When we say Sam Feldt, you can already imagine that warm and intimate tropical house sound. Platinum-selling artist, Dutch Dj and producer, Sam has been on a roll with new sustainable development projects and releases. His latest 3-track `Home sweet home`EP was meant as a helping hand through these trying times. Besides his musical creations, in 2020 Sam Feldt launched his own record label named Hearthfeldt Records, his radio show, the fan platform, Fangage, and many more. With so much to discuss, we talked to Sam about his recent achievements and future plans.
1. Hello Sam, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. How are you doing?
Thanks for having me! Doing great, working hard on new music for 2021 as well as preparing the release of my upcoming single early next year. I’ve also just launched a new project called Fangage.com, which is a start-up that allows anyone to easily start their own fan platform.
2. That`s great! Also, congratulations on your latest 3-track `Home sweet home` EP. `Everything about you,`The Best Days` and the title track `Home sweet home` illustrate those sentiments that have been going around the year. Could you tell us more about the story and the creative process behind these tracks?
`Think of it a little bit as a Christmas present to my fans, in these darker and sometimes frustrating days`
Sure! To be honest, the writing process behind all of the tracks got started before the first lockdown even happened so it’s not like they were specifically written for the current situation. However, I thought this would be the perfect time to release them because they share a sentiment everybody can relate to at the moment. Think of it a little bit as a Christmas present to my fans, in these darker and sometimes frustrating days.
3. For the track `Home sweet home` you have collaborated with the finish singer-songwriter, ALMA and Digital Farm Animals, a British Multi-Platinum producer. How did the collaboration come about?
My publisher, Dom at Kobalt sent me a first idea for the song a long time ago already, and I immediately loved it. I always wanted to do something with Alma, as I am a big fan of her voice and her past releases. I felt like the lyrics of the song were unique and they resonated with me especially because at that time I was still touring heavily and was often feeling homesick.
I think me and Digital Farm Animals were able to take Alma’s voice to the next level by adding a subtle, breezy production to it that features emotional breakdowns and a feelgood drop part – making it the ultimate soundtrack for people returning home (or staying home) for the holidays.
4. A few days ago, you released the official music video for `Everything About you`, which was filmed with P<3LLY in Berlin. How hard was it to create the video with all the restrictions imposed by that current situation?
As you can see from the video, we had to keep it very minimalistic because of the COVID restrictions. Groups are not allowed to gather and a lot of the city is closed at the moment, but that didn’t stop us from filming an awesome music video together with the amazing P<3LLY.
5. Also, this year you have done 2 live shows, with full respect for health and safety measures. How did it feel playing again a real-life show, instead of a digital one?
For me it was kind of a double feeling – while I loved being on stage again and applaud the organizers for putting something together in challenging times, I missed the energy of a crowd that could actually dance and interact with each other. It’s called dance music for a reason, and I can’t wait for things to get back to normal again to feel that dance floor energy once more.
6. Talking about the digital shows, recently you`ve hosted your own digital festival organized by your Heartfeldt foundation, whose core mission is to promote environmental sustainability projects all around the globe. Do you have plans to create other events like this?
As of now, I haven’t planned any other digital events because I hope in the next months or so things will start to open up again slowly. Digital events are great, but simply cannot compete with “the real thing”. Having said that, I believe we threw an awesome digital event during Amsterdam Dance Event this year called This Is Heartfeldt. All proceeds went to the Heartfeldt Foundation and I loved the fact that we were able to incorporate both a musical and a conference element – just like the real ADE.
7. Over the years, the Hearthfeldt foundation has been hosting a Co2 and neutral party, launched a 100% eco-friendly phone case, organized a Beach Clean Up and raised awareness about environmental issues by taking many initiatives. What are your goals and future plans regarding the Hearthfeldt foundation?
We’re doing a lot of stuff. Of course, we are going to continue throwing events like you mentioned to raise money and awareness, but we are also building a Heartfeldt Forest and education center in The Netherlands for example.
1% of all royalties of my record label get donated to the foundation too, so you can help the world become a little bit greener just by listening to our music. Obviously, a lot of our real-life activations will depend on how the world opens up next year, but we are definitely planning a lot of fun stuff so stay tuned.
Heartfeldt Foundation – Take care of your planet
8. Moreover, you launched a platform for artists and their fans, named Fangage. Can you tell our readers more information about this fan platform?
Sure, I launched it out of personal frustration. I saw I had over a million followers on social media, but I couldn’t reach them because of changing algorithms. I now had to pay Mark Zuckerberg in order to reach my own followers, which I thought was insane. That’s why I launched Fangage. With Fangage, everyone can easily start their own fan platform. Fans can sign up to your platform to unlock exclusive content and experience, and in exchange you get their data. This way artists, influencers and brands have a way to stay in touch with fans directly – and fans benefit from accessing content they love. A win-win if you ask me!
Fangage – Start your fan platform
9. On a different topic, this year many people have experienced anxiety, depression and other mental health problems associated with Covid-19. How do you keep your motivation up during these challenging times?
Luckily, with all my projects and businesses I can easily keep myself busy and distracted. I miss touring and playing shows of course, but I also try to see the positive side of things. I’m sleeping and eating better, and feel great!
10. What are the biggest lessons you have learned this year and what are you looking forward to in 2021?
One thing I learned that came as a shock to me was the impact 6 years of touring heavily had had on my body. My blood levels were off and I was suffering from a herniated disk in my lower back. I had never noticed because I was too busy flying from one show to another.
Having some time to decompress showed me that living the lifestyle I lived was not healthy at all and there were serious consequences. So, while I can’t wait to start touring and playing shows again in 2021, I am looking forward to doing so in a more sustainable way.
11. To end this interview on a high note, we found out that one of your biggest hobbies is food. We are curious to know… what is your favorite food and the best wine you’ve ever tried?
My favorite food is a great truffle pasta, accompanied with a bottle from Vega Sicilia.
-Favorite session-
What`s your….
Favorite game > Fifa 21
Favorite city > Amsterdam
Favorite season > Summer
Favorite festival > Coachella
Thank you for your time and we can’t wait to see you back on tour!
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Photo credits- https://www.instagram.com/samfeldtmusic/
