Dimitri: Are you going to remember 2010 as a good and positive year for the progress of electronic dance music or as one of the worst? For instance, have you found many good tracks, new ideas, new talented producers and newborn labels that have excite you and make you feel more addicted with your favorite music?
Danyella: To me, it was very positive. There have been really exciting releases from talented artists all around the globe, in all styles. It’s also nice to see that many new trance artists and labels are staying true to trance and are on the rise.
Dimitri: Is it possible to list for us your personal accomplishments music wise that you achieved during 2010 and maybe you consider this year as one of your best helping you to go a step forward in your career?
Danyella: 2010 – absolutely exciting. That’s the year I decided to release my music as ‘Danyella’. I made a bunch of new connections. For instance, I met up with Talla 2XLC’s label Tetsuo Music, Germany, and decided to release my upcoming trance tunes with them. I also met lots of new producers/artists and vocalists whom I’m going to collaborate with or remix. 2011 will definitely be a very busy year music-wise and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s January 15.th and I already have 5 tracks ready.
a) Best Full Release of the year(that means that you think that the original and the remix package was the most appropriate for it)
Danyella: Oh my, that’s hard to tell. I think I would argue with myself for hours until I finally knew which one’s #1 cause there were so many excellent ones.
b) Your personal Full release of the year(if you had any releases of course and give us the kind of feedback you get for it)
Danyella: Danyella & Tiff Lacey – Summer Breeze (Original & Remixes)
This tune turned out exactly as I had imagined and also received great feedback and support, such as from Armin van Buuren and other major DJ’s around the globe.
c) Best Single track of the year(only original versions)
Danyella: I wish I had an answer for that, but there have been so many great releases, it’s impossible to tell which one was best. There was one release though, which, even though it’s almost a bit too soft for my style, was stuck in my head for days after I heard it. And that was Daniel Kandi – Forgive me.
d) Your personal Best Single track of the year(if you had any releases of course and give us the kind of feedback you get for it)
Danyella: Danyella & Tiff Lacey – Summer Breeze
e) Best Remix of the year
Danyella: So many great remixers out there, really impossible to tell. I enjoyed so many remixes in 2010, it would take forever to pick one out as the winner.
f) Best Remix on personal production that you released this year
Danyella: I enjoyed all remixes made on my original tracks, but I must say the DJ Darq remix of Summer Breeze was stunning – and Mindful Innovations Remix on ‘From Malta To Germany’ was a blast as well. Ground Zero Vibes delivered 2 very special remixes this year and Altuna surprised with a cool uplifter. There you go – can’t really make up my mind
g) Best Producer of the year in your style that you play or any other that you may like
Danyella: I would say my friend Soundlift. He always amazes me with his unique style. Every single one of his releases this year was great.
And if I had to pick an all-time favorite, I’d probably say Sean Tyas. He has been inspiring me with his music for years.
h) Best New Talent/Big hope for the year
Danyella: There are many equally talented new aspiring artists whom I’m currently in contact with, and I really hope 2011 will be a great year for them to get signed and their music heard.
i) Best Remixer of the year on personal or others peoples tracks
Danyella: same as in f) above
j) Best Established Label of the year
Danyella: Let me name 10 Top ones and It’ll be easier to choose
k) Best Newborn in 2010 label of the year
Danyella: A few friends of mine started up several new labels in 2010 and they are all doing equally well.
l) Best promotional tool of the year(ie labelworx/fatdrop/releasecenter or others that you may use)
Danyella: I would say Labelworx, that’s what I use.
m) Best dance album and mixed compilation of the year in the style of music that you work with…
Danyella: Hard to say as I haven’t heard them all. I would normally say ‘A State Of Trance’, but the ASOT 2010 compilation was a bit too slow and soft for my taste.
n) Best social network of the year that has been amazing for the promotion of your work
Danyella: That would be Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Twitter, Blogs/Forums, and of course, MSN
o) Best new software or hardware that you introduced in this year and you recommended it to others.
Danyella: The Novation MKII, Presonus Monitor Station, Behringer DT 990 Pro studio headhphones, 2x Event Project Studio 8, and a second wide screen monitor for my mixer channels. Those are the best things I bought in 2010 and I’ve been using nearly every day since. I’m very satisfied with those.
p) Best and worst dj experience that happened to you in 2010
Danyella: I wish I had something funny to tell, but I was just way too busy with productions to even think about DJ’ing. Next year I’ll probably have more to tell. We’ll see
q) Best country that you performed this year: n/a
r) Best club or open air festival that you attended or you even performed this year n/a
s) Best hobby or other activity for 2010(game/movie/book/going to gym to keep fit or any other hobby )
Danyella: Design and Photography. But music is taking up most of my spare time a.t.m so I don’t have much time left for anything else.
t) Best radio show of the year and Best radio station that you always check out(fm or online)preferably that plays the kind of your music
Danyella: I always try to catch up with my friend’s shows on di.fm, afterhours.fm, or trance.fm.
u) Best online or ordinary record shop that you use to get your music of the year
Danyella: Beatport
v) Best electronic dance music video of the year
Danyella: Hm… it’s funny how I could instantly name a few worst ones I’m really picky about music videos. Some videos don’t reflect the real meaning of the lyrics, which is a bit of a disappointment.
w) Best CD player or any other equipment that you use for djing
Danyella: I wish I could say ‘Pioneer CDJ2000’, but I don’t own these
x) Best vocalist in a dance track of the year
Danyella: Tiff Lacey, I absolutely enjoyed working with her.
y) Best magazine or web site that you always check out for music related stuff(releases and technical equipment)
Danyella: For new releases, I occasionally check the websites of labels I’m most interested in, or I get the news/tracks from the artists. For technical equipment, I always get feedback from artists as well rather than just checking websites so I know for sure if the hardware works as promised before I spend money.
z) Best fan of your music of the year or best crowd in your performance(perhaps you don’t know the name but you can describe when you met or why you consider this person as your best fan of the year)
Danyella: I appreciate every single one who enjoys my music, but if I had to pick one, it’d be the person who had been messaging me about how much strength my music has given him to overcome the worst year of his life. I can’t give details, but it was very touching.
Danyella: My plans for 2011 are to push out a lot of new original tracks. I’m also planning to combine production with DJ’ing this year. In addition, I have some other projects lined up which I can’t talk about yet ;-) All in all, it will be a very exciting year.
Dimitri: On the other side are the worst things of the year. Is it possible to tell us the track or album that you believe is the worst of the year and why?
Danyella: There are a few, but I think it would be unfair to name them. Everyone has a downtime
Dimitri: Please give us your wishes for 2011 and your small piece of advice for anyone that reads this interview and love to get into music production or djing.
Danyella: My wish in terms of music career in 2011 is to get my music out and heard – and hopefully well supported and liked. I also wish lots of success to all upcoming new artists on the rise. My advice to anyone who wants to get into music production, djing, or both, is: Don’t be scared to set your self goals, even if they seem too high to reach. Always believe in it. Don’t push yourself – do it, as long as it’s fun, that’s the key. And most important: Be patient. Don’t expect too much first. Do one step at a time – and you will get there! And one more thing: Stay true to your style. Don’t try to fit in or do what others want to hear. Only do what you love, and share it with those who love it as well. And last but not least: networking!
Additional info:
Website:
http://www.danyella.de/
MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/daniela.schmidt
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.de/danyellamusic
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/xxxdanielaschmidtxxx
Additional info about label she works with at the moment:
http://www.tetsuo.tc/
http://www.tranceallstars.com/
Thanks to Danyella for her time to reply in this interview
Thanks to tetsuo records team for their support in my shows
