Your Name: Erika K
Your location(country,city): USA, San Francisco
Dimitri: Can you mention your biggest music career achievements in 2017?
Erika K: I got my first play by Aly & Fila on FSOE! They played my track Oakridge, part of my new EP that came out on Tangled Audio in November. After they played it, Oakridge was voted as the Future Sound the following week. That definitely was a huge goal of mine. I'm still in awe of that happening :)
Dimitri: Can you mention your biggest personal life achievements in 2017 that make you extremely proud?
Erika K: That's a tough one to answer. Life has been pretty steady this year and all of my goals have been music related >.<
1) Best Track from other artists:
Honestly, I have so many favorites that came out this year. But - I will have to give it to PHD, Costa Pantazis - Signs & Wonders. That track made me cry when I heard the promo. I had it on repeat for weeks after that. I still listen to it frequently. I just love it.
2) Your top 3 2017 personal productions
1. Oakridge
2. When Souls Collide (this track with Dark Matter I'm really proud of. It got a bunch of radio and live support from Markus Schulz.)
3. Equus
3) Best Artist (Dj & producer):
Sean Tyas is unbelievable.
4) Best Remix from other artist:
I love Cory Goldsmith's remix of ReDrive & Krypton8 - Sparks. It wowed me the first time I heard it and I still play it all the time. It also does really well live :)
5) Best Remix that you have produced?
The remix Daun Giventi and I did for Gene Xander on Alter Ego. Gene wrote an awesome lead that gave us an idea for a psy-y tech trance-y direction and it turned out amazing :)
6) Best Remixer:
ReOrder can make a banger out of anything. He's a ridiculously talented producer.
7) Best New Talent (Dj or producer):
Daun Giventi!
8) Best Electronic Music Album:
I don't think I've fully listened to any albums that came out this year to answer that :/
9) Best Electronic Music Compilation:
The only one I paid attention to this year was GLOBAL DJ BROADCAST - TOP 20 AUGUST 2017; and that's just because my collab was on it haha.
10) Best artwork/cover of an Album or Compilation:
Mental Asylum has the best artwork for everything.
11) Best Lyrics in an Electronic Music track (it can be your production or from other artists)
I really like Matt Fax feat. Tania Zygar - Everything (Extended Mix) on Colorize :)
12) Best Vocalist/Singer featured on Electronic Music track:
I'm not sure. I'm really picky when it comes to vocalists. Some who are consistent which I appreciate are; Meredith Call, Bo Bruce, Victoriya, Susana, and Cari.
13) Best Electronic Music Label:
Alter Ego (Tangled Audio) are my favorite :) They literally make you feel like family and are the nicest people in the world.
14) Best Electronic Music Video:
I haven't noticed any music videos this year :/
15) Best Online Social media for communication with your fans:
Facebook and Instagram :)
16) Best Twitter or Facebook message or Instagram message you received from a fan or friend or you have read on someone else’s account:
This year they were mostly sporadic comments like my tracks are "magic" or takes someone to "another dimension." I get a few sweet ones like those :)
17) Best music composition software:
Ableton for sure :)
18) Best Club Event or Open Air Festival:
The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco is pretty amazing.
19) Best personal Dj Gig:
I had a ton of fun playing the Trance Family SF anniversary night at 1015 Folsom in San Francisco.
20) Best Dj set of the year from other fellow Dj:
Daun Giventi killed his set at Beyond Wonderland LA in March of this year.
21) Best country that you have played in 2017 and where did you met the best festival/event crowd:
I've only played in San Francisco this year. And the best event/crowd was definitely the TFSF anniversary night :)
22) Best Radio show or Artist Vlog?:
FSOE and Vonyc Sessions
23) Best Radio station:
Discover Trance Radio and AFC Radio
24) Best Online Record shop that you purchase your music:
Beatport
25) Best music related website that you visit frequently:
Soundcloud
26) Best Smart phone or smart phone application:
Facebook? lol
27) Best Dj equipment (software or hardware):
Pioneer
28) Best new sound or sample that has been used in Electronic Music this year perhaps introduced first by you?
I got an awesome vocal pack haha. I can't remember the name of it now but it's one I have been using in all of my tracks since I discovered it.
29) Best tip that you learnt this year for your Djing techniques or music composition:
I am constantly learning new things in Ableton, small tips and tricks from friends and YouTube.
30) Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career in 2017:
Don't give up.
31) Best hobby or activity that you spent a lot of time in 2017:
Video games (Battlefield 1 mostly), spending time with my dog.
32) Best holiday destination for 2017 either to relax or to perform in a club or festival:
I went to LA with Daun Giventi, Cory Goldsmith, Gene Xander, Duncan Newell and Amy Attwater a few months ago. We shared a mansion together and had the best weekend just hanging out and showing each other tracks we are working on and giving each other feedback. I hope to do it again with them soon :)
33) Best Electronic Music magazines in printed form not online:
I don't read any of them.
34) Best Movie of the year that may inspire you to compose a track:
I hardly ever watch movies :/ Mainly just TV Shows.
35) Best online/PC/video game of the year that you have played this year?
Battlefield 1 for sure. I'm addicted.
36) Best soundtrack for video game of the year:
Battlefield 1. The film scores are amazing.
37) Best electronic music related joke you heard this year and make you still laugh:
I haven't heard any!
38) The saddest electronic music news you heard this year and still makes u cry:
I don't think I've heard any sad ones either.
Dimitri: Finally, please tell our readers your plans with your future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations, Dj gigs.
Erika K: Coming out/in the works are collabs with Daun Giventi, another collab with Daun Giventi and Aressa, Dreamy, and a release at the beginning of the year on Always Alive.
Thanks to Duncan Newell at Tangled Audio for arranging this interview.
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