Moska Talks Beginnings, His Future and Dishes Advice to Other New Producers

Posted by on July 26, 2013

MoskaColombian producer Moska is a name being heavily supported by some of the biggest brands in the industry. At just 19 years old, his talents are nothing to ignore. Having already released tracks on Musical Freedom, Mad Decent and Mixmash, receiving heavy support from each of the label bosses, Tiesto, Diplo and Laidback Luke, and played or been scheduled to play at some of the biggest venues worldwide, Moska has his sights at the top of the dance music echelon. His genre-blending sound allows him to cross over to so many different styles, having already collabed with Tiesto on their remix of “Century”.

He plans to move to Miami by the end of the year to move his base of operations to one of the meccas of dance music today. One issue that has held him back is visa problems, specifically the O-2 visa that holds back his ability to work in the US. The O-2 is designed for people in the entertainment industry, notably individuals new or unrecognized in the industry as per the US government. Because of this, he has to be working alongside Laidback Luke, his current sponsor and any other work would be considered a violation of his visa. So shows, studio time and any professional work has to go through Luke, which can really hinder his growth as an artist here, especially when promotors want to book him. However all of this should be resolved with by the end of the year with many fees paid, lawyers hired, letters sent to the government by Tiesto, Laidback Luke & others, and pages, upon pages of documents sent, he should be fine to go on Laidback Luke’s Fall bus tour in October.

We had the chance to talk to him about his bright future, how he got into electronic music, working with Tiesto and some advice he gave for young producers, like himself.

FNT: How did you get into electronic music and what was your first dance music experience?

Moska: I got into electronic music because of a remix by Laidback Luke, “Sex Weed” [Juicy String], its a really tribal track, a lot of energy. I fell in love with dance music because of this track. I decided to produce thanks to this track and I saw a video of a party, a festival called Sensation White. So I said, “It would be cool to be a DJ and play in from of thousands of people” so I started to produce and explore some production software. Then I discovered fruity loops and I started to produce 6 six years ago, since I was 13.

FNT: The Colombian scene is pretty weak, so how have gigs back home been?

Moska: I just played two or three gigs in Colombia, one at a big festival called SummerLand with DJs like Armin van Buuren, David Guetta, Tiesto, Markus Schulz, Steve Angello, Jochen Miller and Cedric Gervais — its a big festival with big headliners. So I played there and I have played in my town (Cali) one time, opening for Nicky Romero, then in another town as a headliner in a club. I think there is no electronica scene in Colombia. The parties are not too strong, the people don’t go too often to these types of raves, so these types of shows are weak.

FNT: You recently gave out some advice for other producers on your twitter, one that interested me was “If you want to be reached by someone, you need to give your tracks out for free first”. As someone who has given out both free tracks and signed songs to labels, how does a new artist find that balance of signing tracks to labels and giving out free tracks?

Moska: If you want to sign tracks to labels you need to first give some tracks for free. Create a soundcloud account, upload some tracks of you and say hey this is my music and spread all of your music around the internet for free because you need to make those first steps. For me that is essential, you need to give tracks for free first to be known, to be noticed by someone.

FNT: How do you first start a track, what is the first thing you start with, melody, bass line?

Moska: I always first start in the drop. When the track has a big climax, I always work in the drop, then I work in the break, like with the melodies and the buildup, in some drums, but always in the drop because if you have a strong drop and a strong break, the intro and outro and all the parts of the structure are going to be easy to make.

FNT: How did the Tiesto remix come about?

Moska: He started to support me a year ago through Laidback Luke, when Laidback Luke showed him my songs at a show and he [Tiesto] was chilling, having some drinks and a good time when Laidback Luke was playing in Miami. So Laidback Luke played one of my tracks and he heard it and he said “Hey send me this track, I like it, who made it?”. “Moska made it”. So he decided to support through Twitter and he sent me his personal mail and he gave me the chance to make a remix for him, “Las Vegas” that was released on Club Life Volume 2 and then just this year I collaborated with Tiesto on a remix of his track “Century” with Calvin Harris that was released on Club Life Volume 3.

FNT: What was it like working with Tiesto & his team?

Moska: It’s really good to work with him because he is a really wise man. He has a lot of experience, so he knows what is good, he knows what is bad for the scene, he knows what is good for the track, he knows if something is going to be a success or not, so he it is really inspiring.

FNT: Did you actually get to sit down and work with him?

Moska: No because he is always touring and I was in my studio in Colombia.

FNT: So you have your studio in Coluobia?

Moska: I don’t have a studio because one of my tips is with only a laptop and headphones you can make a track like “Levels” or a big hit like “In My Mind”. A big hit or a big track you can make with just a laptop and headphones, so for me you don’t need a studio. I want to make my studio a proper place with good speakers, good acoustics, a comfortable place, but not in Colombia. My plan is to live in Miami at the end of this year, so we are going to make my studio in Miami, but for the moment I don’t want to have a studio in Colombia, I just produce in my bedroom with my computer. I don’t need more to make music.

FNT: When you aren’t DJing or producing, what are you doing?

Moska: Sometimes I go to the gym, i chill with my friends, I play video games, I like to ride my bicycle in Cali and chill with my friends and have a good time. Almost all of my time is spent producing music.

FNT: What video game are you best at?

Moska: League of Legends, I love these types of games.

FNT: What’s coming up for Moska?

Moska: A lot of shows, a tour with Laidback Luke in the States (that fall bus tour), a lot of big collaborations with artists like Major Lazer, Leon Bolier, Laidback Luke, GTA and a lot shows around the world.

Editor’s note: He also has remixes coming up for Gabriel & Dresden and an official one for Justin Michael & Kemal ft Bruno Mars “The World Goes On”.

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