The younger brother of EDM superstar Steve Angello, Antoine Josefsson, aka AN21, enjoys his international success.
The DJ and producer rocked Maya Day and Nightclub last Friday, June 14, and will play at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas this weekend. AFM caught up with him after Friday night’s show in Scottsdale, to discuss the new Daft Punk album, his best friend Max Vangeli and the ups and downs of producing an album.
AFM: Tell me what it’s like growing up in a place like Sweden where EDM seems to take a huge part in the culture there?
Antoine: Growing up there was very cold, we actually didn’t grow up with much electronic dance music, until the late nineties, which was the start of it with the big names and big group DJs.
AFM: Your tracks are often labeled as “progressive house” genre – would you say that’s true?
Antoine: I produce everything from tech house, big groove I like to produce all kinds of genres and not stick to just one.
AFM: You’ve worked very closely with Max Vangeli and have had great successes with the Ellie Goulding Remix of “Starry Eyed”, Danny Howard Guest Mix playlist, and obviously your album “People of the Night along with several other tracks. How would you describe your relationship with Max?
Antoine: Great! We met on MySpace actually. When we started to work together we never thought that this would happen. It was like
one song, then two songs and it’s been incredible to see how we’ve started out from nothing to being best friends.
AFM: What your favorite part about producing an album?
Antoine: Talent! You’re going to produce these tracks that all sound different, it’s tough because when you finish the last one the first one you produced will sound like shit.
AFM: Obviously musicality runs in your family, but besides your brother Steve Angello- who else has inspired you as an artist?
Antoine: I grew up listening to Daft Punk. The new album is cool and refreshing and I think it’s very smart for them, because it’s very easy to listen to.
AFM: Even though you have already collaborated with notable producers such as Tiesto; if you could pick one producer to create a track with- who would it be and why?
Antoine: I don’t want to talk about Daft Punk too much but that would be cool.
AFM: Can you think of one notable performance that was life changing for you as a producer?
Antoine: Oh definitely my first time in Ibiza at Pacha. I opened up for the night and it was insane!
AFM: Going off of that- if you could play at one festival anywhere in the world- which one would it be and why?
Antoine: Oh I don’t know, because I’ve done all of them!
AFM: Being European, what do you think about the EDM culture becoming more increasingly more popular within the United States?
Antoine: I think it’s great! It’s a little bit of too good to be true, and honestly I think it’s moving too fast because sooner or later it will hit a peak and then go downhill.
AFM: That’s your next big step as a producer and what can we look forward from you in the near future?
Antoine: Anything creative! Marketing a creative agency, I love to stay in that kind of atmosphere.
Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @elizzz15
