14 FAKTS INTERVIEW WITHAJ CHRISTOU

Q: Please introduce yourself

Hey guys, I’m AJ Christou from Manchester UK, thank you for having me. 

Q: One person you'd dream to have a coffee with?

Haha… There are so many but one that would be interesting has to be Elon Musk because there is so much I want to ask him about what’s going on in space. 

Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

To fly so that I don’t have to keep getting on planes. 

Q: If you would have been given the chance to do a film score, what movie would you choose and why?

I think I am going to go with Gladiator, the music in that is amazing, and growing up, my dad always used to play the music to me. 

Q: Who has been the most influential in your music career? And who has been the most influential in your personal life?

I have many influences, but I would say Marco Carola, Luciano & Loco Dice had the most influence on my music career.  When I first went raving, these are the DJs that really inspired me to want to do this. My personal life, I can’t say anyone had a particular influence on me. I have always taken inspiration from everything that resonates with me and that can be many things. 

Q: Tell us about your journey, what got you to where you are today?

I started out promoting for a club called Sankeys in the city I am from. They had the biggest DJs playing every week so I spent a lot of time in there, it was definitely some of the best days of my life. After a while it inspired me to want to do it myself so I learned to DJ and eventually got my first ever booking there. After a few years of DJing around the UK I decided I wanted to take things a step further so I went to a music school in New York called Dubspot and learned to produce which then lead into me eventually getting my first release signed. From there it was a long process of being in the studio every minute I could, which lead me to where I am now. 

Q: Everyone goes through ups and downs, what’s one habit you adopt to push through the downs?

Stay focused and keep on going. I feel you learn the most from the downs and if you can keep your focus and push through it you will grow and become better. 

Q: What is one pro work ethic that you would recommend to the readers/listeners?

Focus on you and only you, don’t rush or compete with others, it only slows you down and be patient with yourself, everyone learns at a different pace. Just enjoy the process. 

Q: How has your music style evolved over the years?

The music I used to make was definitely heavier and more minimal and honestly I never played it. I feel I have found my groove in the studio now and make more housy music that I enjoy playing. I’m also using vocalists and I’m finally starting to experiment with musicians to bring real instruments into my tracks, the whole process is becoming way more musical and I love it. 

Q: If you were to venture into another music genre, which one would you choose and why?

Definitely Afro beats, that’s my go to outside of listening to house. I love the vibe, it’s super chill and happy and it’s kind of really close to house. A lot has 4 on the floor beats, I think that’s why you hear a lot of afro beats edits these days. 

Q: Could you name 3 tracks that got you into electronic music and why?

They are so many but these will always be special to me:

A) Jaguar - DJ Rolando AKA The Aztec Mystic - I remember hearing Loco Dice playing this a lot, especially at the big festivals like Time Warp. He would always play it towards the end of his sets and it was always so special.

B) Butch – No Worries – This was just a hit all over the summer. I remember hearing it in Ibiza one summer when it was first came out and everyone would go crazy, the energy in this record is amazing and it’s timeless.

C) Luciano – African Sweat – I have always been heavily drawn to Latin and African rhythms. You can hear the inspiration in my music. When I used to hear Luciano play this track I was always so blown away by it because it was so different, and you didn’t hear much of this style. I think this is what made Luciano so unique. He brought so many different cultures of music into his DJ sets and productions. 

Q: Can you recommend a hidden gem in your home country that would be perfect for a rave?

The thing about the UK is, it's kinda small and we love to rave, so pretty much everywhere has been taken already. There are a couple of spots I know... but I'm holding them back for my own party at some point! 

Q: Could you tell us about your upcoming releases and plans for the year?

My next two releases will be on Richy Ahmed’s label, Four Thirty Two and then my own label V-House Sound. The release on Richy’s label is three club lead records and then the release on my label is more of a vocal lead track, both EPs completely different. 

Q: Can you share a fun fact about yourself that most of your listeners are probably unaware of?

Before getting into music my dream was to be a Chef AHA.