“I’ve had a really good journey through Vegas, but you know what they say—there’s no place like home.”
Afrojack is returning to Wynn Nightlife in 2018, ready to spin at XS, Encore Beach Club and Intrigue. We recently caught up with the superstar DJ and producer to talk about his homecoming.
What about the current club and music culture on the Las Vegas Strip made this the right time to go back to Wynn? It’s where I grew up, where I started and what I feel I really need right now. XS is still the [place] to test new tracks and feel the vibe of the current [musical] situation in America.
But it’s not just the clubs; it’s the property. Every time I’ve been at Encore or Wynn during EDC or any time of year, I always feel there’s a lot of culture spread across the dancefloor. There are a lot of people from New York and LA and other places heading to Wynn, and that’s a big translator for me to see what’s going on in the music scene. I’m doing a lot of experimenting with hip-hop and more crossover stuff, and this is a great place to do more of that. That’s how those songs get created; we kind of mash up everything we experience at the clubs.
You’ve released so much new music the past three months. Have you been more prolific in terms of creating lately or are you just putting stuff out more often? I’m just putting more out there. I have five singles coming in January. There used to be more pressure to put out big club records and focus on more big, commercial singles, because that’s how the labels make money. But I need to stay true to myself, and it’s going really well. I’m getting all types of feedback. I think I have around 400 songs ready to go on my laptop, so it’s just about making the selections of which ones will be out over the next year.
Any particular collaborations you’re excited about? I just remixed Rita Ora’s new track. I’m working on a remix for U2, which should be big. It’s kind of crazy to be in touch with U2. I just got a voicemail from Bono, and he was like, “See if you can add this.” It’s like, “Yeah, sure Bono.” It’s crazy.
I have stuff lying around with Ty Dolla $ign, Rae Sremmurd, Wiz Khalifa, Sean Paul ... too many to name. I have a lot to finish.
What are you focusing on in the new year, besides the residency at Wynn? Right now the two main things are the artist development company I’m growing—which is something I did back in the day already and is now growing into a full company, which requires a lot of time—and just having fun. All the gigs next year are set up not just because of the fans but also because I want to be in those locations. I want to see more of the world. I just turned 30, and I want to see what’s going on outside the DJ booth.
