GrooveOn’s Exclusive Interview with DJ Element

Germany’s own Dj Element is fast becoming a popular name in DJ circuits throughout Australia and Asia. He began his DJing career at the age of 14 and is known for his unique style, which focuses on hip hop and RnB. What sets him apart from the rest though is his ability to read a crowd. His ear for music, eye for the crowd and technical finesse on the decks has created a signature style that makes him a memorable addition to any DJ lineup.

2010 saw DJ Element make his way down to Australia to capture the red continent, and it hasn’t taken long for the Australian RnB scene to welcome this talent with open arms. He has already played in all major cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. He has also made his way to Malaysia and Thailand to work his magic on the Asian club scene.

We recently caught up with DJ Element to get to know him a little bit better:

GO: DJ Element, Its great to have you down here, what brings you all the way to Aus?

Element: Thanks, it’s good to be here. This is actually my second time around. Last year I visited a good friend of mine and combined it with a couple of gigs. I had a lot of fun and decided to come back for a proper tour.

GO: You have been DJing since you were 14 years old!! What got you into Djing at that age?

Element: Yes, I’ve been DJing for almost 10 years now. It all started after I went to a few concerts as a kid, mainly of upcoming German artists, and i found that the role of a DJ started to thrill me. So i eventually saved up and I got myself my first decks and it grew from there. But the point that I really got into it was after visiting the ITF (International Turntablist Federation) Finals in Munich at the age of 16. I was so blown away by what i saw that from then on I spent every free minute behind the ones and twos.

GO: Who has inspired you the most in your career?

Element: There are so many awesome DJs & artists who inspire me, which makes the choice very difficult. But my absolute favourites are DJ Rafik, DJ Q-bert, C2C and DJ Premier.

GO: What can you tell us about the German music scene? How does it differ from Australia?

Element: Well, we have a huge demand on rnb and hip hop. But house music is on the rise again, with rnb vs house parties popping up everywhere, which is no surprise, as the genres are rapidly growing together. But I think you currently recognise this development everywhere in the world. Next to the rnb scene, which I would describe as quite similar to Australia, there is a flourishing hip hop scene in Germany, which results in a larger number of technical focused and talented DJs in the rise.

GO: Which Australian cities have you played in so far?

Element: During my last stay in Aus I had appearances in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and on the Gold Coast. I hope to gain the opportunity to play in Perth and Canberra this year, to
complete all the major cities!

GO: What other exotic places have you played at and which has been your favourite destination???

Element: Apart from Australia, I had a exquisite gig at the Grand Sheraton Hotel in Bangkok, which was a great experience.

GO: That does sound amazing! Tell us, what is your dream gig?

Element: My dream gig would either be a full moon party on a famous beach or at a stadium in front of a massive crowd.

GO: We have to ask you, where did you get your DJ name from?

Element: Well, I would describe my style as multi-faceted and I try to embed elements of many different genres into my sets, which finally brought me my name.

GO: And finally, what is your favourite track to play at a club at the moment?

Element: Lil Jon - Hey (feat. 3OH!3), Steve Aoki - I’m in the house (feat. Zuper Blahq), DJ Irwan - That Money (feat. Lil Wayne)

Checkout DJ Element on Wednesday 12th August on Mixxbosses Australia Radio from 7-9pm EST or online at http://WWW.RADIO2RDJ.COM


For all DJ Element updates and news check out - http://www.dj-element.com/