If you listed everyone as big as Tiësto in dance music you’d have, well, not many names. He’s been voted the best DJ in the world three years running by DJ Magazine (he’s currently ranked second) and he’s been resident at the world’s biggest club (Privilege in Ibiza). Shit, he’s even got his own line of Reebok trainers. We caught up with him in Mexico…
Your current world tour is massive. Do you enjoy all the travelling? Yes. Being able to see and experience the different cities around the world is always a great experience.
Do you get much of a chance to get out and see the countries while you’re on tour? It really depends. My schedule keeps me moving around the world constantly. Sometimes it is difficult, but I always try to take time and enjoy the local culture.
You must have a pretty full-on life. What do you do to chill out? After a gig I party a little bit, then go back to the hotel and go to sleep. With my schedule I have very little down time, but I will usually spend it listening to music. I also try to stay fit whenever I’m on the road, so a bit of exercise everyday is important as well.
Do you still get excited playing sets? Every time. I truly love performing, and I’m happiest when I’m connecting with my fans.
Do you have the best job in the world? Definitely!
How do you think DJing has changed since you started? It has changed quite a bit. Technology has had the biggest impact. For me, CDJ’s had the first major impact as a DJ. Now you can take your entire record collection to a gig in your computer. Very exciting times.
Do you find crowds react to your tunes differently in different countries? Each country has its own unique qualities. Everyone is always up for it and brings their energy to the dance floor.
What would you do if you weren’t a DJ? I have no idea! Music is my lifeblood and I could not see myself doing anything else.
Are you looking forward to your Aussie tour? Very excited!
Have you ever done any backpacking? No, but it looks like a lot of fun and freedom.
Anyone you’d love to remix but haven’t yet? Sure, the list is always changing. I just did a remix for Moby’s “Shot In The Back Of The Head” that I’m really excited about. I would love to do a remix for The XX. Their new album is amazing.
You’ve become increasingly involved in charity work in recent years. Is that set to continue? Yes. I am going to continue my work with Dance4Life. This past summer I performed for their fundraising event at Privilege in Ibiza, along with Robbie Rivera, Richard Grey, Marcello Marchitto and Ricky Rivaro. The event was organized to raise awareness and help develop programmes in Spain and with my Monday night residency, it was the perfect place to have it. I also have been supporting Mercy Corps with the efforts in Haiti.
Tiësto’s Kaleidoscope world tour arrives in Australia this week. There are still a handful of tickets for his shows in Sydney (Jan 30), Brisbane (Jan 31), Melbourne (Jan 7) and Perth (Feb 10). See www.inthemix.com.au for tix.
