Few thrills in the music industry match the chance to work with your idols.
For Alden Martin and Jesse Fischer, the members of the producing/DJ duo VAVO, that chance came in the form of guest mixing on Tiesto’s CLUBLIFE.
“It was huge for us,” say Martin and Fischer. “When we were asked to do the mix, we didn’t even think it was real. We knew we had something people liked, that’s for sure, but getting invited to be a guest on CLUBLIFE is a huge deal! We both were avid listeners of the radio show for years, so getting the invite felt surreal. The funny part is, we never expected to have one of our songs featured on the show and then all of a sudden, we’re now doing a guest mix?! Unreal.”
On behalf of StripJointsMusic.com, ED Magazine spoke with VAVO about how the group started despite being in two different countries separated by eight time zones, how the group is musically faring with COVID, and their newest single “Day N’ Night.”
ED: Vancouver and London are separated by 3,000 miles so how did you guys first meet and, more importantly, produce music so far apart?
VAVO: We first met on Soundcloud. We heard about each other’s solo projects and decided we should collaborate on a song. After the track was finished, we realized that we worked so well together and decided to team up. We also both had the same goals and dreams, so it seemed right. Until we signed on with our management and moved to NY, we would go about producing each record from our respective countries. It usually consisted of sending updates over Soundcloud and chatting about it via Whatsapp. That said, producing music when you are not in the same room has become much easier nowadays thanks to technology. In fact, it is pretty common now to hear that a lot of collabs are actually done via the internet. This experience also allows for us to work with artists from all over the world because it’s something we’ve been doing for years.
ED: What was it like having a guest mix on Tiesto’s CLUBLIFE? That has to be an affirming sign you were doing something right?
VAVO: It was huge for us. When we were asked to do the mix, we didn’t even think it was real! We knew we had something people liked, that’s for sure, but getting invited to be a guest on club life is a huge deal! We both were avid listeners of the radio show for years, so getting the invite felt surreal. The funny part is, we never expected to have one of our songs featured on the show and then all of a sudden we’re now doing a guest mix?! Unreal… It also did feel affirming to know we were doing something right. You work so hard on a project, but you never know how people are going to react. Even to this day, seeing people so connected with our music feels like the biggest compliment we could receive.
ED: Understanding you guys are professional musicians, do you find you’ve turned to music even more these past few months with the COVID pandemic as a means of escape, stress/boredom relief, etc.?
VAVO: Definitely. Like most artists we are not touring now and because of this, we now have much more free time to sit down and work on music. As a result, we have been producing a TON of new tracks and could not be more excited about what we put together. We have been able to really develop our current sound and work with a lot of talented producers and singers that we hadn’t worked with before.
ED: With COVID ongoing, how is your summer/fall schedule looking?
VEVO: At this point it is anyone’s guess. We had just signed a few residencies and had a bunch of shows lined up for the year, but that they have all been put on hold until further notice. It’s unfortunate, because we love to perform, but we plan on just working away in the studio and bringing our fans our best music yet!
ED: What’s been the most memorable performance you’ve had to this point?
VAVO: We would say our first show at HQ nightclub in Atlantic City. It was a sold-out crowd and the energy was unreal. The production they have in that club, and the team working it all, is remarkable. It really allows us to bring the excitement and dramatic effect to each set.
ED: What’s the most awestruck you’ve been meeting a fellow musician? Why?
VAVO: We have met a lot of artists. Tiesto, Gareth Emery, W&W to name a few. These are all artists we looked up to for a long time and meeting them along the way always gives us this exciting feeling. It is also a bit weird because you have listened to these guys so long and now you know them on a personal level. Plus, it’s always pretty cool when your friends get jealous haha.
ED: What’s it like from a creative standpoint covering a song vs. making a song from scratch?
VAVO: Well covering a song can be easier for sure, but if done right can be a hit. There has been a ton of covers that become massive international hits. We aim to focus on original music. Creatively, we approach it two different ways. Our favorite way is getting our hands on a vocal idea that we love and then writing the song around that. We also tend to get ideas by things hear and like then pitch vocalists.
ED: StripJoints services DJs at gentlemen’s clubs nationwide, so why would “Day N’ Night” be a good choice to play at a gentlemen’s club?
VAVO: This is a sexy, seductive, sets the mood kind of dance track. The bassline is infectious, and it makes you want to dance. It is a song anyone can vibe to and the pitched down vocals mixed with the production brings that sexy allure. Plus, the lyrics are about someone you’re fantasizing about … ‘I can’t get you off of my mind.’
