The hottest name in the world of trance right now. Exclusive interview
Interview : Dan Prince
Andrew Rayel has positioned himself to be one of the most influential producers in the trance game. That’s a lot of pressure for an ordinary person, but then again, Andrew Rayel is far from ordinary. Achieving more before his 20th birthday than many do in their entire lives, it was about time for the young talent to show what he could really do in an album. Taking his cues from the legends before him, ‘Find Your Harmony’ is constructed like an impenetrable tank – everything about this record is designed to fit right in with the upper crust of trance albums. A quick glance through the credits of this record, and you’ll see that just about every tune is a solo effort from Rayel. The fact that he can produce such a large volume of massive tunes without any help whatsoever is a feat in and of itself, but when he teams up with Armin for the instantly recognizable ‘EIFORYA’, the record kicks into an even higher gear. Exceptional vocalists join the young prodigy, such as: Christian Burns, Jonathan Mendelsohn, Alexandra Badoi, Sylvia Tosun, Lira Yin, Jano, and Jwaydan. With this record, Andrew Rayel not only realizes the talent that’s always been inside him – he also forever carves his place in trance history.
Hey Andrei, welcome to DMCWORLD – where on planet dance are you today?
“Hi Dan! Thanks for having me! Just came back home after my weekend in Sweden and Cyprus.”
Before we launch into your wonderful new album, let’s rewind for a moment. You are dubbed as “a modern day Mozart and the pride of Moldova”. You started studying music when you were young, it amazes me that so many producers don’t know how to play any instruments, your training must have been a massive help in your career…?
“It’s an honor to be resembled to an artist such as Mozart and it’s definitely a bigger honor to carry the pride of my home country. Yes I have studied musical orchestra when I was a kid and it surely has helped an artist.”
When did dance music first appear on your appreciation radar?
“Back when I was a kid, I loved to play the piano and my parents believed that too in which they enrolled me into a classical musical school, and the fact of listening to the radio with my brother to names such as Armin Van Buuren and ATB which even lead my passion and inspiration grow even bigger.”
I love this whole teacher/student/career thing you have going on. You are about to finish your final exams so you can concentrate on music 100%…but what did your teachers say when you told them about DJIng? Had they heard of the profession?
“Haha! Well I just finished my last final exams, so yes I have graduated from university which hasn’t been an easy thing to balance between studies, touring and production – but hey it was achieved! And my teachers were very understandable for my case which I was thankful for, and were happy for me.”
What do your friends think of your career, do they come to your gigs, are they jealous?
“Jealous? No way! They are very supporting and are always there at my gigs.”
“A quote doing the rounds at the moment…”Andrew Rayel has been named the unofficial heir to the throne of trance…one day will be filling the shoes of the great Armin van Buuren himself”. Thoughts on that little comment?
“That is a big weight on my shoulders actually! Haha. I can never fill Armin’s shoes, they’re too big to fill! He has accomplished so many things in the scene, and I can simply hope I can be able to do that as well.”
A massive new album flying our way – ‘Find Your Harmony’, everything about this record is designed to fit right in with the upper crust of trance albums, congratulations! How long did this long player take you to create?
“Thank you so much! It took me 2 year+ of work to get the album done and to have everything perfect.”
18 tracks to explore on the album full of great collabs, plus there are some wonderful voices on the album. Did anyone surprise you with their talents…who was a joy to work with?
“All the artists that I’ve had the chance to work with were outstanding, supportive and hard working – and no doubt they were all a joy to work with. I would like to thank them for everything they did to make it a success.”Obvious question but
I’m gonna ask it anyway. How does Andrew Rayel find his perfect harmony in life…?
“The love he gets from his #rayelfamily.”
You debuted at one of the best clubs in the world a few weeks ago, Cielo in New York. What was that like?
“WOW! That was really an unforgettable night, club was sold out, crowd was energetic, everyone who came down really outdone him/herself and I wanna thank each and everyone who came out and of course the promoters for an amazing show.”
A quote from yourself… “trance was the perfect solution as it is an combination of melody, harmony and energy, elements that I prefer the most.” Do any other genres of music appeal to you?
“Of course I’m open minded to all sorts of genres, but Trance will always be the closest to my heart.”
Who are the producers from around the world you are giving high fives to right now?
“High fives are always given to every fellow producer who is working hard and doing what it takes.”
Can you remember where you were in the world when you heard about the new DJ Mag Top 100 positions?
“I was in the studio and I got a call from my manager…I was simply frozen with excitement, a moment I will never forget.”
Where are some of the big DJ shows you are looking forward to this summer?
“EDC Vegas, Tomorrowland, Tomorrowworld, Creamfields, SW4, Ultra Croatia, Ibiza, and many more.”
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
“Always stay true to yourself, do what needs to be done, and always give it your best.”
And finally what is next for you studio wise?
“Well, will be working on future singles and collaborations, stay tuned for more info!”
Find Your Harmony’ is out now and available on iTunes: http://bit.ly/1nzNpST
http://andrewrayel.com/
http://andrew-rayel.promodj.ru
http://vk.com/andrewrayel
http://twitter.com/#!/Andrew_Rayel
http://www.rogersemaan.com
