Contributing Writer
Melodic and Powerful are the words that describe Paradoks’ music. The Swiss/Belgian producer has released on labels like Stil Vor Talent, Parquet and Purified Records. His music has been supported by artists such as Tale of Us, Lost Frequencies, Pete Tong, Tiësto (VER:WEST), Lane 8, Nora En Pure, Oliver Koletzki, Kevin De Vries, Township Rebellion to name a few. We caught up with Paradoks on Music Is 4 Lovers to hear what he’s been up to, his musical journey thus far, and what we can expect in the future from the melodic maestro.
Hi Paradoks, welcome to Music is 4 Lovers! Where are we speaking to you from today?
Hey, thank you! I’m currently on the outskirts of Zürich, Switzerland.
Tell us a little bit about your background, and how you came to be a producer.
I’ve always been a heavy music listener. As a kid and nowadays still, I always listen to a vast variety of music, selecting the best tracks for the mood I’m in or want to be in. Which now that I think of it, is the job of a DJ. I then tried to play on the piano the day my parents wanted to give ours away, and I was instantly hooked. I spent the next years teaching myself how to play the piano, hours on end after coming home from school, and even at school in the music room. I then started exploring DJing softwares like Virtual DJ, which I found very limiting: I expected to be able to compose music like I was doing on my piano. This led me to discover FL Studio. Just like the piano, I got really deep into it. From there I became a music producer, nowadays on Ableton.
Who have been your biggest supporters in your career so far?
Nora En Pure has been my biggest supporter so far, even mentioning me as the “rising DJ/Producer of 2021” in the DJ Mag interview. I’m very grateful for her support as it took a few years for me to get noticed. I’m also very grateful to all the DJs that play my music.
What have you been up to at the beginning of 2022?
I started my year in Mexico, taking some much-needed holidays. 2021 had been very busy for me as I was doing a Master’s Degree in parallel of my music, and I really needed to breathe a bit. Since the end of January, I’ve been back in the studio, taking the time to compose new music.
Your music has a strong connection with nature and the outdoors. Can you speak to us a little about that?
Yes. Nature is where time stands still, where all the craziness of this fast-paced world fades away for a bit. Sometimes all the opportunities around us can be really overwhelming. Of course, all these new opportunities are a great thing, but it can also be very distracting for my personal mission. There is so much happening constantly that it can be a bit anxiety inducing, so I regularly find “refuge” so to speak in nature to focus and observe what is going on in the present moment. I guess I can say nature is like my safe place, so I try to spend as much time as I can outdoors. I often listen to my unfinished music when walking in these surroundings, as it gives another perspective and context to the track I’m making. I think it’s really important to get away from the DAW and computer to feel if the track is going where you want it to go.
What inspires you the most when making music? How do you stay inspired?
Listening to new music is my number one inspiration. There is so much amazing music out there and it’s the best nutrition to replenish creativity. There will always be days or even weeks without inspiration, where you feel you are hitting a wall and where you heart just doesn’t feel it. Then the best is to accept it, take some time off and replenish your energy. Sometimes I like to watch interviews of artists I admire and respect, this always gives different perspectives when I feel stuck.
You frequently release on Purified Records and Stil vor Talent. How does it feel releasing with such revered imprints?
Stil vor Talent was a really big achievement for me because I had followed the label for years and played its music in all my sets. It showed that my hard work in the studio pays off and was a big turning point for me. Regarding Purified, it’s great to work with Nora En Pure, because she really cares about the releases and I feel a strong personal bond with her and the label, which I think is really important when you release your music to the world. The concept of Purified is also very close to nature, which, as mentioned above, is important to me.
You have had some incredible support from some of the biggest names in the industry including Tale of Us, Tiësto, Oliver Koletzki and many more. How does this make you feel and do you have to pinch yourself sometimes?
It’s always exciting to see of course. It shows that my music is worth sharing to a greater audience and can impact more people. I’m very grateful for it and I think I should celebrate more often.
What is the best venue you have played and why?
It’s difficult to choose, but a special moment for me was when I played in Vila Habana, Barcelona, opening for Denis Horvat and Mathame. There is something so special about open airs, it really adds that feeling of freedom, encourages to let go and induces happiness. I saw so many smiles and felt such a good energy. If I could, I would always choose to play at open airs.
If you could put on your own show anywhere in the world, where would it be and who would you have join you on the lineup?
Where: Difficult to say. But most definitely an open air, probably in a forest in Switzerland. Who: Nora En Pure, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Innellea, Weval and Mathame.
The last few years have been unusual to say the least. How has the pandemic effected your musical career, and how have you made the most of the situation?
As mentioned above, I did a Master’s Degree in entrepreneurship & innovation. With all the uncertainty with the music industry, I just felt it was good to open perspectives and have a backup in case things went south. Looking back, I would have preferred to just focus the extra mile on music, but it’s also a comforting feeling to have that backup and it also opened up perspectives for other possible future projects to pursue in conjunction with my music.
What is coming up next in the world of Paradoks?
Right now I’m actively focusing on originals, trying to make the best and most personal music possible. This time I really want to make a statement with my music, show who I am and invite the listeners to enter my world for a bit. I want to make something that’s truly me. It will probably take a few weeks or months and then I’ll actively start playing again.
Where is the best place to stay up to date with you?
For now Instagram is almost the only social media I use, so make sure to follow me @paradoks.music for updates.