Canadian producer DJ Elated made news this week ahead of his new single with legendary Paul van Dyk, titled Parallel Dimensions. This single is the first taste of Paul van Dyk’s 10th studio album, set to drop in early 2020. Dance Music Northwest has followed Elated for a few years now, exclusively covering his last single Epiphany. We sat down with the man behind the Elated project, Graeme Knapp and asked him a few questions.
How did you start making music?
Elated: I was DJ’ing for a few years, not super seriously. Then there was a vocal trance remix contest for the Black Sunset Music label and I decided to make a track. I showed a friend at the time for his opinion, and he told me, “this is far better than anything you’ve shown me before.” From there on I was just full-on trance.
How excited are you about your collaboration with Paul van Dyk? How did it come to be?
Elated: It’s just so surreal. It’s actually kind of a funny story how this collaboration happened. I submitted a few tracks to his label, when I realized I accidentally submitted the same track twice. His label asked pretty clearly not to do that, or you’d just risk getting ignored.
Then I discovered a trance duo playing a live show who had released previously on Paul van Dyk’s label, and I decided to go check it out. One of the artists was an A&R [like a talent scout] for his label and I basically apologized for my mistake of sending them the same track twice. She was really nice about it and offered to listen to it.
While waiting, I contemplated just self-releasing the track, but when I showed a different label they said, “it’s a nice idea, but not for me.” So that was pretty discouraging. But then, I got a call from Paul van Dyk’s manager. They said he liked my song and wanted to do it as a collaboration. I remember I was just in my studio and got the call, and everything stopped.
On your website, you talk a little about the meaning of your music being about connection. Can you explain that a little more?
Elated: I felt a pretty deep connection to trance music. I think that there’s just so much music out there now that’s about being depressed and anxious. There’s not a lot about being on the other side of that. And that’s kind of what I modeled my music after.
My mantra is about connection. No matter what you’re going through, human connection can give you a glimmer of hope and ultimately help. A lot of the problem is that people just feel alone, and helpless. But when you get a connection with someone else and the help you need, you can see the bigger picture. Connection has the tools to help with your mental outlook.
So is that where the name Elated comes from?
Elated: It’s kind of like the “chicken-or-the-egg” question. I thought of the logo first, this kind of bird design. Then I started trying to think of a name. I came across the definition of elation and had this kind of nervous excited feeling in my chest. I kind of knew then that was the name I wanted to use, like an intuition.
That’s the crux of so many people’s problems, that the voice in their head is kind of quiet. Mine’s always been loud, and I knew I had to follow it. So that’s how I became Elated.
What’s Next?
Fans have much to look forward to as DJ Elated rides the wave of success following this anticipated single. In addition to more collaborations with vocalists, and a Canadian violinist, Elated also has live performances in the works. An Elated live show with a synth keyboard and a live DJ set also has us excited to see what’s next. Listen to Elated and Paul van Dyk’s new single Parallel Dimension here.
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