The EDM artist with the world at his feet. Sending shockwaves around the globe with ‘My Friend’ and his Green Velvet ‘Flash’ smash, snapped up by David Guetta citing him as the breakthrough DJ of 2011, rocking the hell out of Miami with his new tune ‘WTF!’ and now launching his brand new label Protocol Recordings. 2012 is the year of Romero…
Nicky welcome back to DMCWORLD, and what a way to return with a Buzz Chart No. 1 !! You debuted ‘WTF!’ at Ultra in Miami, talk us through this collaboration with ZROQ – when did it cooked up?
“Well this track was sent out to a few top boys if I believe but I was the one to snatch it up. The track had very rough edges and needed lots of work on the mix and some on the arrangement. So I got together with ZROQ and we started to work our magic. I heard the potential and shaped it to what it is, really got behind this one and I absolutely love playing it out every time!”
Were you nervous before the first spin? What was the reaction like then and since…?
“Not really – excited is a better description. The reactions have been superb, this track really made my gig at Ultra.”
You are in the middle of a massive US/Canada tour, heading back to Miami and Orlando this weekend. How has it been going, where have been the highlights?
“Almost all the gigs on the tour have been awesome!! Some are better than others but yesterday in Toronto took the cake. The Guvernment Rocked something fierce.”
How has this tour been constructed, are you heading back to places you haven’t been to for a while – there is no sight of cities such as LA and New York this time round…
“Yeah we also look at the secondary markets although I hate that word, just meaning we play in smaller cities than LA, NY etc. I want to rock it out with all the kids in the US. I am loving the support I get and feel that I need to do shows where people invite me and not only go for the big ones you know. Having this interaction and being able to come out to places that are not instantly on an international artists list is just all the more exciting to me to be honest.”
How does the American audience differ from a European one?
“I think here in the States the scene still has a certain freshness to it. It is not as evolved musically as in Europe so there are not many specialist genres that are really big and people are maybe a tad more openminded towards EDM as a whole. Take the gig in the Guvernment I did for instance, I played after Carl Cox. It is very hard to play after the man as is as he is a complete legend, he only has to show up without even touching the decks and people go nuts. Also musically I think I would not be put on a line up with him when we would have done this gig in Europe. But it really worked and the people were well up for it here, so in that perspective I think the scene differs from Europe.”
Now that the dust has settled, what were your highlights of Miami week?
“I would have to say ULTRA, but my gigs with Calvin Harris and David Guetta were not too shabby either. Miami is just fun period, it’s a full week of madness and great music.”
What was the biggest tune of the week for you?
“I dont want to sound cheesy by picking my own track, but ‘WTF!?’ still does very well in my sets and I am very fond of it.”
Apart from your home country The Netherlands, what country do you enjoy returning to the most to DJ in?
“I love coming to Canada, I used to live there for a bit and still have a lot of family there it feels like my second home.”
After touring with David Guetta and selling out all of the 15,000 capacity events, you said that David and his team had “the tour on lockdown and I would tour the moon with him.” Who accompanies you on tour and do you have time to check out the cities you are visiting or is it a case of in and back out on the road?
“Lately my manager is on the road with me full time. He used to tour manage for other artists so he knows the ropes! He’s a big guy too and that helps as well on occasion. The amount of gigs and the intensity level of my tour schedule is so high at the moment I need someone with me I can trust and depend on. We make a great team I only have to give him a look whilst playing and he knows what’s up. We do try to take some time to enjoy the places we visit and do some sight seeing but that is nearly next to impossible as we fly in do a gig and fly out again. Today we are in Miami and have two days off before the show that is a very welcome couple of down days in the schedule especially being in Miami.”
What do you love and hate about The States?
“I love the crowds, the gigs and the level of enthusiasm here. The fact that you can play on a Monday night to a fully packed club and people going for it all night long is absolutely brilliant. Hate might be a strong word but what I dislike most is the amount of time it takes at border security here to enter the country. I know it is very necessary and for my own safety and benefit but when you travel in and out of the county a few times a week it can get a little tedious.”
How often do you sleep in your own bed?!?
“Hahah own bed what are you talking about??????”
America is well known for it’s nutty fans, do you have any fans following you from city to city – have you any obsessives yet?
“Yes! I love it. I was in Canada three days ago and there was a couple that followed me around. First they went to see a show I did in Puerto Rico and they decided to book their honeymoon, with one of the main reasons being me doing a show there (Can you imagine????? I was very flattered but still have trouble grasping the fact that people would use these grounds as a basis for their decision). I was baffled when I saw them turn up in Montreal at kind of a remote spot especially as they were from Texas! I must say there have not been any negative experiences for me so far, people are very nice and up for it, as long as that is the case than so am I…”
The other big news concerns the launch of your very own record label, Protocol Recordings – a new platform for you. Tell us what Protocol is going to bring to EDM…
“Great music!!! If I may say so myself, I think that with with the WTF!? track we are off to a great start. Protocol will be my record label radio show and at some point my showcase at events throughout the world.”
How big is the team at the label, how much hands on are you going to be?
“We are still putting it together, my management is handling the greater part of it now and we have our distribution contracts in place. As far as I am concerned it is going to be BIG ha! I will do all A&R myself together with some people I trust to give me a good second opinion. I hear there are some very skilled people with the ability to guage whether a track will be big or not, working at this company called DMC or something – maybe you can help me with a contact for them lol…”
What is coming next from the label after ‘WTF!’?
“For now the focus is in WTF!? The follow up I still would like to keep a secret, sorry guys.”
Who are the new producers you have been discovering whilst traveling the world?
“I discover loads of good new music but I still try as far as I can to champion my good buddy and awesomely talented producer Nilson. He is one to watch for sure, people the likes of Vida, Julian Jordan are ones to keep an eye on too to my opinion.”
Tell us about your Ibiza plans, where will we find you this summer?
“You will find me mainly at Pacha. I was asked by David Guetta to come play seven times for his awesome ‘FMIF’ party, can you believe that? I am chuffed. Next to this we are doing a couple of FMIF gigs at Ushuaia too, yay!”
What are the big festivals you will be housed at this year?
“I’m doing Global Gathering and Tomorrowland just off the top of my head. There are many more though!”
“WTF!?” RELEASE: MAY 28TH EXCLUSIVELY ON BEATPORT
“WTF!?” TEASER VIDEO:
www.ProtocolRecordings.com
