Is big room dead? Who better to ask than one of the genres’ up-and-coming artists? During our Miami Music Week experience, we got to sit down with Maurice West ahead of his Ultra Miami debut.
In just a couple of years time, the 21-year-old Dutch DJ/Producer has emerged as the future of big room, receiving support from pioneers of the genre, such as W&W, Tiesto, and KSHMR. He also revealed to us his desire to collaborate with Hardwell. The two have spoken on the phone multiple times and finally met in person at Ultra. With a bright career ahead, could he be exactly what big room needs as other genres continue to emerge? Check out what he has to say about his career and genre:
https://soundcloud.com/mauricewest/maurice-west-live-at-ultra-music-festival-2018
So, Miami. You’re playing Ultra for the first time. How are you feeling right now? Any jitters?
Maurice West: It’s really cool to play Ultra, and being for the first time, in Miami for the first time; It’s kind of a win-win situation. Ultra is huge of course. I’ve been watching the live stream for five years, maybe- just every year, checking new music, and stuff. And, finally, I get to play there on my own, and play new music. I hope people will watch my set and see what I have in store for this year.
So your style of music, you know, the big room house style: real energetic, really gets the crowd going. I know your recent single, Rhythm of the Night, is doing well on Beatport. Where does your musical inspiration come from?
MW: Well, I look up to guys like W&W, Tiesto, and KSHMR as well, of course. I just like to see what works live, and kind of find a balance between a listenable track- like something nice to listen to, but something that’s also really energetic and works at a big festival in front of a big crowd because those are two completely different things.
There’s been a lot of radio and poppy music the last year, with The Chainsmokers– and everyone trying to get a radio hit. I like to combine sounds that will work on the radio with more powerful kind of drops, so to say. That’s how I try to stay inspired, you know.
I also listen to a lot of old disco, soul music, and try to interpret that into big room. Which sometimes works, and sometimes doesn’t. Rhythm of the Night was a good example because that song is from, like, from 20 years ago- maybe even more. So that’s how I try to mix old things and new things and create a new vibe in my music.
So talking about big room, in the last few years people have claimed: “big room is dead.” What’s your take on the state of big room?
MW: It had an oversaturated market. Everyone was making big room, and everyone was opening projects, taking a big kick drum, and throwing random sounds on it- and that was the song. Those songs could become famous; they were so easy to make.
Of course, big room kind of had a dip. Stuff like future bass, future house, tropical sounds got bigger and now they’re going down again. I think big room is going to get really big again; really popular. But I hope it becomes better than what it was. Like more thought out tracks, instead of random kicks and sounds, or whatever, just to make a weird song. So that’s how I hope it’s going to go, but I predict it’s going to be big again.
What do you think about big room music? Is it dying? Tell us what you think in the comments below!
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