14 FAKTS INTERVIEW WITHFNX OMAR

Q: Please introduce yourself

My name is Omar Elassry, better known as FNX Omar, and I’m an artist, producer and DJ from Morocco. 

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

I’d love to have a coffee with myself at the age of 16 - to share my wisdom and make a better version of myself. 

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

If I could just teleport between my gigs, and also teleport home in between gigs to see my children, and never have to see an airport again... that would be something. 

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

I would choose something rooted in Morocco, so that I could infuse local instruments and sounds into the score - the recent Casablanca Beats was really cool, although it was hip-hop focused. 

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

In my music career, there are too many to count! In my personal life, without a doubt this would be my wife. 

Q: Could you share with us your journey – the good and bad experiences that have brought you to where you are today?

My journey has been long and arduous, starting from the vinyl and even cassette tapes era. Recording was a very expensive process back then, we’re really blessed to have the technology we do today. A few years ago, I had the chance to do a couple of remix projects that really took my career to new heights. 

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

Spending more time with my children typically gets me out of the down moments and anxiety that can come with being an international touring DJ. 

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

In today’s fast-moving music industry, my main recommended work ethic would be the time-tested ‘Practice your craft’! We may no longer use classical instruments, but if you want to be known as a DJ, train your ears and spend time blending tracks and learning advanced mixing techniques. If you want your productions to stand out, really explore your sound palate and spend more time in the studio honing your skills, organizing your sound libraries, and so on. 

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

My style has definitely grown to include recording more live elements. On remix projects, I often inherit others’ recordings, so today I take more pleasure in processing my own samples, recording live instruments and vocals, and experimenting to get innovative yet mysterious sounds.

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

I’ve been heavily influenced by hiphop, funk or breakbeats in my youth, and was a b-boy back in the day, so I’d probably have gone down that route.

 

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

● Dennis Ferrer’s remix of ‘The Cure and the Cause’ by Fish Go Deep. The orchestral style bass and strings on top of a bouncy rhythm is really special.

● Âme - Rej. This is electronic music at its finest. The fact that this track is from 2006 is mind-blowing.

● Rui da Silva - On My Mind. This track really got me into deep house. The vocals by Ben Onono are incredible.  

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

The tiny, chilled out surf town of Imsouane on the Atlantic coast of Morocco would make for an amazing event. 

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

2024 has plenty of original music and remix projects, with my new release ‘ThePlace’ featuring Mr. V kicking off the year. I have to keep some of it hushed for now. Rest assured it will be worth the wait!

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

I have a huge collection of hats, fedoras, and beanies at home and one of my favorite moments in touring is the “hat throw” when I touch down in a new city.

Bonus Q Powered by Pioneer DJ: How did Pioneer DJ influence your career and what is your favorite Pioneer DJ gear?

Pioneer DJ gear has really opened up possibilities in mixing music together with hot cues, loops and reverse slip mode, and it’s fair to say it has heavily influenced my DJ