Translated from French into English.
French version here.
We already interviewed Damien RK at the beginning of the year, but he has since then completed various projects. As a matter of fact, the one who, until now, proved that you could be a renowned DJ and roam across the country livening up crowds without having ever signed a single track (under this alias), has now shown his producer side. When he signed his first track In the Shadows with Hardstyle France Records, he also paved the way of this new label, which goal is to promote French Hardstyle and event players, in collaboration with Hardcore France Records. He has agreed to give us a second interview to tell us a little bit more about his current and future projects.
1 – First of all, thank you for your time. So, producing was never your number one priority as a DJ, what made you go for it?
Hello Hardcore France Mag! That’s true, producing has never been my priority. I was producing every now and then for the fun of it, other projects that I kept well hidden but I never wanted to produce music just because I had to. Lockdown has been a source of inspiration for me, I wanted to do it and I had time. Incidentally, I have always been told that you can’t make it if you don’t compose. Would I be an exception?
2 – Which artists influenced your creativity, whether it be in Hard Music or not?
I have always admired the musical soul of Brennan Heart (Blademasterz) but I didn’t want to copy him or to be too much influenced by him. I’m also very fond of Hans Zimmer, Steve Jablonsky and the young Worakls, who I consider to be a source of pure positivity and unlimited creativity. Before being a producing DJ, I am an admiring fan, so inspiration comes along quite quickly. (smiling)
3 – Your second track Winning is Done was released not so long ago, and it is said that there would even be a third one by the end of the year. What’s the story behind each of them?
There is always a subliminal message behind my tracks. My first track, In The Shadows, is a perfect example of it.
Winning is Done refers to the battle for life, to learn to receive punches without ever giving up. That’s the path to victory! In the clip, we recognize Sylvester Stallone’s voice as Rocky. The way he embraces life makes me think of my father, who used to speak a little bit like him. He passed away last August.
The third track (to be released on December 30th) entitled How I Feel is dedicated to all the people around me who support me, which would include my fans, my family, my wife and two daughters.
4 – You are an ambassador of Hard Music in France. Is the Hardstyle France Records adventure a way to reach out and spread what you’ve been defending for more than 5 years?
I’ve never presented myself as such. I know where I belong and I strive to bring forth the values and codes of this style. At first, I only wanted to make Hard Music politically correct. Today, I’m pretty proud of all that I’ve accomplished all the while staying simple, friendly and close to those who follow me. Hardstyle France Records is the logical consequence as it actually got created quite naturally after a bet that Maissouille and I made while we were having a drink.
5 – While the whole party scene is at a standstill, you resorted to Twitch to keep in touch with your public. What do you feel about this experience?
I thought I would do provisional one-hour Facebook lives, once a week, to begin with. But then came the ceaseless censorship. DJ Bens was the first to prove to the general public that Twitch is the social media that best corresponds to people’s expectations in terms of real interactions.
After the launch of my channel, it all turned out in a totally different way than what I had imagined. I began to spend entire nights on it, sometimes 10 hours straight… or more! (laughs)
It just went wild! My goal was, as it has always been, to bring people together, to unite them, and the result is that we have created an ever-growing family ever since.
I’m still using Twitch to this day. Most of the community knows and likes each other. I actually realized that during one night in a club (a sort of pub) near Saint-Étienne called Le Must. The vast majority traveled from all over France to spend this time together, which was a unique experience for me. Through Twitch and thanks to them, I was able to collect funds for a charity while continuing to live off my passion.
6 – Do you think this difficult period of time has been nonetheless favorable for you to accomplish projects that you typically wouldn’t have done?
My number one rule that I’ve always lived by is to turn something negative into a positive experience. I’d say yes, obviously. I usually have many things going on in my life. This period was a means to focus and make more time for my projects and myself. There was also the creation of the label Hardstyle France Records. I’ve met a team with wonderful, kind and true to themselves people.
I also got closer to my family and my public, who have been here for me during this complicated period of time, and I’m not ready to forget that.
Editor’s Note: Damien RK’s second track Winning is Done reached the Hardstyle.com Top 40.