With the release of his third album, “Pop Life,”
David Guetta is on the fast track to becoming one of America’s top DJs. Already a household name in his native France and the creator of the infamous
Fu#k Me, I’m Famous party in Ibiza, Guetta is utilizing his North American tour to not only get his name out there but to make dance music as mainstream as Paris Hilton. And it’s working. The very busy DJ took a minute (or twenty) to talk to Clubplanet about his fans, his celebrity friends and his most self destructive vice.
CP: Are you surprised by the warm reception in the US? David Guetta: The reaction I’m getting here is huge. It means that as underground as dance music can be, I can feel that it will cross over. It happened in Europe and other places in the world, too. This is so exciting because it’s just the beginning.
When I see that, I’m like “wow.”
CP: What are you trying to accomplish with this tour? David Guetta: Right now, what I’m trying to do is what I’ve done in Europe: translate the success of the DJ gigs into record-selling. It’s a lot of work because here in America, dance music doesn’t have an album market yet because the DJs are not seen as artists. But we’re going to get there.
CP: And you’re going to take us there! So tell me, what is your favorite song on “Pop Life?” David Guetta: I love “Love is Gone.” And “Baby When the Light” is a bigger track. It’s a big pop track. I co-wrote it with Cathy Dennis. She wrote “Toxic” for Britney Spears and “Can’t Get You out of My Head” for Kylie Minogue. It was the first time I was working with a song writer. It was very interesting. I love Joan of Arc which is more punk. I like “Every time we Touch” in terms of the feeling and it’s the most emotional track. It’s hard to choose only one.
CP: Seems like you’re taking the crossover seriously. What American artists would you like to work with? David Guetta: I have to say that America is like the world treasure for music so there are many amazing people here. I’m a big Prince fan. I met Akon. He won a World Music Award in Monacco and so did I. We spoke a lot and I was astonished that he was so in tune. I think he’s amazing. I love the Red Hot Chili Peppers, too.
CP: Pretty cool to be compared to one of your your favorite bands…David Guetta: Yeah, I couldn’t believe it! I’m playing Coachella, the biggest rock festival ever and USA Today wrote the great highlights of Coachella were Rage Against the Machine, Arctic Monkey, Red Hot Chili Peppers and David Guetta. I was like “What the hell?!” It was unbelievable.
CP: Speaking of, you’re very well known for your Fu#k Me, I’m Famous parties in Ibiza. What’s your secret?
David Guetta: The music and the people. I throw the party with my wife and she’s more of the glamorous girl and I’m more the party animal. We do a balance between the glamorous people and people who are really into the music. Those two crowds don’t really mix and what I love to do with my parties is to mix people who usually don’t mesh in everyday life. And to me, this is the magic of the nightlife. To bring together people w ho would never meet. Young, talented, rich and poor, black and white, gay and straight.
CP: What do you do when you’re not making music? David Guetta: I’m getting paid to have fun. I’m a very lucky person. When I’m not DJing, making music is my hobby. That’s what I do to relax. I go back to my room and I make music. I have a studio in Paris and I have a studio on my laptop and I can work anywhere I want.
CP: How about your vices? Some DJs are known to do drugs and get wild. David Guetta: I didn’t know that! Oh my God! Look at me, I’m eating salad.
CP: That’s true. But you must have at least one. David Guetta: I love sex. With my wife, of course!
CP: That’s not a real vice, but we’ll take it. Any words of wisdom for aspiring DJs? David Guetta: Being generous with the people and doing it with personality. It’s the same for production. The hardest thing is to know who you are. When I started, there was no money and no fame that you can get with that job. And now, it’s a different story because there is money, there is fame. There are a lot of young kids who want to be DJs because it’s like the easy ride but it’s not easy.
CP: Are you friends with a lot of DJs? David Guetta: I’m really good friends with Erick Morillo and one of my favorites are Josh Wink. And then there are these young kids, Swedish House Mafia. They’re the new generation and they’re really amazing. The guys, Axwell, Angello, Ingrosso, and Prydz are like my family.
CP: What’s next for David Guetta? David Guetta: I’m going to promote this album for another year around the world. I’m not trying to get much more than what I have because I’m already very happy with my life. I just hope that America is going to be open to dance music and I feel it’s going to happen. If I can be what I am in Europe in America, I don’t need anything else.