Ferry Corsten: The Dancing Astronaut InterviewFerry Corsten Ruby Skye 1 3

Ferry Corsten: The Dancing Astronaut Interview

Few EDM artists can lay claim to having more than 20 years as a professional producer and live DJ under their belt, but Ferry Corsten can. Having just celebrated his 20-year milestone last year, the Dutch master unleashes his long-awaited and fourth full-length studio album, WKND (Ultra Music/Flashover). Received by fans and critics alike to much acclaim, WKND might just be Corsten’s strongest work to date. With radio hits and club anthems living side-by-side, it’s no wonder Corsten is stronger than ever after all these years. Dancing Astronaut caught a glimpse into the artist’s work and life in this special interview just before jetting off to Miami for WMC/Miami Music Week and as Corsten approaches another milestone: the 250th episode of his internationally syndicated weekly radio mixshow, “Corsten’s Countdown.” We hear big things are in store….read on!

DANCING ASTRONAUT: Your new album WKND was just released last month (February, 2012). What song are you most proud of from the album? (Our guess = “Ain’t No Stoppin.”)

FERRY CORSTEN: Every single track brings a different emotion to me. I cannot choose which track from WKND is my favorite. It’s like a mother having to choose which of her children she loves most. Really!

DA: You’ve won a million awards, stayed atop the trance world for quite some time, and you have produced some of the biggest hits of all time. What keeps your engine running at such a fast pace?

FC: Thank you. I really love what I do. My work gives me energy and it makes me feel good. Because of this, I can go on and on without complaining. What I do never really feels like work. It feels more like a call to my fans. Because I already started producing when I was around 15-years-old, I really wanted to continue doing it and to keep growing as an artist.

DA: Arty and Mat Zo have given trance a slightly new spin. What do you think of their styles, and has the evolution of trance made you change up your game?

FC: They are both great artists and they have given their own twist on the scene. Arty’s track “Kate,” for example, is in my opinion an awesome track and it sounds very nice. These are true innovations within the world of EDM. Of course, I had to slightly tweak my own productions, as well. But I always try to stay true to my own sound.

DA: JES has been featured in quite a few EDM tracks recently. What was it like working with her and the other vocalists on WKND?

FC: The collaborations went surprisingly well. We were curious how the mixed sounds and skills would result into the album. I must say, the result was even better than we expected. And I’ve got some new friends as well! Everyone’s contribution was great and I am very thankful.

DA: Armin van Buuren makes an appearance as well. How is your relationship with him? Is there a sense of friendly competition between you two (due to the fact that you guys are legends in the same market)?

FC: Armin and I have been friends for a while, now. We made a lot of music together. We helped each other out now and then. Today, we are inspired by our own interests. We do not really compete. And if it’s possible to collaborate, we gladly do so. Armin and I make different styles of music.

DA: You’ve been known to spin some incredibly long sets. Do you prefer spinning the standard length or do you love staying behind the decks for hours on end? Does a new album launch affect how much time you actually stay up on stage?

FC: Long sets can get very exhausting. Usually, I am really enjoying myself on stage, but when I am not feeling well, I am happy it’s done at the end. My album launch does not affect my time onstage; it’s up to the organization of the particular event to decide how long I may play. Sometimes it’s so much fun, I don’t want to stop playing but I have to! [laughs]

DA: “Full On Ferry” world tour — what can we expect?

FC: Besides a spectacular show with great music and fantastic artists, you can expect some overwhelming back-to-back sets with other great DJs and friends. Make sure you are there at one of the shows!

DA: What’s it like spinning in Vegas versus the other U.S. cities?

FC: I love Las Vegas and Marquee is an awesome venue to do a gig! I hope to be playing there much more often.

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