Dillon Francis thrilled the Vh1 Supersonic music fest with his eclectic tracks. He talks to Shrabasti Mallik about his new album that has songs based on different genres
How did rapper American DJ Diplo discover youIJ
It was right after Diplo recorded the Blackberry commercial. Then I was trying to make a career in music and somehow whatever I made was interesting enough to catch his attention. life, after that, has been a roller-coaster ride for me. I have never looked back. I even collaborated with him in the song Que Que.
Who backed youIJ
My parents were really supportive. They said they would financially support me for a year and added that if nothing worked out, I could go back to my day job. I made a decision that day and stuck to it. Wherever I am right now is because of that.
What is your new album Money Sucks Friends Rule all aboutIJ
The coolest thing that I heard about the album is ‘You can just invite friends over and play it.’ When I made it, I wanted it to be something that wouldn’t always sound the same. There are different genres in the album. It’s kind of like a YouTube playlist, but they all have a Dillon Francis vibe to them. I just had so much fun making the album and I wanted to put happy and fun songs together. I think the track listing is pretty perfect. Starting with the Twista song, it really gives the feel of the party about to start. Then there is Get low and When We Were Young. There are different moods and I definitely wanted to portray that through the album. When I recorded love In the Middle Of A Firefight I knew it was going to complete the album.
Does the audience dictate your playlist in live gigsIJ
Sometimes I focus on the music that I want to play but I also keep in mind that it is the audience that I am playing for. Keeping them happy and entertained is also important. So, I try to keep a balance when I am at the turntable. I play requests and also some favourites of my own.
Any performance where things fell apartIJ
It was in Myspace party. The experience was really bad. It was a private party and it was the first time that was playing there. None of the songs that I played seemed to interest the people. It was such a disaster. I remember getting wasted that night because I was so angry at how the show went.
How do you keep up with the fast changing scenario in electronic musicIJ
There is nothing to keep up to, actually. When you are in the field and you see all the changes, you gradually change with them. You learn so many different things and evolve yourself simultaneously so as to not not fall behind. You just have to keep your eyes and ears open and adjust to the changes happening. Personally, I love what I do so I guess that makes everything else seem pretty.
Will you remix tracks for other artistes in futureIJ
I never plan for the future. The future will decide whether I will remix tracks for other artistes or not.
Do you still receive feedback from DiploIJ
He helped me finalise a lot of mixes. It took me almost two years to finish Money Sucks Friends Rule. When you listen to all the music over and over again that many times, you kind of lose sight of what you’re doing in terms of the mixes.
Since you listen to it so many times, you may end up harming your music more than actually adding to it. He was definitely a big part of helping with that.