Mosimann – Studio Life, Touring & Dream Track Series

Funktasy Magazine Exclusive Interview presents our one-on-one sit-down with Mosimann, a Swiss DJ who was taken the world by storm with his innovative Dream Track series. We sat down to discuss all things from the inspiration behind his Dream Track project, his new single ‘Halo’ and his creatives processes in the studio.

Sasha, do you want to get started? Yeah, shall we get rolling? Yeah, it’s going.
Okay. So, today we’re sitting down for a fantasy exclusive with Mazaman, the creator
of the viral Dreamtrak series, and the mind behind the new single Halo with Trips.
So, Dreamtrak has become a viral series. What sparked the idea of challenging guests
to describe their dream song and turning those descriptions into real tracks on
camera? You know what? I had no idea.
They are in, there’s like a few of them in New York. There’s a few of them in
France. And they just talk with people. Oh, yeah. And they take a picture with you.
And you stay until the end and you see the picture. And there is like an exchange.
There is something cool, like a cool vibe. And it’s super short. And I was like
thinking about it and was like, okay, I should try to do something like that with
music. And so I decided to talk with people, you know, and start asking them if
they could snap their fingers and release their only ultimate dream track, how would
it be? And at some point, I ended up with Rita Aura,
with Hugh Jackman, with Ariana Grande, and it became,
it became like, super cool to do. And it’s always different, you know it’s never
the same people are always very interested to do some new stuff and and and i mean
as you said it became viral but like i’m i’m the first to be impressed you know
like i don’t sometimes i don’t believe it yeah i mean that’s a very unique concept
so thank you why it became such a viral sensation basically but yeah that’s awesome
you know what i wish I wish I could do more DJs. Yeah, I’d be super happy because
I realized that I do a lot of actors. And I did,
I think I only, I did Bob Sinclair. And I will release soon the one with Yugele,
a friend of mine, we’re together in Ibiza. But that’s it. So if you guys have any
idea, and also for the people who’s watching, I’d be super happy. give me some
material yeah definitely you’ll definitely take you up on that please for sure also
question so what surprised you the most about people’s dream songs usually is it
like always kind of like recurring themes or does everybody think about music
completely differently in your opinion
Well, the funny thing is sometimes I interview people who are absolutely not related
to the music industry or whatever. So I don’t know. I’m trying to figure it out an
example, but I shot, like I did a video with you, Jackman. It’s not out yet,
like a few days ago. And he told me, oh, I love your concept. It’s fun. But,
you know, you know, he kind of told me that he was a recent singer and I was
like, nah, come on. I saw you, I saw you on the greatest showman,
you know, like the movie and he was like singing like a god to me, you know? And
he said, no, but, and he tried to trick me. I would say,
that’s the second thing I was going to tell you because, For example, Bob Sinclair,
he really wanted to set me up, you know. He wanted me to not achieve my goal,
which was releasing his dreamtrak. You can see it. I mean, it’s in French for you
guys, but he really wants me to not achieve the mission,
you know? And I have the feeling that the more people asking me not to be easy on
the process, the more it works, which is sometimes complicated for me, you know?
It’s complicated, but it becomes more creative this way. Yes, I guess. But in a
good way. I guess. Okay. Awesome. So let’s get then,
since we’ve talked about the Dreamtrak series, let’s talk about Halo specifically.
What made you feel like this would become common official release, why was this for
you the right one to launch musically for the public to enjoy as a track? That’s a
good question because how can I say that? I was trying,
no, I start over, sorry.
With all the dream tracks that I released, all the time people are asking in the
comments, can we listen to the full version? Can we go on Spotify and listen to
the full version? I’m always like, you know, for those who doesn’t really understand
the music, I can’t do whatever I want. I can just post a video online on Instagram
and TikTok and YouTube. That’s fine. But I can’t have the rights to release a song
with the voice of Michael Jackson and anything they want you know so I started to
think at some point that’d be nice if I take that idea and I do a dream track on
each countries that I love so I started to think okay now in Poland I have this
track called underneath the blue that’s everywhere on the radio so I just went there
I went to Warsaw, and I decided to meet radio owner,
labels, and I said, okay, guys, I want to do a dream track with one Polish artist.
Do you have an idea? Everybody told me trips. You got to meet trips, trips, trips.
I met the guy, and I told him, okay, it’s going to be a bit different. We’re
going to do your dream track, but it has to be not with something that people
knows so you have to be more creative you have to be more crazy in a way so
that’s why he started the video by sending me something with the airdrop sound you
know and he said okay put the drop sound i was like are you sure yes so the drop
of this one is like a very very far from the original hair drop sound you know
but still it’s an inspiration and He told me because Chopin is a French and Polish
composer, very famous composer. It was perfect, like the perfect match.
And he told me, yeah, you should try to sample this guy because he’s from the 30s,
I assume, even less. I don’t know. I’m bad at it. But you see, it was your
rights. It was easy to clear. I said, okay, let’s go. Let’s do that. And now I’m
looking for artists in Germany, in Toronto I just want to go there I just want to
meet people and I just want to release dreamtry. Wow. And of course make an album
out of it. Oh wow. That’s incredible. Do you have any potential collaborators for
other countries that already thought about? Yes. Actually for Germany I’m talking with
Avayon because I’m a big fan. For the U .S., I’m talking with Dylan Francis.
You know, I’m just super easy to, I mean, just send me some names.
I’d be super happy. I’m down. We’ll try and get involved too. Let it happen.
Please, I want to come to Toronto. I need an excuse to come to Toronto, Sasha. So,
yes, please.
I just want to quickly also, if we could dive into the production of Halo a bit,
what was that moment that you felt, okay, this is, Halo is going to stand out
compared to all the rest? What is your favorite production technique that you used
that you felt was something that you really wanted to show to the world? I’m super,
super excited and happy to share the way I produce. And I think, like,
You know, we…
Sorry about the sound. I don’t know if you heard it. I don’t hear anything. Oh,
no, we’re good.
We’re always looking for new plugins, new technique, new stuff. And sometimes we
forget that we have already a lot on our system. And there’s a plugin that I use
a lot at the moment, called Transgate. And if you go, I’m going to give you
exactly, it’s from kilohertz. It’s a very small plugin, Transgate, and if you go on
the details on the preset, it gives you always such a big power.
And I think I used this one on Halo a lot. And if I’m being totally honest,
the melody that created tribs. A -l -long the floor,
she’s moving like I’ve ever seen before. That was a really cool melody,
you know. He came with it and I was like, yes, let’s do this. So he was also
creative and also very into the process. Wow. That sounds very inspirational.
Yeah, that’s amazing. But speaking more about your creative process, I know your fans
love watching you build a song in real time, but when the camera is rolling, what’s
your usual starting point? Is a melody, rhythm, or is something more intuitive?
Because it does get challenging, right?
Hello?
I know your fans love watching you build a song in real time. But when the camera
is rolling, what’s your usual starting point? Is it melody, rhythm, or something more
intuitive for you? Because it does get challenging, right? So I’m just curious how
your mind works in that sense. Well, it might be the most difficult question for me
now.
I would say, you know what? I would say it’s always different. There is always a
new way to do it. Sometimes I’m really not inspired, so I just go on splice and I
just play with some samples. Sometimes I just play keyboard here in the studio.
Sometimes it’s a memo that I have. Sometimes it’s a collaboration with someone who
gives me a melody. It’s always different. It depends also on the mood, on the vibe.
For example, every Thursday I release a remix free. I just put this remix on
SoundCloud on Hypedit. And we just, I mean, I just share it.
Most of the time, it’s more or less club,
like bass house, steakhouse. So now I know probably tonight,
French time, I would produce online on Twitch the I want to do of Bergen
the Rosalia song I will try I know there was a lot there was a lot of remix and
I have the feeling that most of the remits that went out and viral they are techno
and art tech you know I didn’t really find a Clooney night funk a cool version of
it So I’m not saying I will do it. I’m saying I will try.
That’s a good approach. Thanks. So do you feel a lot of pressure creating something
so quickly on camera? Or do you find that like this kind of spontaneity actually
fuels your best ideas? For many years, I felt the pressure Because I knew I needed
to have music, more music, a lot of music to be on tour, to be sharing,
like only sharing under the decks, you know? And I remember having this discussion
with one of my favorite producer ever, Tony Romero. He’s a French producer.
He’s amazing. And I saw the way he was working in his studio and I was like bro
your your program your interface is is a bit messy you know and he told me oh
fuck that like the most important is the results and I was like oh yes I mean do
you have another advice and he told me yeah you know what stop asking yourself too
many questions I was like it might be cheesy. It might be a bit cliche,
like, for an advice, you know, just like don’t ask yourself too many questions.
Okay, might be. But when it comes from the right person, because I’m a big fan
from this artist, it’s for me the most creative and the most talented French
producer at the moment. When it told me that, I was like, you know what? I’ll try.
And I try to not go too deep on the process, not go too deep on on
maybe for the young generation, I’m like, hey, guys, I’m not, I’m not there yet.
I’m still, like, trying to do my stuff. But if I had only one advice, I would
say, just do without asking you too many questions. This is like the best advice
I’ve received. No, I agree. Overthinking is real. I think for a lot of us,
and the more creative and talent that you are, actually, the more you struggle with
it. So I think I think that’s good advice, yeah. I totally forgot the world
overthinking because of you, now I have it. Yeah, I only remember it because I do
it every day. You ought to do it.
But on that note, what I wanted to also ask about was if you had specific habits
or rituals that keep you grounded in that space of creativity, something that you
just, like not a mantra and I say, but just a ritual that you go by that can
always keep you in that zone to produce creatively.
I would say,
like,
I’m not sure if it’s the good word, but regularity, what do you say, regularity,
regularity, regularity. Okay,
I would say regular. I would say regular.
we’re overthinking again yeah this is the overthinking you know what I’m on I’m on
a white night I was watching the whole day okay regular regularity regularity
regularity yes
okay I would say Um, regularity.
Bro, I’m too tired to say regularity.
Regularity. It’s the L.
Regularity.
That segment can be in French, guys. I’ll allow it. Okay. What’s your first
language, Sasha? Russian. Russian. And you speak English that way? Yeah.
Thank you. Wow. Okay.
No. Like, for me, the key as a producer is to to keep working all the time.
But, you know, like I have kind of every, like, every Monday there is something.
Every Thursday, there is a remix every monday there is a dream track every saturday
sunday i’ll be online on instagram and ticot posting new drop new stuff so the
regularity is the key for me like i’m trying my best to be always even if it’s
not crazy i know on monday thursday uh saturday and sunday i will post something
because sometimes the the algorithm knows you. Like, it knows so much.
Absolutely. There’s also one thing on regularity also. I have a friend of mine who
also produces, obviously not the same scale as you, but something he told me was
when he produces tracks and composes tracks, he likes finishing every single track
that he starts so that he can, instead of just starting something and then just
leaving it off in his files and never visiting and he finishes the track so he
gets into that regularity of finishing and producing a track so that when that one
track comes up that you really want to let shine then you’re already in that flow
of everything so I think that also works well with the regularity that you go by I
can tell you your friend is someone really cool first And I also can tell you that
this is one of my biggest problem. I start so many.
You know what? It’s exactly the same in love. Starting but never finishing. It’s
always like you go on a date and you don’t know and you go another date and you
don’t know. I don’t know how is it for you guys. But the way I produce, it’s
exactly the same. I start a project and I have like 300 projects on the way and I
didn’t finish any of it and my manager is like coming every every two hours like
did you finish this track and I’m like you know there’s this new sound from Fred
again I would be inspired of it and oh my god finishing a song is a mess for me
yeah yeah for my friend also I’ve also another friend that they’re like completely
opposed in that sense he also starts loads of things and then he doesn’t finish
them but um i mean everyone has their own system that works yes i guess so exactly
i’m the same i get that ah you know you’re an artist as well sasha sometimes when
i’m particularly sad
she’s more in like rock gothic rock dark wave
exactly um But I think Fred again and you, Mosimand, that would be a nice collab
too. I dream of it. That would be actually… He’s the goat for me now at the
moment. Like with his like streams and everything. It’s,
yes, absolutely. And he’s like,
how can I say that? He’s aligned. He’s like, for me, the most aligned artist that
I know. He knows exactly what he wants. With this massive success or not,
I have a feeling that I will do exactly the same way, you know? No,
I agree. I agree. But speaking of success, I mean, your dream tour of 2026 is
already making noise. You sold out Zenith, Paris Arena in 24 hours. Is that true?
That’s true. It’s crazy. I mean, I don’t believe it. It’s a good day too.
That’s amazing. Crazy. Yeah. Like the success with this tour is, I don’t understand.
I’m super, super happy. And I see people, they, they, you know, like the fact that
someone is buying a ticket to see one of my show, it means a lot to me really
it’s like one of the most important thing you could do to support an artist you
can leave a comment that’s already something but coming to the show being there this
is this is the ultimate stuff for me and um i’ll be i’ll be playing in london
barcelona uh frankfort yeah but Not Russia and not Toronto yet.
Russia, you would have to move at least for it in Europe, but I’ll come to Europe.
She’ll come to Paris. I’ll have to see in Europe, but you have to make a… Oh,
you guys want to come to Paris. Please, come to Paris. I’d be super happy to
invite you. Yeah, for sure. That would be incredible. And just as a final question,
is there anything in particular that your fans should expect from this show? Is
there something new that you want to present them? Or is there, what are you
excited about the most to show your fans? I’m excited to start from scratch.
Because what is, like, the most exciting thing for me as a DJ is to start a DJ
set without knowing where I go. I love that. You know, it depends on the time I’m
playing. It depends on the city, on the country. I don’t know. I love to just put
my intro, being there. Maybe the DJ before, it was like playing Arctic or whatever,
so I’m going to go start slowly again. That’s what I love. On this show,
it’s different. There is 16 people working on that show live with the life,
with the ethics. So I have to work in advance.
playing like to keep the interactivity with the audience there you know yeah that’s
exactly you will succeed you’re more than try thank you thank you um i think sasha
is there anything else that you would like to ask muslin um no i think we’re
mostly good like “Non, je veux vraiment voir votre show de vie.” C ‘est vraiment
incroyable. Je suis mort, je suis mort, c ‘est vrai. Et juste pour finir l
‘interview, juste si t ‘as un message pour les fans français sur le Channel Fantasy,
il y a quelque chose que tu veux dire en particulier à tes fans français ? Les
fans français, c ‘est les premiers, j ‘ai envie de dire c ‘est les meilleurs.
C ‘est le début, c ‘est de là que tout part et je suis hyper reconnaissant parce
que parce que ça fait, tu sais, j ‘ai entendu cette phrase aujourd ‘hui qui dit qu
‘il faut il faut 15 ans pour réussir du jour au lendemain. J ‘ai l ‘impression que
ces 15 dernières années, les gens étaient là et les gens en question,
c ‘était les Français qui m ‘ont sauté dans les clubs, dans les plus gros clubs, qui
aujourd ‘hui se tiennent pour venir me voir dans les ennites.
Franchement, ça me fait choqueur, je trouve ça fou moi. Ouais, c ‘est incroyable.
Aussi même si t ‘as commencé sur Star Academy, Bill Whitt, ça a commencé en France.
Moi, j ‘ai regardé Star Academy, mais je voudrais, ouais, parce que j ‘étais là, mes
parents, regardaient sur TF1, mais je n ‘ai pas appliqué, genre que c ‘était toi. Les
gens, ils ne sont pas captés, ils ne savent pas, c ‘est
Mais ça me va, moi j ‘avais adoré faire ce show mais c ‘est vrai que ça avait
tellement rien à voir avec ce que je fais aujourd ‘hui que je crois que les gens
se mettent là. Moi, mais c ‘est le début surtout. Mais going back to England.
Sorry, sorry. I told you I understood everything. You understood everything, Sasha.
But yeah, if Sasha you don’t have anything else? No, I just wanted to say thanks,
Mosaman, for this fun. Thank you. We can’t wait to see you live. Hopefully we’re
going to all those shows with Johan. It was really a pleasure to be with you guys.
It was a real pleasure to meet you too. And we wish you the greatest of success
for everything you do. And we hope to see you soon. Yes, anytime. Great chat.