10 Questions #2: EDX

Italian-native DJ/producer EDX (a.k.a. Maurizio Colella) is a busy boy. Just finishing his Carnaval tour, his DJ schedule of late has taken him from Miami to places like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, São Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, Taipei and Sydney, playing to crowds in excess of 60,000.

EDX has an impressive remix CV that features the likes of Deadmau5, Mary J Blige, Bob Sinclar, Axwell, Armand van Helden, Steve Angello, Roger Sanchez, Laidback Luke, Armin van Buuren, Kool & The Gang, Kaskade, Funkagenda and Lauryn Hill, to name but a few. He released his debut album, ‘On The Edge’, in 2012.

10 Questions: EDX

1. What separates a good DJ from a great DJ?
If you are able to connect your passion for music with your heart, you become a great DJ.

2. Where was your first regular gig, how many people were you playing to, and how long did you do it for?
Wow, this is many years back. 1992. I still remember I played along Usura and Naughty that came after Filippo Moscariello (former DJ Hell producer). I even remember which was the record that gave me a hard time to make a mix… I was really a young bee!

3. When did you first know DJing was going to be your full-time career?
When I finished school I decided to work 100% with music. I was not yet sure if it was going to be as a DJ, producer or in any other form, but I was sure I must do it. That was around 1995/6. You know when you are young with no fears to fail. You just make it. I was lucky and patient… Thank God!

4. What do you love the most about being a DJ?
There are different aspects of being a DJ. Myself, I really love to travel and connect with all the fans out there. It’s one of the best things ever to produce a track somewhere in a small city near Zurich and then head out to the big world and meet people everywhere that know your music, your songs and lyrics are in their hearts. To be sincere, it really makes me happy and fulfilled to have this opportunity and support from so many people.

5. What do you find most challenging about the DJ lifestyle?
You need to be very focused to keep track of all your things. Most of the time you are not home, and if you are, you are spending your time in the studio or with your family. While travelling you are never in the same place for much time, but on the other hand you meet so many great people and see so many cultures. I really can consider myself blessed to be able to manage the DJ lifestyle in a good way.

6. Where’s your favourite place to DJ in the world, and why? Tell us about your best gig there.
You know this is a very hard question to answer. Actually wherever DJ lovers are is my favourite spot to DJ! I am ending my Carnaval tour right now. I played so many cities in Brazil and each city was special in its own way re energy, vibe, crowd or set up.

My gig in Brasilia at the Federal Music Festival was definitely the highlight of 2013 so far. A few weeks ago I played on a cruise with 2,500 EDM lovers – this was another special experience. But to be sincere, there are so many places I just fell in love with the last couple of years while touring.

7. What’s your current preferred DJ set-up?
On a regular DJ set this is the minimum… 3 x CD CDJ2000, 1 x mixer DJM900-Nexus, a lot of visuals and special effects (especially for big venues). Rekordbox is helping me to manage the music libraries.

8. What order would you put the following three DJ skills in, and why? Mixing ability, a great music collection, the ability to programme a set well.
I’d rather say: Connect to the crowd, read the people, make them smile…

9. What can we expect from you in the next 12 months?
There are a lot of collaborations coming. I will definitely focus as well on some new remixes and single releases. I think we will shortly release an On The Edge remix album. My next single is named “Blessed” and will come out in March on Toolroom Records. I have a remix out now with Swedish duo Cazzette and a collab with Swiss homie Leventia… much more to come. It will be a great year. On the DJ end, a lot of touring all over the world… Ibiza, Europe, US, Asia, SE Asia, South America and more.

10. If you could offer one piece of advice to a DJ starting out today, what would it be?
Believe in your unique skills and be not like everyone else… #Trust

• Thanks to EDX for answering Digital DJ Tips’s “Ten Questions”. Stay tuned for the next DJs in the series…