Dance Rebels Exclusive Interview with Corey James

There is no artist who has seen as much of a meteoric rise in popularity in the year 2015 as British producer/DJ, Corey James. He rose from relative obscurity to feature releases like “Tenpaku” (with Will K) on Sosumi Records and “Collage” (with John Christian and Arin Tone) on Protocol Recordings. On the DJing side of the spectrum, Corey James had a packed schedule during October’s Amsterdam Dance Event, playing events for Norman Doray, Kryder & Tom Staar, and Marcus Schössow‘s respective label nights. We had the opportunity to catch up with the man himself and ask all about his production process, his inspiration, and where he sees himself going. Check out his answers below, and listen to a few of his recent tunes!

Where do you find your inspiration as an artist?

I find inspiration in many ways such as; watching videos of live performances, listening to new music from different genres, going to live gigs to watch bands, musicians and DJ’s. I also find that small things like cleaning my work space in the studio or taking a break from the studio can help, too.

Who has been your greatest mentor as you build your career?

I’ve been lucky to have a number of mentors in my life so far. People such as Max Vangeli, Marcus Schössow, Kryder, Tom Staar, and Third Party have provided me with great opportunities, support, feedback, and advice during my career to date. I also work with other great artists and we all share and learn from each other.

This year you got to play three events during Amsterdam Dance Event. What was it like to play an event with all of the different artists who have supported your sound?

Playing at ADE was amazing; it was a dream come true for me. If I had been told during 2014 that a year later,  I would  be playing three events at ADE, I would never have believed it. It has motivated me to work even harder.  Playing alongside some of the biggest names in the industry was amazing, I was nervous at first but it was definitely one of my greatest achievements to date.

How important is your relationship with Will K? How have you helped each other develop your sounds?

Will and I are like brothers, even though we have never met in person and we live over the other side of the world from each other. It’s crazy how sharing a passion for music and the same vision can bring us together to be literally best friends. I believe we have both helped each other when it comes to discovering new techniques and developing our sound and it’s a pleasure to work with someone as motivated as myself. Lots of music will be coming from us in 2016.

What experience in your musical career have you learned from the most?

I’ve learnt that although business is important, you have to make sure as an artist that you don’t get too distracted with that side of the industry and to concentrate on the music. For me the music is what it’s all about.

As an artist, how do you stay motivated after a great success like “Tenpaku”?

I stay motivated because I’m doing what I love. Seeing the reaction to Tenapku and all my other tracks just inspires me further and motivates me to make better and better music.

Your track, “Morning Sun,” with Joakim Molitor has a completely different vibe from some of your other tracks. Was your production process different? How so?

The production process for each of my tracks is always different.  I realised that all the tracks I have made so far were either quite aggressive or groovy, so I wanted to try something totally different something that was melodic and emotional.  I think being versatile is a great asset when being an artist, I like to try and produce as many different genres and styles as possible, so in future don’t be shocked if you hear something totally different from me.

How do you manage all of the hectic responsibilities and schedules of DJing and producing?

I’m pretty good at scheduling and I only need about five hours sleep in any twenty four hour period. I also get good support from my family and  friends who help keep me on track !

How do you feel about the current state of the dance music industry? Are things like DJ Mag and artists breaking off from their management going to make it self-destruct?

I don’t think it will self-destruct, music and artists will always exist so I think the industry will adapt to suit.  Music and the music business are changing all the time and always has done. For me the point that it never stands still is its most exciting feature.

What goals do you have for yourself in 2016?

Continue to make and release the best music I can and to play it to live audiences across the Globe.