EJ: Up close and personal with the man behind the trademark helmet! (Interview)

Who is EJ?

EJ is the resident DJ for the global entertainment brand and race championship, Formula E, as well as one of the freshest talents with white-hot releases on Garuda that have burst him onto the scene with his euphoric, melodic take on house and trance.

“I pretty much control all of the music activity that happens on race day and also the music that is on the TV broadcast. Along with other producers and engineers. I have written all the music that features on the show. On race day I play live to the cars racing around the track, as well as at the big parties we have on the main stage after the race. I love to travel, so it doesn’t feel like hard work.”

If you’re not familiar with it, ABB FIA Formula E is a single seater motorsport championship that uses only electric cars. The series was conceived in 2011, and the inaugural championship commenced in Beijing in September 2014 and sanctioned by the FIA. EJ has developed a cult following both inside and outside the track!

“It was very hard winning over the avid motorsport fans, but music has the ability to bring people together so it didn’t take long before they were enjoying themselves. What is nice as well is to be able to bring a new audience to Formula E through music.”

What was it like being one of the first Western acts to ever perform in Saudi Arabia?

Since last years season closing, EJ has gone from strength to strength in his own right, becoming the first (record-breaking) DJ to play to a dancing crowd of both men and women in Saudi Arabia as part of the E-Prix alongside David Guetta before The Black Eyed Peas:

“It was really nerve racking. I had no idea what to play, or which direction to take. I decided to go down the route of stuff that I thought they would know but from the get go it was obvious that they were there for a good time and knew their music, so swiftly moved on to stuff I like to play and they loved it. I have performed in Saudi twice now and cant wait to go back again. The people there are fantastic. From speaking with fans who were at the Formula E race they are so excited for change, and that is really nice to see.”

Unfortunately when probed, EJ reports his headlining counterparts were all on their best behaviour as it was the first time any major Western artists performed in Saudi Arabia – so no funny shenanigans to report on:

“Although I was once playing the David Guetta remix of I Got A Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas at Space in Ibiza and stopped the wrong record so all the music went off. The set was being recorded live for Global and you hear the crowd cheer and my little voice in the background saying “sorry!”.

More recently, EJ also performed alongside Enrique Iglesias and De La Soul in Brooklyn, New York. He describes the creative process of his sound as a collection of experience that draws from titans of the scene in a smorgasboard of euphoric, melodic progressive house and trance sets that enhance the backdrop of the dozen cities the championship competition tours in:

“I really take inspiration from everywhere. From being in the music scene for some time I have seen trends come and go, and you take something from everything. If you listen to my EJ Radio podcast it ranges from melodic techno and house through to trance. I think music is at an interesting cross roads at the moment where I can play from all genres and mix it up into my own sound.”

Why a Radio podcast makes sense for fans in between touring events:

His expanded stage on ‘EJ Radio’ allows him to ellaborate his story of progressive dance music.

“Generally when playing a live set I cut out all of the warm up music and go straight into a full on show. With the podcast I get to play tunes that are a lot slower which I really love.”

EJ Radio also allows him to showcase the diverse repertoire reflecting his ever-growing global fanbase, building a reputation not only ABB FIA Formula E but also bringing a history of event production at Ministry Of Sound.

“It’s is available on all streaming services. I let you know what I have been up to, what I am getting up to and run some really cool competitions. Music wise, it ranges from melodic techno, house, progressive house and through to trance, and always features my new tracks.”

Each month EJ releases a new 1 hour episode mix with a featured track of the month:

“It a pretty mammoth task, and I take my hat off to those producing weekly shows. It’s a lot of research listening to new music. There is so much out there, good and bad, and I trawl through all of it so I can find a fresh selection each month.”

Let’s talk about that trademark Helmet:

His helmet is just as much a signature as his hi-octane sets that beam over to 200 million television viewers:

“The helmet is actually made by the same guys who make a lot of costumes for big Hollywood movies. It’s not too heavy, but is does get very hot, especially when performing in places like Santiago where it was over 40 degrees celsius / 104 degrees farrenheit!”

I asked if it was equipped with any secret advanced technology – think James Bond or X-Men:

“Sadly no night vision, and it is pretty tricky to DJ in especially in the sun. There have been a few occasions when I have taken it off during my set, but generally it stays on when on stage.”

So off stage, is EJ a hat or cap man?

“Definitely a cap man. Saves having to style my hair. Also after performing my hair is generally all over the place so a cap goes straight on [Laughs]”

Fun facts about the world’s most famous motor sport resident DJ and radio host:

WEIRDEST ENCOUNTER WITH A FAN:

“In Mexico the fans are pretty crazy. Awesome but crazy. I was giving out some EJ merchandise and the fans broke down the barriers and started trying to get everything from me. My clothes, my radio, the helmet. The lot. Luckily, we have good security so my dignity was kept intact!”

FAVORITE SNACK ON HIS NIGHT OFF:

“Dim sum all day long!”

FAVORITE NETFIX SHOWS:

“Narcos, Formula 1 Drive To Survive, Top Boy, El Chapo, The Defiant Ones, What We Started”

5 TOP ESSENTIAL SONGS EJ SAYS SHOULD BE ON EVERYONE’S SPOTIFY / I-TUNES PLAYLIST:

With a string of successful singles, including ‘One More Night’, ‘Fire In Your Heart’, ‘Ignition’, ‘No More Chances’ and ‘Slipstream’, receiving huge support from the likes of Oliver Heldens, Thomas Gold, Benny Benassi, Credric Gervais and Sander Van Doorn, EJ was picked up by the heralded Garuda – an imprint he now calls home – and is currently zooming ahead with a wealth of new material.

His most recent single ‘Follow Me’ has already been featured by Armin Van Buuren on his widely acclaimed radio show A State Of Trance and his recently released ‘Formula E The Soundtrack – Mixed By EJ’, charting #2 in the Beatport Trance 100, highlighting various pockets across the genre with seamless mixing that he will see him run rings around any opposition.

He’s more than an artist but a worldwide phenomenon. We only know with this talent, a global entertainment brand as his platform, and plenty more music on the way, this rising superstar shows no signs of slowing down and is set to rapidly climb from strength to strength across 2019.

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