Take a X-ray of D-wayne and instead of bones, tendons, muscles or ligaments, you’ll see two metres’ pure zest for work, ambition and drive. Hand-picked in the very early stages of his career by none other than Afrojack, D-wayne’s reputation as a master craftsman of both huge club anthems and more radio-friendly pop-house is second to none.
From an early age Dwayne Megens - named after the famous US Grand Prix motorcyclist Wayne Rainey - was influenced by his father’s wide ranging tastes, from the classic rock of Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple to the electronic wizardry of Kraftwerk. As he grew, his own tastes formed, indulging in the work of Tiesto, Skrillex, Laidback Luke, Axwell and more. Starting his DJ career at school parties, he easily morphed into live club spots. With no formal training but an acute ear for music and a natural ability when it came to production, D-wayne knew he had a story to tell and music would be his medium.
Citing the spellbinding, almost narrative nature of Motorcycle’s track ‘As The Rush Comes’ as a major source of inspiration, D-wayne looks to recreate that same story-telling in his own music. “I want to tell a story, by touching people's emotions and inspiring them,” D-wayne says. “I want to produce that one record that will make everyone in the club or festival say: that was the absolute high point of the night.”
It’s a trademark part of his music, one that runs across singles like ‘Trippin’’, ‘Ghost’, ‘Neon’, ‘Turn Your Love Around’, ‘Detonate’, ‘Love Again’ and his latest single ‘Loving You Always’. It’s also one of the main reasons why his work has been continually supported by the scene’s biggest tastemakers, from releasing on labels like Aoki’s Dim Mak, Nervous Records, Wall Recordings, Wolv and Future House Music to remixing A-level artists like Tiesto, Afrojack, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull, Sheppard and R3hab.
Outside of the studio and his skills behind the DJ deck have made him a true internationally jet-setting performer. One of the youngest ever DJs to hold a residency in Vegas - at Drais’ nightclub - D-wayne also had the incredible privilege of playing at the Great Wall in Chain! Sets at Tomorrowland, EDC New York, 7th Sunday, Space Moscow, Pacha New York, Mansion Miami, Wet Republic, Wynn XS, Hakkasan and Omnia in Vegas are just a selection of highlights from a touring schedule that regularly covers Europe, Asia, and North and South America.
With more tour dates on the horizon and a major run of new music set to release across 2019, the future is looking incredibly bright for the young Dutch producer.
From an early age Dwayne Megens - named after the famous US Grand Prix motorcyclist Wayne Rainey - was influenced by his father’s wide ranging tastes, from the classic rock of Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple to the electronic wizardry of Kraftwerk. As he grew, his own tastes formed, indulging in the work of Tiesto, Skrillex, Laidback Luke, Axwell and more. Starting his DJ career at school parties, he easily morphed into live club spots. With no formal training but an acute ear for music and a natural ability when it came to production, D-wayne knew he had a story to tell and music would be his medium.
Citing the spellbinding, almost narrative nature of Motorcycle’s track ‘As The Rush Comes’ as a major source of inspiration, D-wayne looks to recreate that same story-telling in his own music. “I want to tell a story, by touching people's emotions and inspiring them,” D-wayne says. “I want to produce that one record that will make everyone in the club or festival say: that was the absolute high point of the night.”
It’s a trademark part of his music, one that runs across singles like ‘Trippin’’, ‘Ghost’, ‘Neon’, ‘Turn Your Love Around’, ‘Detonate’, ‘Love Again’ and his latest single ‘Loving You Always’. It’s also one of the main reasons why his work has been continually supported by the scene’s biggest tastemakers, from releasing on labels like Aoki’s Dim Mak, Nervous Records, Wall Recordings, Wolv and Future House Music to remixing A-level artists like Tiesto, Afrojack, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull, Sheppard and R3hab.
Outside of the studio and his skills behind the DJ deck have made him a true internationally jet-setting performer. One of the youngest ever DJs to hold a residency in Vegas - at Drais’ nightclub - D-wayne also had the incredible privilege of playing at the Great Wall in Chain! Sets at Tomorrowland, EDC New York, 7th Sunday, Space Moscow, Pacha New York, Mansion Miami, Wet Republic, Wynn XS, Hakkasan and Omnia in Vegas are just a selection of highlights from a touring schedule that regularly covers Europe, Asia, and North and South America.
With more tour dates on the horizon and a major run of new music set to release across 2019, the future is looking incredibly bright for the young Dutch producer.
Dimitris: Can you mention your biggest music career achievements in 2018?
D-wayne: Releasing the new single 'Loving You Always' including documentary.
Upcoming official remix for R3hab.
Numerous successful tours that I'm very grateful for!
Dimitris: Can you rate 2018 for you as a year with 1 being very bad until 10 that is perfect year!
D-wayne: 8 very good year, 2018 has marked a new 'beginning' with releasing a new sound and going intro my own direction, setting new goals and following my heart, never felt so good! :-)
1) Best 3 Tracks from other artists in 2018, please give us a short comment for each track:
1. Tchami, Malaa - Kurupt // Great production and vibe, love playing this
2. Swanky Tunes & Going Deeper - Time // love this vibe, old school Tommy Trash vibes
3. Tiesto - Grapevine // just YES! :-)
2) Your 3 Best of 2018 personal productions, give us more background info about them:
D-wayne: 1. D-wayne - Loving You Always ft. Jack McManus // New sorta sound for me, always loved doing more poppy records, really happy with the overall production and the reactions have been amazing so far!
2. D-wayne - Funkyfeelin' // Also something new, more groove back to the dancefloor!
3) Best Artist in 2018(DJ & producer) please explain why you pick him/her up:
D-wayne: Cesqeaux, I just feel like he's constantly doing his own thing and evolving, love his way of producing, he just deserves love!!
4) Best Remix in 2018, please explain why you liked it so much:
D-wayne: Axwell /\ Ingrosso - Dancing Alone (Brohug Remix) - cool production, liking the vibes, its not straight forward plain banging EDM but actually tells a story in a way, really liking it!
5) Best Remix that you have produced in 2018, please tell us why you believe is your best work?
D-wayne: R3hab - Radio Silence ft. Jocelyn Alice (D-wayne Remix) not released yet!
6) Best Remixer for 2018, please tell us why you choose him/her:
D-wayne: Don Diablo - love how he flips some popular pop records to absolute dancefloor monsters.
7) Best New Talent in 2018 (DJ or producer), please explain the reasons why you choose him/her :
D-wayne: Waysons - know these guys for a while now but really liking their productions, its fresh, very musical and just different from what everyone else is doing nowadays.
8) Best electronic music album in 2018? Please explain your decision why you think is the best album?(b) Do you believe that albums are still relevant or you prefer singles:
D-wayne: David Guetta - 7
Just filled with hits, interesting producing, and I really admire how he continues to put out great songs one after another.
b) I don't know if they're still very relevant as people can nowadays decide what to listen themselves anyway, perhaps singles are easier marketing wise, making an album however as an artist would still be something I would want to do one day.
9) Best artwork/cover for a single/ album or compilation released in 2018, please justify your opinion why this and not another one:
Martin Garrix - High On Life // feels very unique, dark, edgy, mysterious, sorta felt like the older Axtone artworks for me (which absolutely rocked back then).
10) Best lyrics in an electronic music track in 2018 (it can be your production or from other artists) Please explain why you like these lyrics so much!
Martin Garrix ft. Mike Yung - Dreamer
11) Best vocalist/singer featured on electronic music track in 2018, please tell why you appreciate this singer/vocalist and why:
12) Best electronic music label for 2018, please justify why you choose this label and what was so special in 2018 about it:
D-wayne: Confession - I love how their bassy sound has been taking over and I feel Tchami/Malaa and some other guys on the label have been showing a different sound is welcome, and possible
13) Best electronic music video for 2018, please explain why you like this video so much:
D-wayne: don't know if you'd categorise it 'electronic' but gonna go with Childish Gambino - This Is America anyway // deep political message, just makes you think about so many things happening in our society nowadays.
14) Best online social media for 2018 and why you believe is the best particularly in 2018?:
D-wayne: Instagram - stories was a gamechanger in my eyes, it's been constantly evolving.
15) Best Twitter/Facebook/Instagram message you may have received about your music or your DJ performance in 2018:
D-wayne: Really appreciating all the love on the new single lately, its literally too many great messages to pick from!
16) Best music composition software in 2018, please explain why you appreciate it so much:
D-wayne: Fruity Loops, they just keep rocking, they actually went to MAC finally so couldn't be happier!
17) Best Club event or Festival that you have performed there or you would love one day to perform there, please explain the reasons that influenced your choice of the event & festival:
D-wayne: Temple San Francisco - just one of my fav spots to play, crowd is amazing, great vibes...!!
18) Your Best personal DJ Gig for 2018 (if you are active as DJ) and why you believe is the finest:
D-wayne: Skygarden Bali - actually didn't want to stop playing, the crowd there never disappoints!
19) Best DJ set from other fellow DJ in 2018 and why you believe his/her set was so fantastic?:
D-wayne: Steve Angello - Tomorrowland 2018 weekend 2 - Great energetic set, with a great message as well, he never really disappoints anyway.
20) Best radio show/podcast or Vlog(video blog) in 2018, please explain why you think this is the best radio show or vlog?:
D-wayne: Tiesto's Clublife - always gives a fresh look on new music, regardless if artists have a close link to Tiesto or not!
22) Best Radio station in 2018, please explain why this radio station is your favourite:
D-wayne: 538 - I basically always listen to them in the car in the Netherlands :-)
23) Best music related website that you visit frequently, please explain what you exactly appreciate in this web site and you may recommended to your fans as well:
D-wayne: Splice - there's so much samples and stuff on there thats very handy!!
24) Best production or DJ equipment (a)software & (b) hardware) in 2018 particularly if they were released in 2018:
D-wayne: Wouldn't know, my setup hasn't really changed hardware wise, but perhaps the Izotope Vocalsynth!
25) Best new sound or sample that has been introduced in any electronic music track in 2018 and you wish to have invented it or you may even have introduced it for the first time?
D-wayne: Tiesto picking that Marvin Gaye - Grapevine sample was so good..!!
26) Best technical tips that you learnt in 2018 in relation to your DJing or music productions:
D-wayne: Never use the sync button?!
27) Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career in 2018 and has helped you to progress even further:
D-wayne: Always follow your heart and never stop believing in yourself - as soon as you let others take over from what you really want it becomes so much harder to keep working
Dimitris: Can you mention briefly your plans for your future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations, DJ gigs for 2019!
D-wayne: There's so much new stuff coming up release wise, new singles, club songs, new releases on new labels for me, and lots of shows, so its gonna be an exciting year for sure!
Dimitris: In 2018 there was a big movement for revival of classic tracks and retro events have boomed with music policy of solely classic tracks. What is your opinion about events or stages only with classics and can you choose for us your absolute 3 favourite classics?
D-wayne: I haven't really been confronted with these events but it sure sounds like fun. If we can refer to 'classics' I'd say the Defected parties are great, I went to an ADE one and they played some oldskool house songs that I still love.
Dimitris: Finally, what is your biggest wish for 2019 and give us your wishes for our readers?
D-wayne: For everyone to find, give and get LOVE, ALWAYS!!
Thanks to D-wayne for his fantastic answers. Thanks to Kat at Motherlode PR for organising this interview.
Thanks to D-wayne for his fantastic answers. Thanks to Kat at Motherlode PR for organising this interview.
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