Roger Shah is currently on an extensive world tour with stops in Australia, China, Mexico, and abroad. It is a great pleasure to say that he still managed to schedule some time for an interview with us at TranceSound.net after his recent performance at A State of Trance 450 in New York City to which he was invited to join by the worlds #1 DJ in the DJ Mag ranks; Armin van Buuren.
Besides the tour Roger is working on many upcoming projects including a Magic Island album, some collaborations with talented artists, as well as a new Sunlounger release. Roger shares some information with our readers, so keep reading to find out what you can expect from Roger in the next few months.
1. At what point in your life did you discover that you had a creative talent for music?
Roger Shah: Hmm, that's a good question. I think it must have been around my age of 10 years, when I got my first little keyboard from my parents. I have also been interested into music since I can remember. I also played in a cover band when I was 16 but realized that I want to compose my own songs instead of playing hits from other people.
2. Who showed you the ropes of production, did you attend any training or did you learn on your own?
Roger Shah: I had a semi - professional education and learned to read notes, chord progressions and playing keyboard in a private school. When it comes to production I learned most by doing terms and visiting some studios of the people I got to know. I think I still improve and develop myself.
3. What are some of your favorite artists to work with; and who do you look forward to working with in the future?
Roger Shah: This is hard to say, there are some many great musicians and artists out there. I always search to find some new great voices for my music. To work with a superstar from the rock/pop business could be cool too, but maybe it's not really realistic. For the Roger Shah album, which I will complete next year, I will come up with some surprises on the vocal side, but it's too soon to talk about.
4. Are you excited to play in New York for the first time?
Roger Shah: Haha, sure! I have to say, that it's not my first time. I already played in New York 10 years ago in June 2000. It was that time when I had my first hit records in Germany. One of our worldwide label partners who released my tracks was with Webster Hall Records, so I played in the Webster Hall.
5. Wow! 10 years, that is a long time. You are way overdue. What does performing at the ASOT 450 gig mean to you?
Roger Shah: This means a lot to me, because my whole career got a push into the right direction when I played at ASOT350 for the first time. I am always happy when I get an invitation to play those annual major events. It's always a good chance for me to play my tracks and create some buzz for my upcoming tracks. At ASOT450, I think I played about 7 world premieres.
6. How does your creative process work for producing tracks?
Roger Shah: I'm always creative and always compose music, in hotel rooms, and airplanes. Whenever I get an inspiration on tour, I have to connect my keyboard to my laptop and play some basic chords and melodies to remember the melody and work further when I get back home. I always start with chords, and then compose a top line/main melody and do everything from there.
7. What track do you plan to release as your next single or album, and when is it due to be released?
Roger Shah: I have 2 albums to be released this year, "Magic Island - Music For Balearic People Volume 3" mix album that contains 100% exclusive and upcoming tracks from my label. I also did 9 tracks and collaborations for myself, so it's more like a new album than just a mix album. Watch out for some great collaboration I did with Signum, Tenishia, Leon Bolier, and others. The release date will be June 11th.
My main project for this year and I know a lot of people are waiting for it, is the new Sunlounger album. The first single is called "Found" and is the follow up single for my ASOT tune of the year 2008 entitled "Lost". We just finished the video for it. The reactions are amazing so far and I can't wait to have this track released by end of May. The Sunounger album can be expected around end of August or September.
8. Which of your own productions always get a strong reaction from the crowd?
Roger Shah: All my so called big hits get huge reactions, so where ever I go people are waiting for tracks like "Lost", "White Sand", "Who will find me", "Back to you", "Going Wrong", "Body Lotion" or my big track and collaboration of last year "Healesville Sanctuary" which I did with Signum.
9. What are some of your goals in the Trance scene?
Roger Shah: I don't consider myself to be just a Trance artist and also don't understand why there's a need of defining each track or artist for a genre. I love to produce dance music and I love the atmospheric and melodic way, but don't think that I am a real Trance artist. I already reached my goal. I already live my dream. I do the music I love to do, which comes straight from my heart and soul. I travel all over the world and share my music with all my fans every week. My fan base is still growing and I also still receive emails from people who just discovered my music. If you ask me for a goal in the Trance scene, maybe it is to get people into Trance music, to show why this music is so beautiful and worth to listen to.
10. What are some of your favorite tracks at the moment?
Roger Shah: There are so many good producers and tracks out there; when I do live shows I just play my own music, remixes, or tracks from my Magic Island label. In my radio show I play 18 new tracks I receive from other labels each week, so it's very hard to choose. I just signed some new tracks to my label and have some amazing artist. Watch out for tunes by Kim Svärd or Nuera to name a few.
11. What advice would you give an up and coming producer?
Roger Shah: Try to find your own sound, produce, and compose what you feel and not for the fact that this is the sound which everybody is playing at the moment. I know some producers when they are in the studio, they listen to other tunes and try to make something similar or in that direction. Sometimes I hear a track in a club and think like wow, amazing, maybe I can do something like this too, but back in the studio I would never listen to it again and try to copy it.
12. Are there any other projects in the works that you would like to tell us about?
Roger Shah: As I already mentioned I did some nice collaborations for my Magic Island album. I did a tune called "Roger Shah & Ross Lara feat. Todd Wright - Lay Down". I think this tune shows another side of me, a bit more banging and darker but still with this Rogerish melodies. At the moment I'm working very hard on the last tunes for Sunlounger and I have also composed a lot of layouts for the Roger Shah solo album for next year.
13. Do you have any other comments for your fans?
Roger Shah: I want to thank my fans for the great support and nice words I always receive through Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or email. It means a lot to me, that's why I still answer to everybody personally. It also so great to see the way they are into my music, celebrating my live shows, singing along to my music, it's always more like a concert, just amazing. This will always keep me doing what I'm doing. It's all about passion. Cheers!
Interview made by Zaneta M. Soroko Ortiz aka Euphoria (TranceSound.net Co-admin)
Links:
Roger Shah official website
Roger Shah @ MySpace
Euphoria @ MySpace
Electronic Night Life official website
