of the producer will answer the same.
You already had a countless show, but what was your top 5 that make those show so memorable for you? Is there any venue that you haven’t play and you really dreaming to be on those show?
– Djakarta Warehouse Project, it was the time where I just released my new song called “Everything” from my Playlist album. This song got taken by The Remix to be their music theme.
– There’s this Underground event, I played a lot of deep, house and tech house music. It was so epic. They turn an office on the 12th floor in Kuningan, Jakarta. They have 4 rooms and it was full. I didn’t played anything that is commercial.
– There this so memorial club, but I forget the name of the club and the name of the event. So, there was a lot police that come to have check us and the crowd going nuts and they hide in the bushes. But, I was the DJ in the booth, so it’s impossible for me to run and hide.
– In 2012, I played in Aquasonic event at Anyer. It was epic and we have 3 rooms in there. One room play progressive, house and trance. The other only house (that’s where I played) and the last one is drum’n’bass and chill out. It was so epic. A lot of people from Jakarta and all around Indonesia go this event and we hang out there.
– 2001, I make a private event in Benoa, Bali. We have 3 rooms there, and we got a sponsor from the investor to get this event going. The DJ that play in that time is me, Naro, Riri Mestica, Anton and Hogi (the senior DJ’s).
How do you feel to be a part of the Jakarta Syndicate family? Like when you have those big event at dreamfields dan Sky Garden.
It was a funny project, and I think it doesn’t go well. Even though the members are Mahesa Utara, Riri Mestica and me. In the end, our music genre can’t blend well together. For myself, it’s not a successful project and I’m sure that Mahesa and Riri will think the same way. But, I think because we’re too busy and we didn’t have a lot times to spend to gather.
Now, we want to know your comments about Bali clubbing scene. You have been playing at a lot of venues like Dreamfields, Sky Garden, Boshe Vvip Club, V-Club (Vi Ai Pi), A-Club and others. What are the difference if we compare the bali crowd and Jakarta crowd as your homebase?
I think Bali have the crowd that are wilder than Jakarta. But, in every club, they have the different crowd and also different sounds. But, Boshe and Vi Ai Pi, like the same. In A-Club is different because I played house and progressive. Basically, Bali have the great crowds and it always fun.
Back in the days, there’s an amazing party in Nyang-Nyang, it was an amazing party and also in the closing for double six party.
At June 22th, 2017, you’ve played di Sky Garden. What are the most special things about sky garden or sky dome? What is your impression about that night?
Sky Garden is one of the best spot, club and venue in Bali, because I can play and mashup all of the song that I want, it depends on my mood from the commercial to metal. Surprisingly, everybody jump like crazy and they really respect us and I think because they already build this atmosphere from the start. For me, Sky Garden is the most successful club in Bali and who didn’t know sky garden?
My impression is Sky Garden is the best!
After the success of your “Playlist” album, are you having an upcoming projects now? Where our audience can catch you in the following weeks? Are there any big event or show?
Alhamdullilah for the success for the Playlist Album and for my upcoming project are the metal, and trash hardcore band called “Rahasia Intelijen” and you check at our soundcloud. Our album should be finish this year. I want to return to my roots. Beside that, I make a project called “Fun on a Weekend”, it’s a house and jazz with Evan Virgan and Kenny Gabriel (the winner of the second edition of THE REMIX)
and once again, you can check it out in our soundcloud and in our instagram. We gonna play at We The Fest.
What are your advices for the next generation to be a successful DJ & producer like you?
My advices for the next generation are:
Producer – You have to stay in front of the computer and try to find the best sample, sound, hook. It didn’t take much time because all you have to do is find and learn like a gig. Like what I used to do in 2003, I make a lot of underground music that got played by the Stadium club, like Sender because I was still single in that time. Now, I’m so busy taking care of my other business. Just stay focus and update.
DJ – it takes time and you can’t be a successful instant DJ. You really have to know how to read the crowd, club, situation and everything
because it wasn’t a guarantee if you have a great playlist, or great remix. No. The DJ can only do sync in their set, is bullshit. Last time when I went to Ibiza and I watch Carl Cox played, he was the best and the most lit party ever.
Last question, what is the most best food that your Mom or Dad ever cook for you and why?
The best food is cheese, everything I ate with cheese like Nasi Padang and even Sayur Asem, everything has to be mixed with keju. But, 2 times I got hospitalize because of cheese. So strange, I think it’s cholesterol
Thank you Baliclubbing, I’m so happy to get this great quality of questions from Baliclubbing, wish this is an interesting interview and success for the dance scene in Bali. Keep produce and be more focused and learn to be a great DJ, entertainer and musicians. Peace out, my name is Winky Wiryawan.