NOTHING KEEPS GUETTA DOWN
The star DJ says not even a raging fever can keep him away from a show, and what his big dream is
Grammy-winning DJproducer and hitmaker David Guetta says that success is mostly down to hard work and luck, not talent. He talks about how he stays healthy on the road, the addictive energy of live performances, and his new album, which features collaborations with Justin Bieber, Sia, Nicki Minaj, J Balvin, Bebe Rexha and Martin Garrix. What was it like to collaborate again with Nicki Minaj and Sia? They’re like old-time partners. I really appreciate that they’re so loyal to me. I think we made records that were really lifechanging together. And I feel like they became such huge stars and I think it’s amazing that they’re always here from me and really appreciate it. You have a crazy schedule. How do you stay healthy with such a hectic lifestyle?
Yes, it’s sometimes a little too much. I’m not going to lie, because at the moment I’m doing one city per day. It’s a lot. But it’s the life I chose, and it makes me very happy. I have the best job in the world. So, I don’t want to complain.
Every job has a little bit of a downside and probably jetlag will be the big downside of my work. And even after all those years, I still didn’t figure out how to beat jetlag. But yeah, that’s very small compared to all the amazing things that come with my job.
Do you get carried away with the audience’s energy? Obviously, when you get onstage, it’s like a huge rush of adrenaline because you receive all this energy, all this love. It’s actually crazy because in my entire career, I only cancelled two shows, and it was two times because of the plane, not because of me.
Doesn’t matter if I’m sick, have [a] fever, I always do it. And I can be really shaking with [a] fever, [but] the moment I get on-stage, it’s all gone. It’s like magic because you receive so much energy that, you know, it’s just crazy and that’s addicting. You know, that’s probably what keeps me going to the studio.
You know, like, I think a lot of new producers, DJs... they start by being producers and then because of having a successful record they go to [the] stage and become DJs. For me, it’s the other way around. I go to the studio because when I’m making music, I’m imagining the moment I’m going to drop this record. And the amazing feeling of happiness... [is] what makes me want to work those 16 hours a day sometimes in the studio.
When you get onstage, it’s like a huge rush of adrenaline because you receive all this energy, all this love.
DAVID GUETTA DJ
Does it help to have friends in the music industry?
Well, we’re always travelling, so we don’t have so much of a family life or like a normal social life, so we kind of create a new family. We all do festivals, play in the same places during the summer... We created a new music family and yes, it’s great. It’s great. Is there anyone else that you really want to collaborate with? I’d love to work with Adele. But, probably the biggest dream is to find a new Sia. Someone that can write and sing and that is unknown and that we can develop something together.