World-renowned electronic music festival Tomorrowland has partnered with German automotive giant BMW to develop an AI-powered music tool.
The tool, dubbed “Future Record,” allows users to enter prompts so the AI can “create a record that embodies what Tomorrowland means to you.” Once you’ve answered questions about your stage name, desired tempo and to whom you’re dedicating the track—among other prompts—the program spits out a roughly 30-second clip to share via social media.
Don’t expect the program to generate a monetizable masterpiece. After all, generative AI is still in its nascent stages in terms of its viability in music. However, while the audio it created for us was simplistic, raw and unmastered, the requested energy and elements were authentic.
The “Future Record” software is trained on a number of different styles, such as euphoric, energetic and melancholic, and able to generate lyrics. Each vibe and genre contains three tracks that fit the style. Moreover, there are four variations of each of those 45 compositions, for a total of 180 pieces.
The Mainstage of Tomorrowland 2023.
Tomorrowland
BMW has been expanding its global music marketing efforts since 2019, according to Little Black Book.
“Music inspires, shapes memories and encourages people to come together,” Sascha Behmel, BMW Group’s digital market lead, told the outlet. “It speaks one global, emotional language. As a relationship brand with ‘joy’ at its core, Tomorrowland is a perfect match for us as a brand engagement.”
Try BMW and Tomorrowland’s “Future Record” for yourself here.
Empire State Bastard have shared a dystopian video for their recent single ‘The Looming’ – check it out below.
READ MORE: Empire State Bastard: “We’re going for extremity at all costs”
The side-project of Biffy Clyro frontman Simon Neil, and their touring guitarist Mike Vennart (Oceansize) will release debut album ‘Rivers Of Heresy’ on September 1 (pre-order/pre-save here).
‘The Looming’ was shared last month as a follow-up to the singles ‘Harvest’ and ‘Stutter’, and its video continues the dystopian themes of the track.
Of the video, the band said: “ESB x Mike Bourne. The end is looming!”
Watch the video below.
Speaking to NME earlier this year, Neil said that ESB were “going for extremity at all costs” while embarking on what he described as a “hideously horrific musical journey”.
“Because we play together in Biffy, there’s no point in us doing another project that doesn’t feel miles apart,” he explained. “That’s a pet hate of mine, when people leave their full-time band to do another thing and it’s just a slightly different version of what they’re doing anyway. What’s the fucking point?”
As for the forthcoming ‘Rivers Of Heresy’ on the whole, Neil told NME: “I’ve put all of my nihilism and misanthropy into this record. The anger needs to be real.
“When the pandemic happened, there was so much to be angry about over that period. Even since then, I keep having this optimistic point of view that there’s going to be a right sharp turn of goodness and growth and everyone’s going to see the light.”
He continued: “I just needed to unleash something. This isn’t a political band, but there’s so much to be fucking angry about. You see the people running the country who just don’t give a shit, you see local neighbourhoods falling apart, and maybe I’ve connected to my hometown since I stopped touring so intensely after the pandemic. Maybe I feel more of a responsibility to my community.”
A first-generation iPod, originally released in 2001, was reportedly sold to a buyer at auction for $29,000 in late July.
The iPod was given as a Christmas gift in December 2001 to a teenager by his parents, who purchased the device for $399 plus tax at the time at a local mall in Plano, Texas. It was still in its original packaging and the blue Apple bag in which they carried it home, according to Barron’s.
The then-teenager told Rally, a platform that allows investors to buy and sell equity shares in collectible assets, that he was surprised when he received the iPod as a gift and wasn’t sure what to do with it. “So he put it on a shelf and then, inevitably time passes,” said Rob Petrozzo, co-founder of Rally. “It really is a time capsule.”
Unfortunately, the owner discovered the unopened iPod while cleaning out the home of his deceased father.
A first-generation iPod sold by Rally.
Rally
This isn’t the first time (and certainly won’t be the last) that an old Apple product has been sold online or at an auction for a large sum. In July, an original iPhone from 2007 sold for nearly $200,000 at auction, smashing previous records.
“These collectors often have strong ties to Apple products, as they grew up using them and share a deep emotional connection with the company’s early history,” Bobby Livingston, RR Auction’s Executive Vice President, said in a press release. “Many of these collectors are computer and internet entrepreneurs who witnessed the birth of the personal computing revolution and appreciate the significance of these historical artifacts.”
Rally also has an Apple-1 computer up for auction through August 24th. The rare device is signed by fabled Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and is estimated to be worth a cool $200,000.
Offset has praised Oscar-winning actress, Jamie Lee Curtis, calling her a “real one” for staring in the music video for ‘Jealousy’.
The rapper shared how the actress agreed to star in the music video in an interview with Good Morning America. “Jamie Lee Curtis is a real one,” he said. “So, how that happened is I DM’d Jamie Lee Curtis on Instagram and said, ‘Yo, I got an idea. I would love to work with you.’”
He continued: “She wrote me back so quickly. She was like, ‘Yeah, I got you, but you need to follow me. That’s how I knew she was cool.”
The exchange occurred shortly after Curtis won best supporting actress at the 2023 Academy Awards for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once. She and the rapper swapped phone numbers with Offset sharing that the actress “was ready to do it”.
In the promo video for the track that parodies James Brown’s bizarreCNN interview from 1988, Curtis stars as a reporter grilling Offset about cheating allegations the rapper had made against his wife Cardi B back in June.
She portrayed a role similar to CNN host Sonya Friedman from the Brown interview and said: “Your fans are saying there is a lot of drama between you and your beautiful wife Cardi B,” to which the rapper responded with: “”Haaaaaaaa.”
‘Jealousy’ is a collab between the rapper and his wife. The video arrived after Offset accused Cardi of allegedly cheating on him in an Instagram story posted to his official account.
He recently opened up about the post in a radio interview with Angela Yee. “That’s my wife. I love her to death,” he said, before explaining what caused that specific blunder. He claimed the two had been arguing, and that “if you got a New York woman, you know she’s a pitbull at the mouth.”
In other news, Offset recently brought out Cardi B during his set Cardi B at Rolling Loud Miami.
“What the fuck is good, motherfuckers?” she screamed on stage after the DJ announced her arrival. Then, she rapped along to two of the duo’s most popular collaborations: 2018’s ‘MotorSport’ from Migos‘ third studio album, ‘Culture II’; and 2019’s ‘Clout’, ripped from Offset’s debut solo album, ‘Father Of 4’.
Elsewhere, Curtis recently opened up about her past addiction struggles, saying she would “be dead” if fentanyl was “easily” available.
“My worst day was almost invisible to anyone else,” she admitted. “I’m lucky. I didn’t make terrible decisions high, or under the influence, that then for the rest of my life I regret.
Electric Zoo’s latest stage reveal is a historic first in the festival’s 14-year run.
Taking over the Morphosis stage on the first day of the festival, Dreamland is the Electric Zoo’s inaugural LGBTQ+ stage. One of Out100‘s “Most Influential LGBTQ+ People,” Jake Resnicow will curate and host Dreamland.
A native New Yorker and seasoned event producer, Resnicow is revered for his Dreamland events. Between Pride concerts in Central Park and multi-day festivals in Miami, Resnicow’s Dreamland brand is behind some of the most popular LGBTQ+ stateside shows.
“The Dreamland stage serves as a beacon of empowerment and representation,” Resnicow said. “By spotlighting LGBTQ+ artists and artists who are considered allies, we not only showcase their incredible talents but also inspire the next generation of diverse artists and fans. It’s about creating a space where people can express themselves freely, connect authentically, and celebrate the beautiful spectrum of identities within our community.”
The lineup for Dreamland at Electric Zoo 2023
The Dreamland stage at Electric Zoo will feature sets from The Blessed Madonna, Eli Escobar (a surprise, last-minute addition to the festival’s lineup), J. Worra, Coco & Breezy, Carola and a back-to-back between Spencer Huff and Matt Suave. Plus, a special sunset performance by electronic music icon and Electric Zoo alumni Kaskade.
“If you’ve followed my career or have listened to my music you know that everything I do can be traced back to the earliest House Music days in Chicago,” Kaskade said. “The clubs were alive and vibrant and heavily influenced by the gay DJs, dancers, producers and music lovers. It’s exciting to now be playing on the Dreamland stage as an homage to my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters that have been with me on this journey and the ones who paved the way.”
Dreamland is one of six curated stage takeovers at Electric Zoo this year. Read more about the rest of the curators and the lineup here.
Ne-Yo has gone back on his earlier apology for comments he has made about parenting and gender identity.
The singer-songwriter stirred controversy over the weekend during an interview for VladTV. in which he questioned parents who support their children identifying as a different gender than that which they were assigned at birth.
“I just personally come from an era where a man was a man and a woman was a woman. And there was two genders, and that’s just how I rocked,” he said in the clip.
“You could identify as a goldfish if you feel like – I don’t care. That ain’t my business. It becomes my business when you try to make me play the game with you. I’m not gonna call you a goldfish. But if you wanna be a goldfish, you go be a goldfish. We live in a weird time, man. We do.”
“When did that happen? I don’t understand,” continued the father of seven. “He can’t drive a car yet, but he can decide his sex?”
Ne-Yo performs during 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race Course on May 07, 2023. CREDIT: Erika Goldring/Getty Images
Ne-Yo later apologised following a backlash, promising to “better educate” himself on the topic.
“I’ve always been an advocate for love and inclusivity in the LGBTQI+ community, so I understand how my comments could’ve been interpreted as insensitive and offensive.
“Gender identity is nuanced and I can honestly admit that I plan to better educate myself on the topic, so I can approach future conversations with more empathy,” he continued. “At the end of the day, I lead with love and support everyone’s freedom of expression and pursuit of happiness.”
Now, however, Ne-Yo seems to have gone back on his word. In a video posted to Instagram, he said he was still planning on learning more about the issue at hand, but maintained he had a right to his own opinion. He also claimed the original apology came “from my publicist’s computer”.
“My intention is never to offend anybody,” he said. “However, I’m entitled to feel how I feel, the same way you are entitled to feel how you feel. I ain’t ask nobody to follow me, I ain’t ask nobody to agree with me; I was asked a question and I answered the damn question.”
Ne-Yo went on to say that while he has “no beef” with the LGBTQ+ community, he said he would “never be OK with allowing a child to make a decision that detrimental to their life,” regarding to medical treatment for trans youth. “I will definitely be educating myself a little bit more on this matter,” he said. “However, I doubt that there is any book anywhere or any opinion that somebody’s gonna tell me that’s gonna make me OK with letting a child make a decision like that.
He concluded: “If I get canceled for this, then you know what, maybe this is a world where they don’t need a Ne-Yo no more,” he said. “Live how you wanna live, love how you wanna love, but your opinion is yours.”
In the caption, Ne-Yo added to what he said in the video. “Ok. This shit is getting out of hand. FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH. I WILL NOT BE BULLIED INTO APOLOGIZING FOR HAVING AN OPINION. AGREEING TO DISAGREE IS NOT A DECLARATION OF WAR. Lord knows I ain’t perfect, I’ve made my mistakes indeed.
“And I’ve apologized to the people I’ve hurt for those mistakes. I couldn’t cast a stone if I wanted to, which I don’t. And I haven’t.
He went on to say that he would still support his children if one of them theoretically came out as transgender. “My intention is never to offend anybody…but my opinion is MINE and I’m entitled to it. I don’t care what y’all do with yours. That’s YOURS. This is how I FEEL. If one of my 7 kids were to decide that he or she wanted to be something other than what they were born as, once they’re old enough and mature enough to make that decision…so be it. Not gonna love em’ any less. Daddy is still Daddy and he loves you regardless. But this isn’t even a discussion until they are MENTALLY MATURE ENOUGH to have such a discussion.
“Period. Point blank. Whatever. Y’all do y’all, imma do me and we can agree to disagree and coexist PEACEFULLY. LOVE IS THE ONLY TRUE POWER.”
In other Ne-Yo news, last month the musician revealed that he’s a huge fan of the game Street Fighter. It was also reported that he takes his PlayStation 5 with him on tour in a “new personal tradition” in order to handle the stresses that his work throws at him
Pretty Lights is officially back—and he’s just getting warmed up.
The iconic producer had remained in the shadows and out of the public eye since the summer of 2018, when he performed for a sold-out crowd on August 11th at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater. But he emerged earlier this year, announcing a brand-new tour, “Soundship Spacesystem.”
Pretty Lights, whose real name is Derek Vincent Smith, officially returned to the stage on August 4th with a full band that included Michal Menert, who celebrated by tattooing the artist’s new logo on his forearm.
5,000 people packed into Denver’s Mission Ballroom for the momentous comeback concert, which marked Smith’s first show in five years and the start of a three-night run for the Colorado native. The venture was quite the creative undertaking, according to Smith, who says his team had been in Denver for the last two months “vibing, rehearsing, building, programming, producing and buttoning up” the production.
View the original article to see embedded media.
The surreal, four-hour performance also featured a slew of new tunes. Smith kicked it off with a stunning new track, a sparkling electro-funk cut brimming with the soul of a signature Pretty Lights record.
Considering Pretty Lights hasn’t put out any music since 2017, fans are currently clamoring for an official release. His last album, A Color Map of the Sun, released a decade ago in the summer of 2013.
“This is our first show back and we’re just getting warmed up,” Smith said at the end of the show.
Check out the full stream of Pretty Lights’ return to the stage below.
The full list of nominations for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards has been announced, with Taylor Swift, Doja Cat and SZA leading the list.
Swift is leading the way with eight nominations, SZA earned six and Doja Cat, Kim Petras, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo, and Sam Smith have all earned five each. The entire group of artists are also in the running for this year’s Video of the Year category.
This year’s edition of the VMAs also features a slew of first-time nominees, 35 to be exact. The first-timers are made up of acts like Petras, Metro Boomin, Boygenius, Fletcher, Rema, Arya Starr, Burna Boy, Davido, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Kaliii, Peso Pluma, PinkPantheress, and Reneé Rapp.
Taylor Swift accepts the Video Of The Year award at the 2022 MTV VMAs, where she announced new album ‘Midnights’. Credit: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for MTV/Paramount Global.
The 2023 VMAs will take place on Tuesday, September 12 at 8pm ET at New Jersey’s famed Prudential Center.
2023 MTV Video Music Award Nominees are”
VIDEO OF THE YEAR, Presented by Burger King® Doja Cat – ‘Attention’ Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’ Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’ Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Vampire’ Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ SZA – ‘Kill Bill’ Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’
ARTIST OF THE YEAR Beyoncé Doja Cat KAROL G Nicki Minaj Shakira Taylor Swift
SONG OF THE YEAR Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’ Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Vampire’ Rema & Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’ Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ Steve Lacy – ‘Bad Habit’ SZA – ‘Kill Bill’ Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’
The Moon Man backdrop is seen onstage during the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on September 12, 2021. Credit: Kevin Mazur/MTV VMAs 2021/Getty Images
BEST NEW ARTIST GloRilla Ice Spice Kaliii Peso Pluma PinkPantheress Reneé Rapp
PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR August 2022: Saucy Santana – ‘Booty’ September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – ‘Until I Found You’ October 2022: JVKE – ‘Golden Hour’ November 2022: Flo Milli – ‘Conceited’ December 2022: Reneé Rapp – ‘Colorado’ January 2023: Sam Ryder – ‘All The Way Over’ February 2023: Armani White – ‘GOATED’ March 2023: FLETCHER – ‘Becky’s So Hot’ April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – ‘Sugar Rush Ride’ May 2023: Ice Spice – ‘Princess Diana’ June 2023: FLO – ‘Losing You’ July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – ‘That Part’
BEST COLLABORATION David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – ‘I’m Good (Blue)’ Post Malone, Doja Cat – ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’ Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – ‘Gotta Move On’ KAROL G, Shakira – ‘TQG’ Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – ‘Creepin’ (Remix)’ Rema & Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’
Olivia Rodrigo performs onstage during the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on September 12, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Credit: Jeff Kravitz/GETTY
BEST POP Demi Lovato – “Swine” Dua Lipa – ‘Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)’ Ed Sheeran – ‘Eyes Closed’ Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’ Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Vampire’ P!NK – ‘TRUSTFALL’ Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’
BEST HIP-HOP Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – ‘Gotta Move On’ DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – ‘STAYING ALIVE’ GloRilla & Cardi B – ‘Tomorrow 2’ Lil Uzi Vert – ‘Just Wanna Rock’ Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” Metro Boomin ft Future – ‘Superhero (Heroes and Villains)’ Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’
BEST R&B Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – ‘Stay’ Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – ‘How Does It Feel’ Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – ‘Creepin’ (Remix)’SZA – ‘Shirt’ Toosii – ‘Favorite Song’ Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – ‘Love In The Way’
Panic! At The Disco CREDIT: John Shearer/Getty Images for MTV/Paramount Global
BEST ALTERNATIVE Blink-182 – ‘EDGING’ Boygenius – ‘The Film’ Fall Out Boy – ‘Hold Me Like A Grudge’ Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – ‘Candy Necklace’ Paramore – ‘This Is Why’ Thirty Seconds To Mars – ‘Stuck’
BEST ROCK Foo Fighters – ‘The Teacher’ Linkin Park – ‘Lost (Original Version)’ Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Tippa My Tongue’ Måneskin – ‘THE LONELIEST’ Metallica – ‘Lux Æterna’ Muse – ‘You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween’
BEST LATIN Anitta – ‘Funk Rave’ Bad Bunny – ‘WHERE SHE GOES’ Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola” Grupo Frontera, Bad Bunny – ‘Un x100to’ KAROL G, Shakira – ‘TQG’ ROSALÍA – ‘DESPECHÁ’ Shakira – ‘Acróstico’
Lady Gaga poses with her awards during the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, broadcast on Sunday, August 30th 2020. (Picture: Kevin Winter/MTV VMAs 2020/Getty Images for MTV)
BEST K-POP aespa – ‘Girls’ BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ FIFTY FIFTY – ‘Cupid’ SEVENTEEN – ‘Super’ Stray Kids – ‘S-Class’ TOMORROW X TOGETHER – ‘Sugar Rush Ride’
BEST AFROBEATS Ayra Starr – ‘Rush’ Burna Boy – ‘It’s Plenty’ Davido ft. Musa Keys – ‘UNAVAILABLE’ Fireboy DML & Asake – ‘Bandana’ Libianca – ‘People’ Rema & Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’ Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– ‘2 Sugar’
VIDEO FOR GOOD Alicia Keys – ‘If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)’ Bad Bunny – ‘El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente’ Demi Lovato – ‘Swine’ Dove Cameron – ‘Breakfast’ Imagine Dragons – ‘Crushed’ Maluma – ‘La Reina’
MTV moonman. Credit: GETTY
BEST DIRECTION Doja Cat – ‘Attention’ – Directed by Tanu Muiño Drake – ‘Falling Back’ – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz) Kendrick Lamar – ‘Count Me Out’ – Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’ – Directed by Colin Tilley Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Directed by Floria Sigismondi SZA – ‘Kill Bill’ – Directed by Christian Breslauer Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Directed by Taylor Swift
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Adele – ‘I Drink Wine’ – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra Ed Sheeran – ‘Eyes Closed’ – Cinematography by Natasha Baier Janelle Monae – ‘Lipstick Lover’ – Cinematography by Allison Anderson Kendrick Lamar – ‘Count Me Out’ – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’ – Cinematography by Marcell Rev Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Vampire’ – Cinematography by Russ Fraser Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Cinematography by Rina Yang
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Fall Out Boy – ‘Love From The Other Side’ – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner Harry Styles – ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant’ – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios Melanie Martinez – ‘VOID’ – Visual Effects by Carbon Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’ – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Visual Effects by Parliament
The MTV VMA award – Credit: Getty
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX) Dua Lipa – ‘Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)’ – Choreography by Charm LaDonna Jonas Brothers – ‘Waffle House’ – Choreography by Jerry Reece Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’ – Choreography by Sean Bankhead Panic! At The Disco – ‘Middle Of A Breakup’ – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel
BEST ART DIRECTION Boygenius – ‘The Film’ – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT) Doja Cat – ‘Attention’ – Art Direction by Spencer Graves Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – ‘Candy Necklace’ – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’ – Art Direction by Niko Philipides SZA – ‘Shirt’ – Art Direction by Kate Bunch
BEST EDITING BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT) Kendrick Lamar – ‘Rich Spirit’ – Edited by Grason Caldwell Miley Cyrus – ‘River’ – Edited by Brandan Walter Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Vampire’ – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel SZA – ‘Kill Bill’ – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Edited by Chancler Haynes
On a mission to connect with his fans in new and exciting ways, Markus Schulz has been on a tear, enthralling them with his 2023 tour, “The Rabbit Hole Circus.”
The last time we caught up with Schulz, he was gearing up for the start of the tour, which takes its name from the iconic DJ and producer’s brand-new album. Spanning 12 tracks, The Rabbit Hole Circus a song-cycle of soaring and cinematic dance music from one of the genre’s persevering pioneers.
Take a listen to the full album, which released on Black Hole Recordings earlier this summer, below.
Since then, the prolific Schulz has been astonishing audiences with the tour’s mystifying production, which flings fans headlong into a fantastical circus where performers, dancers, singers and aerialists perform in harmony. He’s now poised for one of its biggest shows at the famed Avalon Hollywood club, a venue he knows well, to say the least.
It’s been quite the undertaking, Schulz tells us, to coordinate the ambitious concerts and make sure all of their moving parts are flowing in sync. “The Rabbit Hole Circus” has also seen a number of the album’s vocalists perform live at select dates, including Sarah de Warren, whose scintillating work in “Light On” represents one of its surefire highlights.
We reconnected with Schulz to discuss that single as well as the progression of “The Rabbit Hole Circus,” which seems to become more and more immersive as it rolls along. You can purchase tickets here.
EDM.com: Tell us about your new single with Sarah de Warren.
Markus Schulz: My new single with Sarah de Warren is called “Light On.” It was the second track that I did for the new album, The Rabbit Hole Circus, in the sequence of producing the whole album. I think when I finished the track, it really gave me a clear idea of the vibe that I wanted for the new album.
I love Sarah de Warren and was looking for the opportunity to work with her on something, and this song was the perfect mood that I was looking for. We actually shot the music video for this the day before filming the music video [for the first single], “Eternally” [featuring Diandra Faye]. So, the mood that entire week was fantastic.
EDM.com: Can you talk more about the album, The Rabbit Hole Circus and the inspiration for the tour?
Markus Schulz: The new The Rabbit Hole Circus album really was unique compared with all my other albums, as I had the idea of the circus and the rabbit hole in my head as I was producing the album. As I was working on it, the vision of aerialists and dancers and characters, as well as the singers, was at the forefront of a lot of the decisions that I was making in the studio.
I think this is definitely the first installment of “The Rabbit Hole Circus” concept and you will definitely be seeing a lot more because this is really inspiring, to me. I’ve always been into theater, and to bring this full-circle into my productions as well as my DJ sets just feels right to me.
EDM.com: How are your Rabbit Hole Circus shows different from your “open-to-close” DJ shows?
Markus Schulz: Well, I’ve been doing my open-to-close sets since I first started DJing. I started my career as a resident DJ where I’d play from the moment the doors opened until the moment the club closed, so when I do my open-to-close sets, it really is a throwback to my earlier career.
Now, adding “The Rabbit Hole Circus” show into my tours is like having a festival-style show inside of an open-to-close show. There’s so much planning and choreography that goes into working with the singers and the dancers. We plan the shows for months, and the singers and dancers rehearse for months. So it really is a show carefully planned and executed.
EDM.com: Musically as well as technically, what are your biggest challenges playing this show as compared with your other “open-to-close” sets?
Markus Schulz: One of the most challenging aspects is just making sure everybody knows their cues and when they are expected onstage. It’s a little bit more difficult to improvise during the hours that we have the singers and dancers. I still do my traditional doors-open, warm-up set, and then down-the-rabbit-hole afterhours set. What’s in the middle is where the challenging moments are, and that’s where all of the singers and dancers do their thing.
Markus Schulz.
Coldharbour Recordings
EDM.com: What can fans expect for your “Rabbit Hole Circus” show on August 19th at Avalon Hollywood, in Los Angeles?
Markus Schulz: Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles has always been at the forefront of my vision when I was producing the album. A lot of the sounds and arrangements were inspired by my shows at Avalon.
To bring “The Rabbit Hole Circus” tour to Avalon, it’s the place that inspired a lot of this and it’s going to be really cool. I think the fans are going to see a very electrifying show and I definitely hope they’ll be mesmerized, not just by the music, but by the singers and dancers, as well.
EDM.com:Do you find that your “Rabbit Hole Circus” tour concept is evolving over time as you move from one city and venue to another? What are some important things you’ve learned in the first shows that you plan to implement in future shows?
Markus Schulz: While we have the outline of what the show contains, every venue is different! All of the setups are different. The stages are different. The DJ setup is different, so we really do have to adapt the show to each venue.
As frustrating as that is, it also makes each show special, because it has its own unique vibe. You could see my [“The Rabbit Hole Circus”] show at E11EVEN Miami where the dancers and aerialists are over you and all around you, and then go see the show at Avalon Hollywood in L.A. where all of the entertainers are onstage in front of you. It’s totally different vibes but equally as mesmerizing.
EDM.com: Where else will “The Rabbit Hole Circus” tour stop—cities, venues and dates—after the Avalon Hollywood show in August?
Markus Schulz: After the show in Los Angeles, we’re sitting down with our partners and really making a plan. Based on what we liked from the first three shows and what we think did not work. Stand by, because there will be lots more “Rabbit Hole Circus” shows in the future, for sure!
Travis Scott has announced a run of North American shows for later this year.
The ‘Utopia Tour Presents Circus Maximus’ tour kicks off in Chicago on September 25 and includes shows in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, and DC before finishing in Miami on November 27.
Notably, this is Scott’s first tour since the Astroworld tragedy, in which 10 people died and hundreds more were injured following a crowd crush at the festival in November 2021.
Last month, it was revealed that a grand jury in Texas had decided that Scott would not face charges over the incident, and a full report has now been filed.
Tickets will go on sale on August 11 at 10am – you can see the full list of dates below and buy your tickets here.
Travis Scott. Credit: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
SEPTEMBER 25 – Chicago, IL, United Center 27 – Detroit, MI, Little Caesars Arena 29 – East Rutherford, NJ, MetLife Stadium
OCTOBER 1 – Boston, MA, TD Garden 4 – Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center 5 – Washington, DC, Capital One Arena 8 – Atlanta, GA, State Farm Arena 11 – Charlotte, NC, Spectrum Center 12 – Raleigh, NC, PNC Arena 14 – Orlando, FL, Amway Center 17 – Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center 19 – Houston, TX, Toyota Center 21 – Oklahoma City, OK, Paycom Center 23 – Denver, CO, Ball Arena 26 – Phoenix, AZ, Footprint Center 28 – Las Vegas, NV, MGM Grand Garden Arena 30 – Oakland, CA, Oakland Arena
NOVEMBER 4 – Inglewood, CA, SoFi Stadium 7 – Seattle, WA, Climate Pledge Arena 9 – Vancouver, BC, CA, Rogers Arena 12 – Portland, OR, Moda Center 18 – Austin, TX, Moody Center ATX 24 – Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena 27 – Miami, FL, Kaseya Center
Meanwhile, Scott’s new album ‘Utopia’ has become the second-most streamed album of 2023, less than two weeks after it was released.
The rapper’s first album since 2018 has been streamed globally over 650million times, while Apple Music confirmed it had the biggest first day streams of an album in 2023, and Spotify named it the most streamed record in 2023 on its first day with 128 million streams.
In terms of both sales and streams, ‘Utopia’ has had 2023’s third-biggest first week numbers, just behind behind Morgan Wallen and Taylor Swift.
To celebrate the album’s release, Scott played a special show and livestream at Italy’s Circus Maximus, an entertainment stadium and public park in Rome that used to host chariot races.
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