Israeli DJ and musician Asaf Borgore has been described as the ‘most hated man in EDM’ but he says his music is non-sexist. Next, he is looking forward to work with Indian artistes’
Buzzfeed declared him as the ‘most hated man in EDM.’ He has drawn constant flak for his music’s sexist content. But seems like none of such criticism affects Asaf Borgore. This Israeli DJ and EDM producer, who recently gave his debut performance at the Enchanted Valley Carnival, comes across as an unusually unperturbed individual. With explicit tracks like Wild Out, Nympho, Ice Cream, Glory Hole, Borgore is also censured by the EDM, dubstep community for tarnishing the genre. He insists that its all in good humour. “I am just having fun. People who take life too seriously need to calm down. I don’t treat women disrespectfully. I come from a family where my mother controls it all. It’s just for the laughs,” he says.
When we ask him about his family’s reaction to his music, he replies, “They laugh at it, they think it’s funny. I don’t think there is anything wrong with sex. It’s healthy. If I was singing about doing drugs then my mother would be really angry.”A saxophone player since he was a kid and a former drummer for an Israeli death metal band Shabira, the 27-year-old DJ broke into the EDM scene much later. “I played saxophone for like 18 years, just straight jazz. I studied jazz my whole life. It’s almost easier to play electronic music than jazz. Jazz is complicated and one needs to spend 12-13 hours a day studying things that are almost mathematical. Electronic is far easier,” he shares.
On labelling his music, Borgore says, “I just define it as music. Everyday I release a tune and it’s of a different genre and this is how I want to keep it. I don’t want to put myself under one label because it’s boring.”In 2012, Borgore gained attention with his popular single Decisions with singer Miley Cyrus who also featured in the music video. “Miley is in a different world right now. She’s a fun girl. I don’t know how she is today because we haven’t spoken for a long time. I am doing a lot of collaborations all the time but it’s mainly with people who are in the US. The next big thing for me to do is that since India is a big market, I think it’ll be cool to make music with big singers here. I’ve studied about Indian music, it was quite interesting but I feel it is super complex,” he shares.
EDM, over the years has picked up in India and Borgore plans to make the most of it. “For us electronic musicians it’s a big opportunity because India is the biggest country demographic wise in south east. If you become big in India, it is a big deal since there are so many people here. I see a huge potential,” he says. Unlike many other musicians who’d probably owe their success to some significant people in their lives, Borgore thanks the Internet. “I stand where I am today because of the Internet. Today, the whole world is like a small village thanks to the Internet. If it was like 20 years ago, I would have not reached where I am today,” he says.
While many musicians are joining hands to fight against piracy, Borgore has no plans to join the brigade. “If people are pirating my music, it’s flattering to me. The people who are pirating my music are the ones coming to watch the shows and to see me. I am thankful to them, so if they want to pirate it, then they can go for it. I will make my money from shows. A lot of times the ones who would pirate my music would later buy the next album, they’ll buy my shirt and would introduce their friends to my music,” he signs off.