David Guetta: Innovator

DAVID GUETTA

Is David Guetta, one of the enduring leviathans of the dance music scene, about to embark on a career in underground techno, and leftfield dance music? That might sound faintly ludicrous to some people — the Parisian songwriter and producer has made his name, and millions, through releasing radio-friendly and night club-conquering tracks such as When Love Takes Over and Titanium. However, last summer, fellow French house producers, Justice, suggested that David releases ‘really, really good music under fake names.’ True or not, it’s an exciting idea — and as I chat to David, who turned 50 not too long ago, I get the sense throughout our conversation that he is leaning towards releasing more instrumental music, that doesn’t totally revolve around a big Justin Bieber chorus that tens of thousands of festival-goers can sing back.

Words Adam Protz

Photographs Guerin Blask

David Guetta has absolutely exploded into 2018, having released three new singles already, on the back of several others at the tail end of 2017, including the particularly excellent So Far Away with Martin Garrix. His more recent singles have featured the likes of Sean Paul and Charli XCX. It’s his most recent record, Like I Do, which really gets us talking, though.

“You might be surprised by this one,” Guetta says, in his very French accent. “I didn’t do it for the radio, but a lot of radios are starting to play it in Europe.”

Like I Do is Guetta’s second collaborative effort with producer, Martin Garrix, and I notice from his discography that he’s been regularly making tracks with his fellow producers of late.

“Sometimes I like to work with people from a different field, that produce completely different music,” he says. “Because you can learn from them. There’s always new sonic tricks, and a new approach.”

One thing’s for sure — all of Guetta’s recent output has seen great variety and contrast, partly thanks to working with such a plethora of singers such as Justin Bieber, Kiiara, and more.

“I think it’s a very interesting moment in music,” he tells me. “Because there was a moment where I started to suffer as a producer and DJ. When I started, I did this because I wanted to be free — not to obey orders. At the end of EDM, dance music became even more formatted than pop music.

“This was becoming a little painful, especially to me as a DJ. All the records were using the same sounds, most of the time even the same key! So many of these tracks were in F minor, because the bass sounded really good. As usual, when everybody is trying to milk a movement, it loses its creativity, and then something else comes out of it. In the last two years, we’re at this moment where people are hungry for a new sound, and new production. It’s like the biggest moment of freedom for us, but a lot of us are scared, because there’s no formula right now.”

The way Guetta describes this creative crisis in dance music is almost intoxicating in its optimism.

“A lot of DJs feel lost and scared — I feel, ‘this is amazing!’ [smiles] This is the opportunity to try many things. I want to make people dance; that’s what I do as a DJ. But I’ve always listened to lots of styles of music. So for me to be able to experiment... I love it.”

Of course, we haven’t yet got into any specifics of what form that experimentation might take. With Justice suggesting he’s already putting out less commercial music, albeit secretly, it’s an enticing prospect.

“I’m going through an interesting phase,” Guetta explains. “I just completed a European tour, and I played a lot of purely electronic music, which I was not doing anymore. I used to produce a lot of those beats when I was playing at the more underground places. It is where my heart is. It was really successful, and gave me motivation to start making some of those beats again on the road.

“This actually all started when I played at a warehouse in Brooklyn, in New York. I was like, ‘okay, I’m playing at a warehouse, I should play more deep house, some techno. And it made me feel so happy to play like this. So I’m actually making beats like this again — and I’m not sure yet, but I might do another double album like I did with Nothing But The Beat, and have all the more electronic tracks on the second album.”

I ask Guetta if he feels that it’s actually tougher for someone like him to go down this route — seeing as he’s such a name brand, and known more for putting out dance