Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Steve Aoki during a brief pit stop he made in New York City, while en route to Spain for a set later that day. While most EDM artists are known for taking on a large volume of shows, Aoki is on a level all his own -- performing almost double the amount in comparison to his closest competitors. In the past year alone, he played 277 concerts.
This year Aoki cracked #5 on Forbes Electronic Music Cash King List making $23M this past year. Before he skipped town, we got to speak about his upcoming album, Neon Future Part I, his path to international stardom and what drives him creatively.
The Florida-born artist made his mark early on with his LA-based, Dim Mak studios, which became a cultural stronghold for the electronic dance music movement still in its infancy at the time. Soon enough, Aoki would become synonymous with EDM's growing presence in the U.S.. Aoki attributes one part of his earlier success by his ability to bring the party to him. By booking established artists for his own parties, and opening up for the headliners' crowds-- rather than vying for spots as a solo act at other venues -- he was able to establish himself more effectively to the masses.
To keep up with his aggressive, tour schedule, Aoki is incredibly health-conscious; he eats his vegetables, doesn't drink or do drugs. His healthy habits are also a reflection of his fascination with the future; specifically, longevity and the intersection of technology and the human body. This fixation accounts for much of the inspiration behind his latest album, its artwork and video "Rage The Night Away." For Aoki, he can't wait for a time when “...technology merges with us and we’ll be able to eradicate all the temperamental issues in our body."
Fittingly, the album opens with words from Ray Kurzweil, the man behind the idea of Singularity and closes with commentary from Aubrey de Grey, author of Ending Aging.
Time will only tell how Neon Future Part I shapes the always evolving EDM culture.
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