#5forthefuture

After a great night hosted by Electric Candyland Events at Stage 48 in NYC, we could not be more impressed. The attention to detail in regards to producing the event were simply incredible. A state of the art lighting system, a sound system that rivals even the best that NYC venues have to offer, beautiful dancers with snazzy costumes, and consistent, high-caliber DJ bookings combined to bring us and the rest of the Electric Candyland-ers an experience that is unique and truly enjoyable.  

                We were able to experience awesome sets by Rhafa Madrid, NY native George Garcia and by the high-octane headliner and creator of the massive track "Brohammer", Topher Jones. To top it all off, we managed to coordinate with Topher and meet him backstage for an interview before his set. Without a doubt, Topher is one of the nicest guys with nothing but a positive outlook and a serious love for all types of music. We got the tip on some of the big events he will be hitting this summer, including Spring Awakening, and were given a little insight into what fans can expect from Topher and Ultra Records in the near future. 

Topher's talent and creativity were on display from the beginning of his set to the end. Like he said in his interview, much of the material that he played for the rowdy crowd was new or unreleased. It was really refreshing to not hear the same songs that we hear being pounded out by most DJ's. Topher explained that he is heavily influenced by music you wouldn't find on the dance floor and his genre-hopping, crossover mixes and live sets truly reflect that mentality. He is able to retain that hard-trance sound he is known and loved for with remarkable ease, moving between bangers and alternative rock remixes seamlessly. 

Stage 48 is looking and sounding fantastic, and with fine acts like this continuing to grace the stage, we expect nothing but great things from the venue and from Electric Candyland events. Keep reading for the interviews and enjoy this live recording of Topher's set from that night at Electric Candyland. 

F: Topher, how are you doing tonight?

T: I'm doing well how are you doing?

F: Good man thanks. The sets tonight have been great so far, what can we expect to hear from you?

T: A lot of unreleased stuff, that no one has heard yet so that will be fun to play. Ill play some known stuff: brohammer, hello chicago, save me and all the records that I'm really enjoying right no. I don't have a set playlist so Im just gonna kinda wing it from track one, feel the vibe of the room, and kinda go from there.

F: Well we're all totally excited to hear "Brohammer" and "Save Me".

T: Haha good, the original or remix?

F: Tough one, but I think I like the original better. We were bumping it in the future office today to get ready for tonight.

T: Haha nice!

F: So I see you're playing a few big events this summer including spring awakening, which must be big because its in your home town of chicago. Which one's are you excited about?

T: Im really excited for spring awakening. I fly back to Chicago tomorrow, Im playing the after party tomorrow night, then I play the festival on sunday. It will be cool. Its a city where, you know, my individual shows sell out and I have developed a really good following then. I have a special connection with the city, you know, with Hello Chicago so being able to play the festival on a massive scale will be a really fun day.

F: So how many times will we hear Hello Chicago at Awakening?

T: Haha, you know everyone's been asking me. Im slightly torn because I feel like if there is ever a time to open a set and close it with the same song, or maybe 2 different versions, this is the whow. And I wouldn't feel bad doing that, because it is chicago. I might do that, we'll see.

F: Well we are all excited to hear it.

T: Hahah

F: Well man, you killed it with brohammer and save me, can we anticipate any new released from Ultra and Topher in the future:

T: Yes absolutely. There's a lot of new material coming. The next single is called talk about it. And You'll get to hear that tonight.

F: Yeah, we just heard rumors backstage now

T: Haha exactly, yeah you'll get to hear that tonight. And I'm really excited aout that. I was actually at Ultra today, working on an album and going over some things and they said "I think this is the best thing you've ever done".

F: So we can expect a full EP?

T: Actually, a full album yeah coming out late this fall.

F: Right on man we can't wait to hear it. Who are the big acts and big releases that you are excited on right now?

T: Mannn… well anything Alesso does is golden. He pisses me off he's so good. I really like Sultan and Ned Shepard's recent stuff. I think their remix of Bruno Mars' "Locked Out Of Heaven" is maybe the best song of the year. Um…You know I'm trying to think who else I've been really into. There's a track called on Boom that came out on Size, I'll be playing that tonight. There's so much good music right now, its early difficult. Producers put a track out every 2 or 3 weeks now a days. 

F: Especially with festival season going on..

T: Yeah, exactly.  There's a lot of good stuff right now, I don't know, I love all kinds of stuff so its hard to answer that question.

F: We've noticed your heavy crossover style, especially with the remixes you've been so successful with recently.

T: Yeah I love, for example, if there's a pop song or a band that Im like "I love this track" I will find a way to make a remix or to throw it in my sets. With the Rihanna Remix, the original is so emotional, It's just too good, I have to make a version. The Fun "Some Nights" track, Im like "This is so fun and catchy, how can I make a mix?" Bangerang, I think its the coolest thing Skrillex has done but house DJs can't play that version so I made a mix that I can and its been so fun.

F: So the name Topher is becoming synonymous with American dance music and DJs even the whole American scene right now, what do you think of the American Dance Music scene?

T: I think its the best place in the world right now for big room house music and its so cool to see America finally embracing Dance Music . Now its a legitimate genre u there with Rap and Rock and Country and all that stuff so its pretty neat to see how far its come since I got into dance music. So many opportunities and so many places to play. It's really cool, I think Dance is going to be this generation's music. When I grew up it was all Hiphop and Rap like that was the big thing, so thats kind of our generations music. Dance music is going to be this upcoming generations music and thats really cool that that's taking place in America.

F: Yeah absolutely. Well, what can Ultra and Topher fans expect in the future?

T: Lots of big tracks, some really cool album tracks that aren't necessarily meant for the dance floor but are beautiful, beautiful pieces of music. Lots of cool remixes coming up, I can't announce a lot of them yet because we're still in the final process of getting everything finalized. Its gonna be a busy second half of the year with tons of touring and tons of releases.

F: Alright man, thanks for taking the time to talk with us.

T: No thank you guys I really appreciate it. You sticking around?

VH1's Smirnoff Master of the Mix Season 3, the nationally televised reality DJ competition, showcased the talents of 19 of the best DJ's in the game today. 10 episodes and several dynamic (and tense) rounds later, a fierce competitor has risen above all others. For this week's 5 For The Future, we feature a veteran turntablist and the freshly crowned champion of Smirnoff's Master of the Mix, DJ JayCeeOh. The superior technical skills that he possesses were on full display from the beginning of this television series to the last aired minute. Also the 2011 McDonalds National Flavor Battle Champion, DJ JayCeeOh has the credentials to prove that he is one step ahead and above the competition. Here's an exclusive mix and interview with the man, the myth, the legend, DJ JayCeeOh.  

1. Opportunities for club DJ's to truly stand out are few and limited. What made you want to not only partake in this competition, but also win it?

I saw it as a huge outlet for exposure and a chance to win the biggest DJ prize in the history of DJing.  

2. Tell us what you envision as the biggest impact that winning this competition will have on your life.

It will open up the world’s eyes as what I bring to the table as a DJ and producer. 

3. What can we expect from you in the upcoming months? New gigs? Any productions? 

Lots of touring internationally and kicking off as the official DJ for SMIRNOFF. I have a string of tour dates in Florida later this month for SMIRNOFF’s Florida Fresh Mix tour.  We will be hitting Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando and Miami—should be dope! Also, I plan on releasing a lot of original production via remixes and artist placements. . I just put an original remix to the French Montana track Fuck What Happens ft. Mavado which has been doing really well. 

4. Will you be hanging out with your competitors? I feel like it got pretty intense at times!

Yes, as intense as it was we all bounced with each other and are very supportive of each others careers beyond the show. 

5. And lastly, tell us, how does it feel to be the "champ"?

Some people were born for the spotlight and the amazingly talented DJ Bambi is definitely one of them. With residencies and bookings at some of the top clubs in the WORLD, Bambi, known as Eva Shaw by her friends, is on the upwards climb towards the promised land of stardom. This former model turned DJ has the perfect combination of an incredible work ethic, eclectic music taste, and drop-dead gorgeous looks. She's played alongside industry heavyweights like Tiesto, Afrojack, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, and more. In such a short amount of time, her name has become respected and demanded by even the most die-hard fans of electronic dance music. Her main stage set at Ultra Music Festival 2013 absolutely BLEW away the crowd. High energy, massive kicks, and a million dollar smile to melt the hearts of all, watching a Bambi performance is unique and most of all, extremely impressive. Best of all, she's only getting started. I've heard her perform 5 times and she just keeps getting better and better. We've been working closely with Bambi to host her sets and her awesome "Bambicast" on Thefuture.fm. Lucky for us and you, she agreed to be be our 5 For The Future artist of the week. Take a look into the life of  Bambi and enjoy the sounds of the 4th installment of Bambicast Radio on Thefuture.fm 

1. Introduce yourself in one simple sentence.

Hi, I'm Eva Shaw aka Bambi a Dutch-Canadian dj/producer.

2. Tell us about your journey to becoming a prominent female dj in the world. 

I started out playing clubs in Toronto for fun and once I discovered that people were actually coming to my gigs to see me play, it made me want to pursue it. For me, it's really been a snowball effect. 

3. You've played with some of the best DJ's in the world. Tell us about your favourite?

It's always a blast playing with Tiesto. We have similar taste in music and he is a real dj. He can improvise and play back to back or all night which you don't see too often anymore as most djs these days are producers first. I've played with everyone from John Digweed to Avicii to Aoki - it's always different and interesting as well as a great learning opportunity. 

4. What can we look forward to from you in the upcoming months? Music? Shows? 

I have a lot of shows this summer and I'm still adding more. I will be expanding to new cities and countries I've never played at which is really exciting to me. I'm also scheduling some times during the week to get in the studio. I'm hoping to release some of my original music soon. I will continue with the Bambicast and I also have a few guest mixes on the way on other podcasts. 

5. Give some advice to all the aspiring female dj's in the world. 

There is something magical about festivals and shows that cannot be defined in words.. But there is that one moment that captures the magic better than any other. The moment when the beat fades away, the crowd eagerly holds their collective breaths, and all of a sudden, it hits you. The most beautiful, tantalizing, soul and heart lifting vocals flow from the speakers and take you to a place, a special place, your happy place. Pure bliss. In this exact moment, you lose yourself in the music but have never felt so found. In this exact moment, you are home. If I sound like a crazy person, I apologize. But chances are, if you understand what that feeling is, you've experienced it before. Better are the chances that the voice you were hearing, is that belonging to world-class vocalist, Jes Brieden, better known as her stage-name, JES. For dance music enthusiasts, Jes needs no introduction. Just look at the artists she has worked with: Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade, BT, Cosmic Gate, and more. She's collected awards from the prestigious International Dance Music Awards at Miami's WMC and topped Billboard's "Most Played Dance Songs of the Decade" chart (2000-2010). She has toured across 6 continents and enriched the lives of millions through her truly unique and priceless vocals. To this day, "As the Rush Comes" and "Awaken" remain one of my personal favorites to listen to on any given day. It is our honor and distinct privilege to feature Jes as our 5 For the Future artist of the week with a short interview and of course, the latest mix from her weekly series, Unleash the Beat. We touched upon various issues like her opinion on the state of EDM, festivals, alternate jobs, and more. We hope you enjoy it!

1. Introduce yourself in one simple sentence.

Hi Future FM, This is JES, Singer, Songwriter, DJ and Producer. You might know me from some of my songs such as As the Rush Comes, Imagination andGhost to name a few but there are many more!I have released 4 solo albums during the last 5 years and I am currently working on album number 5. I  tour internationally as both a performer and a dj, and I have a weekly mix show called Unleash The Beatwhich currently goes to air on over 60 stations across the globe.You can find out more info here,https://www.facebook.

2. You are a veteran of the industry and have worked with arguably the biggest names in the industry. What is your opinion on the explosion of EDM?

I think it's been a long time coming and I'm very happy that EDM has managed to shake the somewhat niche reputation it used to have so that more people can get involved and enjoy the music, which is what it's always been about. EDM was always ahead of the curve, but it's recent inclusion into moremainstream events and channels has opened up a lot of opportunities for all of us and it's been great to be working in it during a time of so much success.It's nice to finally turn on the radio and hear EDM alongside the other genres after so many years of it being underground. I do miss the more family atmosphereand camaraderie the DJ's and artists shared in earlier years, but I'm very happy that the amazing talents that can be found in the EDM world are finally beingrecognized. As with any trends in music to all up and coming artists and producers, what comes up usually goes back down at some point ... soget involved in the scene because you have a deep seated love for the music, because thats what it's all about.

3. If you could perform live at any festival in the world, which would it be and why?

I have been so lucky to have played at some really amazing festivals around the world but outside of the EDM world I would love to play at the GlastonburyFestival in the UK. It has such amazing diversity and history, it would be great to be a part of that. You can stay up to date with my tour schedule at my websiteor the event section of my Facebook.

4. We're curious, if you weren't currently a world-class vocalist, what would you be doing full-time?

Thats a tough question! I'm not a believer in having a "Plan B" if you're going into the music business. It's such a competitive place that if you're holding a back upplan you'll probably end up doing it. I've always only focused on music 100 percent so I never planned to be doing anything else but ... I love horses and horseback riding and I would love to have a ranch or stables. I also like to draw and paint, so maybe something in the arts would be good and I also love photography. You can check out so of my instagram photography herehttp://instagram.com/officialjes.

5. Give some genuine advice to the upcoming/aspiring singers in the world.

“5 For The Future” is the official Thefuture.fm interview series. Every week, our team of writers features the talents of our platform’s most impressive DJs — from skilled veterans to the most thrilling up & comers — with 5 quick interview questions for your eyes, and a new mix for your ears.

Here in NYC, it is so easy to get lost amongst the plethora of upcoming artists that are scrambling for the spotlight. However, this week we are proud to present a very special feature: our first international artist in the Dutch dancefloor destroyer, Andy Callister. With consistent bookings all over Europe and support by industry heavyweights like Laidback Luke and Alvaro on his productions, Andy Callister has the momentum, talent, and music arsenal to rival and better some of the best in the industry. His energy and passion are evident in his high-octane mixes and we find it no coincidence that he has experienced such success in the early stages of his career. Already with impressive releases on Sony Music, Midtown Rec, Digidance, Creme Fresh Rec, and Eyezcream Rec, Andy's musical prowess is undeniable. We have the honor of teaming up with Andy and presenting him as one of our first Marquee Artists. Andy's "Panoram Mix Series" will be hosted exclusively on Thefuture.fm along with other content that he would see fit to share with his fans and the rest of the world. We'd like to encourage you to follow his channel on our platform and of course, enjoy a short interview and a mix by the maestro himself. (Can't play the mix? Take this opportunity to become a premium member and gain access to all locked mixes on our platform!)

1. Introduce yourself in one simple sentence.

My real name is Andy Callister.

2. Give us your honest opinion on the explosion of EDM in the USA.

I love how the US is finally catching up to EDM and House Music. Even more I love how they are embracing it, bigger and better than anywhere else in the world. Everything in America is bigger and better, and that's just how EDM will be treated there, it's an exciting time right now.

3. If you had to compare your style to one big-name producer, who would it be and why?

Wow, that is a tough question. If I could perform alongside anyone it would be Axwell, we have the same appreciation for music. I have influences from many producers so it is hard to name just one. I like to think I'm on the cutting edge with progressive and big-room house, there are definitely trends with sounds, what's new and what's next, I like to deliver that. I can say that Daft Punk are my musical heroes and I'm very excited for their return.

4. If you could play one festival in the world, which would it be?

Ultra Music Festival. Taking part in one of the biggest and best festivals, which happens during Miami Music Week...you can't ask for more. Laidback Luke & Alvaro dropped my new remix (http://www.beatport.com/track/this-is-it-feat-corey-chorus-andy-callister-remix/4260851) during Ultra/MMW '13, and that was awesome. Hopefully next year I will be on stage to play for everyone, all my new tunes.

5. What can fans look forward to from you in the upcoming months?