Rony Seikaly talks transition from NBA participant to DJ, and ‘Moonwalk’ [Q&A]
by: Alex Lambeau
Might 9, 2022
The shift from NBA famous person to membership DJ has been something however simple for Rony Seikaly. Born in Lebanon, Rony Seikaly was one of many first internationally born gamers to have a major influence within the NBA. Averaging near a double-double all through his 11-year profession, Seikaly swiftly grew to become a family title. However now, together with his days on the court docket within the rearview, Seikaly has given a unique viewers new purpose to know his title: his home music manufacturing and DJing expertise.
Rony Seikaly was launched to disco as a teen, rising up within the Center East. He at all times had a love and keenness for the style, however he was by no means capable of totally discover this curiosity, owed to the time required to develop his uncooked athletic means. However that was then, and that is now, and now appears to be like like Miami, Florida, Seikaly has produced music for 10-plus years—and has lots to indicate for it. The previous Miami Warmth participant recurrently performs at Membership Area, amongst different tried-and-true reside music venues throughout The Sunshine State and in the end, the world.
On Might 6, Rony Seikaly launched Moonwalk, his first album since 2012. The 26-song LP doubles as Seikaly’s debut album on his personal document label, Stride. Every authentic on the album has its personal contemporary, distinctive sound throughout the deep-house style. At all times striving to push the home music scene ahead, Seikaly has every little thing from a Michael Jordan tribute to a collaboration with Diddy. Altogether, the eclectic assortment that’s Moonwalk illustrates Seikaly’s ardour for a multi-faceted model of manufacturing made by merging business sounds with the underground.
Stream Moonwalk beneath.
Having given Moonwalk a pay attention, it’s clear that every monitor is exclusive, with a unique twist on deep home. How did you select the course wherein you’d take the 26-track album?
Rony Seikaly: “I simply make music the best way I really feel it, the best way it’s in my head, what’s in my intestine. I don’t actually attempt to match into anyone else’s field. I do what comes naturally to me and what feels good to me. It’s a simple course of as a result of I’m not attempting to be anyone else. I’m simply attempting to be me. And placing it out as me is loads simpler than attempting to make music that simply doesn’t resonate with me. I discover it very tough to make music that I don’t really feel. So to me, it was a simple sort of trajectory and sort of a journey of how simply going with the stream and going and doing my factor as I understand how to do it.”
Would you say it’s loads simpler to launch by yourself label versus attempting to create a sound for a unique label?
Rony Seikaly: “The issue that I used to have is the truth that I used to promote lots of my tracks to labels, and each label would come again to me and say, ‘yeah, so it’s a superb monitor, however this simply doesn’t go well with our catalog.’ I simply stored getting these stiff-armed responses of, ‘it’s good, however it doesn’t match our catalog.’ And, in the meantime, I used to be taking part in these tracks out within the golf equipment, they usually resonated on the dance flooring. Individuals had smiles on their faces, they have been dancing. I simply felt that there was a disconnect between what the labels have been saying and what the dance flooring was saying. And I went by means of that course of for a few years till I made a decision, you understand what, I’m going to make my very own label. I need to promote my very own label and put out the music that I make and see whether or not what these guys are saying is true or not. From the primary few tracks that I put out, principally each monitor that I’ve put out has made it into the charts. Perhaps 15 or 20 of them have been within the High 20 and the remaining have all made it onto the charts. So, I used to be like, okay, so we acquired one thing right here.
Labels simply didn’t perceive my music and what I used to be attempting to create. Mainly, the toughest factor for an artist is to create your personal sound, to create your personal area of interest. And my area of interest was so small that most of the people and labels didn’t perceive that sort of sound; however in an effort to take an opportunity as an artist, you’ve acquired to step out of that field. If it really works, it really works, and if it doesn’t work, no less than I attempted it. That was my complete factor; I simply need to guarantee that I left it on the market. However for me, I don’t need to be anyone else, I need to be me. Whether or not you prefer it or not, or whether or not it’s a distinct segment sound, no less than I’m being true to myself and taking a raffle and threat of taking part in music that individuals won’t perceive. And whether or not they get to know it or not is secondary to me as a result of no less than I’m doing what’s trustworthy. It’s me. It’s not anyone else, I’m not attempting to tweak another person’s sound. I’m simply attempting to be me.”
There are some cross-genre collaborations on the album, with the Venezuelan, Iranian, city artist Sasha and with Diddy. How did the character of collaboration differ from artist to artist?
Rony Seikaly: “I’ve listened to accommodate music earlier than I even began taking part in within the NBA. I went from the disco period, which morphed into home music, so I’ve been in this type of style of music for a few years. I at all times discovered it fascinating to throw in one thing that’s a unique style of music and switch it into extra of a house-y sound. That’s what I needed to do with Diddy and Sasha. Reggaetón is principally what’s sizzling within the business sector for the previous couple of years, and I like his vocals on that monitor. I simply needed to include what was sizzling within the business sector, inside my sound. With Diddy, I at all times needed to include hip-hop, and I simply figured it will be tremendous cool to include a well-known hip-hop artist and well-known lyrics and stuff like that right into a home music monitor. I referred to as each of them up and I stated, ‘can I do that?’ I’ve been buddies with Diddy for a few years. We’ve been speaking about this for some time. Diddy stated ‘completely, let’s do one thing.’ That’s the way it began with Diddy. I despatched him a few concepts and he stated ‘I adore it, go together with it.’”
How was the transition for you from basketball to changing into a producer and DJ? What was essentially the most surprising impediment or adjustment that you just needed to make?
Rony Seikaly: “In all honesty, it’s been hell. Individuals don’t know my musical background and that I’ve been a scholar of home music for therefore a few years. They mechanically say, ‘what does this man find out about of home music? He’s a basketball participant.’ That’s principally the uphill battle that I’ve handled my complete profession. I’ve at all times stated to myself, ‘I want they’d simply choose me for the music, and never for who I used to be.’ That was the wrestle I’ve at all times had of individuals not listening to the music however simply me and pondering he’s a basketball participant and forgetting about listening to the music as a result of they’ve already made that call of their head.
I’m not attempting to repeat anybody else. I’m utterly trustworthy as you may be inside making a sound that sounds proper to you. As a result of, to me, it by no means made sense to go and hearken to DJs who’re taking part in all people else’s tracks and getting paid tons of of 1000’s of {dollars} to do it. While you went to a live performance to see The Police, Queen, or U2, they don’t seem to be taking part in everybody else’s songs; they’re taking part in their very own songs.
I needed to suit that into my DJing, and say yeah, I’ll throw in a few tracks from different individuals right here and there, however you’re predominantly going to get my tracks and my sound. That’s the imaginative and prescient I had. I needed to play lengthy units, with all my music, and I’ll throw some tracks right here and there of different artists as a result of you may’t play an eight-hour set with solely your music.”
What’s your favourite music from the brand new album?
Rony Seikaly: “Each monitor has a particular which means as a result of I sat within the studio throughout COVID-19 and simply targeted on making music that I felt throughout these days and people occasions. Each monitor has a bit of bit of various which means to me, however I don’t actually have a favourite. I performed all of those tracks out in golf equipment; I don’t actually have one favourite, I like all of them.”
Featured picture: Rony Seikaly/ Instagram
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