Skrillex sits down with Katie Couric to talk family life, drugs in dance music and Justin Bieber
Earlier this month Skrillex sat down with Katie Couric and Yahoo News to provide an earnest look into his early years, family life, working with Justin Bieber and much more. During the four part interview series Katie and Sonny touch on a variety of topics; from drugs in dance music to the death of his mother, Sonny is as candid and down to earth as fans have come to expect from the soft-spoken icon. Although he is one of the undisputed leaders of a cultural movement, Sonny doesn’t let it get to his head. He’s focused on making the music first, and he doesn’t make it “for old people.”
His early years and family life
Part one sees Katie cracking Sonny open as he discusses being adopted, the recent passing of his mother, his deep relationship with his father and touring with From First to Last. He also describes his perception of those who find Skrillex and many other DJs to be “button-pushers” — “Parents just don’t understand. It’s easy for people that feel like they don’t understand something to immediately bash it because they feel insecure that they don’t understand what’s cool and what’s new. But, all I say is, ‘Hey, if it’s that easy, you can do it, too.'”
Dropping a collaboration with Katie Couric
In part two, Sonny welcomes Katie into his sacred space: his studio. In showing her the ropes and what it takes to be a producer, viewers take a closer look into the brick-walled, Skrillex-adorned room where much of the magic happens. When asked what he will be doing in ten years at the age of 37, he proudly replies, “I’ll always be involved in music, I’ll always be involved with creating that awesome new world within a world, you know?”
Drugs in dance music
Katie Couric turns the tables on Skrillex by citing a 2013 article published by The Guardian, stating that “Molly’s ascent to the mainstream lexicon has roughly coincided with the ascent of Skrillex and the clumsily named electronic dance music to the top of the US dance music charts.” While the topic of drugs is impossible to avoid, Sonny believes that the intensity of his music is too high for fans to enjoy while taking Molly. Part three concludes with the two discussing his unique haircut – a ‘doo that he got “because he was bored.”
Collaborating with Justin Bieber
Skrillex and Katie’s interview would not have been complete had she not asked the million-dollar question: how did he and Diplo cross paths with Justin Bieber? Having met at NYFW last year, Sonny cites Justin as super polite, real and vulnerable given the most recent happenings in his life. He also speaks out to his “true” fans who understand and accept his musical creativity: “I think my hardcore fans get what I do and like the fact that I don’t care. I’m not afraid to fail or not afraid to do something that everyone doesn’t like.”
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Categories: Music