So Close

Calvin Harris is one of dance music’s rising meteors.

Responsible for tracks like ‘Ready for The Weekend’ and ‘You Used To Hold Me’ while working with massive pop names like Rihanna, Dizzee Rascal and Kylie, Adam Richard Wiles knows how to keep the ‘Calvin Harris’ name in lights.

With an amazing arsenal of musical powers as a singer/ songwriter and instrumentalist, in today’s day and age of throwing a stone and hitting a DJ, jumping behind the decks was merely a natural progression. “I was into dance music at 14. I used to buy all my favourite house music on vinyl. And I got a Gemini XL-400 and a little mixer and I used to bedroom DJ for a while. Then I started making music – and that took over and I didn’t really give a shit about DJing for years.

“Then I had a record out and people talked about doing DJ sets. I reconsidered it. I was shit at first, learning about what it was I wanted to play. That’s how it started off for me.” It was a move that certainly agreed with him with favourable responses aplenty since his DJ debut at the 2010 Stereosonic Australia. Harris has since become a standard addition to the festival circuit.

So, what makes a great DJ? “Reading the crowd is the most important thing. Playing the right record at the right time is a pretty difficult act. Not many people can do it. That’s the most important thing: to drop the perfect tune at the right point. You know when you’ve done it. And it’s amazing.”

What is most evident, however, is that Calvin has allowed for plenty of opportunities. With as many successes under his belt are the chances that were never meant to be. From public showdowns with Katy Perry and Roisin Murphy to the songs that were cut from some records yet made it with others, it’s clear that while Harris may often speak off-the-cuff, his achievements are a result of always pushing the envelope.

“I want my music to be good. I don’t want to make shit music. I’ve always got one eye on what people like. People come to a rave and dance to music they like. So I keep an eye on what people are listening to and what they like.”

Calvin Harris plays Summafieldayze Monday January 2. summafieldayze.com