Platinum-selling DJ and producer Kato has joined forces with British hitmaker Sigala for their new single ‘Show You Love’ feat. Hailee Steinfeld. Already armed with massive chart hits across Scandinavia, Kato is ready to match this success in the UK and is set to launch the Danish DJ as an international artist to watch. DMCWORLD checks in…
Photos by Morten Rygaard
Hey KATO, where in the world are you at the moment and what have you been up to?
I’m at home in my studio in Aarhus, Denmark where I’m working on my next releases. Besides that, I’m planning my festival tour for this summer.
You’ve stormed into the scene with huge, platinum-selling records – what was your reaction when you found out that you had reached platinum-selling?
It was a huge milestone for me on both a personal and professional level. Even though it for me is much more about the music than the awards, it was a significant achievement that I took, and still take, a lot of pride in. It’s not too often a DJ/producer hits platinum so my music gathered quite a lot of attention and as a result it opened up some doors which had previously seemed closed.
The latest single ‘Show You Love’ features British hitmaker Sigala and Hollywood superstar Hailee Steinfield. How did this collaboration come about with two very different artists?
I was introduced to Sigala through a great English songwriter Grace Tither. I had her in the studio for a couple of days to write some new songs, and it was there where she played me a sketch of a song she did with Sigala. I instantly heard the potential of the song and asked her if I could jump on-board and work on the track. Fortunately, Grace and Sigala said yes, and after a lot of emails back and forth the song was done! We wrote the last lyrics during a skype session which actually worked out great, even though I normally much prefer to write and produce together in the studio. When the song was signed to Virgin they suggested Hailee as a feature, and when the first email arrived with her cue vocal we all knew that this was something special! It was almost frightening how well her voice fitted the track.
What do you like the most about their sounds?
Sigala has that positive summer feeling in his tracks which I love. It’s energetic and uplifting, and he’s a great producer. Hailee’s voice has that more laidback and cool tone which makes her unique.
What is the most important factor to you when looking for artists to collaborate with?
For me it’s all about sound. How do they sound? I need to be able to identify with who I work with, otherwise what we end up with isn’t real. I really like working with artists who haven’t existed in my genre so much until now. This way I can pull them out of their normal musical boxes and get them to a place they never been before. That’s where the magic happens, and it’s also where I face challenges too.
As you’ve featured one artist from the UK and the US, have you visited either country before? What’s your favourite thing about their cultures?
I’ve been to London a lot over the years in order to write songs with different songwriters and artists. London is a beautiful city and I love the mix between a big international city and the traditional English culture – which luckily you’re still able to feel being there. I still haven’t been to the USA! Every time we have planned a trip there another opportunity has popped up! It has been important to me to establish myself as an artist in my home country before working towards an international career.
Who are your favourite producers / artists at the moment?
I love MNEK, both the stuff he has written and produced for others, and a lot of his own releases. He mixes UK house with hip-hop and breakbeats in a way I haven’t heard before. Besides MNEK I really like a duo called Party Pupils. They are still quite unknown. Check their Soundcloud, they have a lot of cool stuff there!
Is there anyone in particular that helped shape your sound and decision to build a career in music whilst you were growing up?
My dad and older brother had, and continue to have, a huge influence on me. My dad was a drummer, but had to give up his dream of making it a career in order to support our family. That point has always stuck with me, and it often reminds me that I have to be grateful to be able to make a living out of my hobby. My older brother is a bass player. He dragged me to rock concerts from when I was a small child, which have not only given me a broad taste in music but also a longstanding curiosity to listen to and approach alternative music.
With huge success in Denmark and across Scandinavia, where would you like to take your sound next?
I have always mixed genres when making music. It can feel a bit schizophrenic that my music is so wide genre wise, but it makes sense to me. I have never felt like a 100% EDM artist (what even is that these days?!!) – I have always produced different genres and it’s the mix of these genres which have defined me as a musician. I can’t completely control where the music takes me when I’m in the studio, but it always takes me to a mix of multiple genres.
And finally, what exciting plans do you have for 2017? Any gigs lined up?
I’ll go on a festival tour back home in Denmark, and then we’re setting up a lot of DJ sets all around the world. 2017 will be a year with a lot of traveling and I’m really excited to travel and play a lot of new music!
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