Viceroy - Interview
                               

If you haven’t heard of Viceroy (aka the Sultan of Summer) or his music, get ready to dance to some beach party jams. The DJ got his start a few years ago and has been constantly making music, touring, and gaining popularity since then. He’s known for his summery sound and chill vibes. His “Jet Life” remix series is a perfect example, taking hip-hop songs like “Going back to Cali” by Notorious B.I.G. and putting a tropical spin on them.

We got the chance to catch up with Viceroy and hear a little more about his music, what he’s listening to, and what’s in store for Viceroy in 2015. He’s currently touring a few cities, so make sure you get a chance to see him!

MTTM: You’re about to play some shows in a few cities (Ann Arbor being one of them, which we’re pumped about). What’s your favorite part about going on tour?

Viceroy: I get to go to different cities and see my friends and hang out with them. I also enjoy seeing people that are so excited to see me and really enjoy my music. I get to see that in full effect and that’s what makes me pumped. I know that there are people out there supporting me.

Going off of that, what’s unique about your performance style?

I guess everybody has their own thing going on. I like to make sure it’s fun and people aren’t taking themselves too seriously. Some shows I’ve gone to (not necessarily electronic shows) but some people are really sinister about everything and I’m just trying to party and have a good time.

If you could play at any venue where would it be?

I’m excited to play Brooklyn Bowl in New York coming up. It’s a huge concert venue with bowling inside, it’s awesome.

That sounds sweet, so if you could tour with any musician who would it be and why?

At this point I’ve played shows with people that aren’t necessarily in relation to me and that’s fun because you’re playing to a different crowd, but I’m more about the people that are my friends. It makes it a lot more fun. Fans sees those kinds of interactions on social media and know we’re friends so there is a cross over of fan bases. It’d be fun to do a full tour with The Knocks, RAC, and Goldroom.

What is the best DJ/dance music concert you’ve seen recently?

Recently Danny Tenagila. He’s a legendary DJ who makes tech house/ techno music. It’s not as pop oriented so the whole set is one big song, which is pretty cool. I’ve also had fun seeing the Magician.

What summery feel-good music do you listen to that’s not your own?

I don’t really listen to too much stuff that influences what I make, I think that comes more from how I was raised, where I grew up, and my personality. I do love Jimmy Buffett. He’s influenced me in the past. I like this band Wunder Wunder, it’s kind of like psychedelic rock, a very modern twist on it. I think it’s awesome stuff. Also D’Angelo’s album was awesome.

Did you DJ before Viceroy? If so, was the summery sound what you were always into?

I was studying abroad in Rome and I decided to pick up DJing there. That was the first kind of electronic music I got into, at the time it was called nu-disco. That funky tropical vibe stuff and that’s what I always liked playing. I’ve been into it since 2009.

If you could collaborate with anyone right now who would it be one dead and one alive?

Bob Marley. Making some reggae electronic tracks would be fun. That’s some of the vibes coming out of my next single, which will hopefully be out by the end of the month or February. I also like Wave Racer.

What’s coming up for Viceroy this coming year? We’ve read you might release your first full-length album?

I was going to do the album route, and I ended up realizing that I wasn’t fully into the idea. I was just going along with it because it seemed like the norm. I want to do a lot of singles this year, and I want to do a lot of collaborative tracks with other producers. I want to put out more original material this year and less remixes.

To get away from the music related questions, what do you do in your free time when you’re not making music?

Mostly just normal 20 year-old stuff. Hanging out with friends, getting drunk, whatever. I go see music once in a while. There’s a lot of outdoor stuff in the Bay Area, so I’ll go do that. Down time with my friends is what I like to do. I think music runs into my personal life. There is not a separation like a corporate job. I don’t have a certain number of hours of the day where I’m working and when I’m not.

Thank you for talking with us. We can’t wait to see you here in Ann Arbor! We’ll definitely be at your show.