Hello Matt, how are you? We are glad to have you here.
Amazing! Thanks for having me.
Now that festivals are returning, you have one of the most exciting events called ‘Panic in LA’ coming up on Nov. 18. Can you tell us more about how the idea for your genre-bending party came together?
Essentially, we wanted to create an event that brought people together with the common love of music. We blend genres; hip hop and house, new school and old, and across multiple generations. We strategically curate our lineups to be diverse, with the hope of merging fanbases and the intention of them potentially being introduced to new musical experiences and artists.
What’s your vision for ‘Panic in LA’ and how has it been affected by the pandemic?
Panic was actually dormant for years prior to the pandemic. It’s always been a passion project of mine, so coming out of it was a bit of a renaissance for me personally.
Our first show back was in August, a once in a lifetime pairing of two legends, Rakim and DJ Jazzy Jeff, performing on stage together for the first time ever.
We plan on doing quarterly shows in Los Angeles for the next year, before we branch out to other cities around the world; Panic in N.Y., Panic in Paris, etc.
‘Panic in LA’ has hosted incredible talent with next-level light and sound for a memorable experience. Can you share some insight into what goes on behind the scenes of organizing such memorable events?
The lineup curation is always so much fun. We always start with locking in a rap legend [DJ Premier, Raekwon]. From there we look to add something different, like turntablists [Mix Master Mike, Craze] or house DJs [Thee Mike B, DJ Sneak]. To capture a younger audience we also bring on board cutting edge, trending artists [Sango, Pomo]. So far, everyone who we have booked has believed in our vision, so it’s made creating our lineup relatively quick and easy.
Your company ORLOVE is renowned for organizing some of the most sought-after parties with names such as Rakim, Raekwon, Sango, and many more. Can you tell us more about yourself and your story behind getting started in the music industry organizing events?
My background is in sales, marketing, and production. Before I founded ORLOVE, I worked in NYC for a nationally recognized events company, and quickly realized how much I enjoyed throwing large scaled parties.
When I started ORLOVE in 2014 I had very few industry contacts, but I had a passion for music and an intense drive to start my own business. Although it took some time, we’ve been able to grow our business to over 250+ events a year, in over 30 cities across the U.S.
What are your words of advice for someone who wants to achieve things in the industry as an artist or as an entrepreneur?
To be successful in anything you need to be passionate about your work, as well as dedicated and disciplined. If you love something, take that first step and the rest should follow.
The key is to just go for it and figure the rest out along the way.
How would you say the dynamics of the LA music scene has evolved in the past 5 years and how do you think it compares to the other major cities in the US?
L.A. is a cultural hub, so it’s a great place for musicians and artists to connect and expand on their music. We’re also living in the age of the Internet and new talent is coming from everywhere.
There are more tools now than ever before to create, publish and distribute your content globally, while also simultaneously building your own community online. This means more “digitally savvy” artists have been able to jump start their careers in much less time and at scale.
Tell us about the Surround DJs, they seems to be making huge waves?
Surround is Heidi Lawden, Jeniluv, and Masha, individually all incredible DJs and event producers, in their own right.
With Panic in L.A., it’s important to us that on each lineup we include some of our hometown peers and artists, so having the three of them believe in our mission means the world.
I understand you often run events simultaneously, how does that blueprint work for the brand?
In short, we’re diverse… we’re able to execute multiple parties at the same time and be successful at it because they’re not direct competition. Additionally, they serve multiple fanbases, but also grow our greater community.
In general, because this has been our blueprint from the start, we’ve been able to create a cross-cultural audience at any one of our given events.
What’s been a special moment you’ve had in your career directing these amazing parties?
We believe in everything we do, so anytime our people and artists have an amazing experience is special to me.
The fact that I get to wake up every morning and do something I love is such a gift. There is so much more work to be done, but it’s nice knowing that I now have more freedom to create my vision.
What are your plans for the upcoming future?
In regards to Panic in L.A., we’re working to expand the brand globally. Again, this goes back to the people… we want to promote diversity by bringing individuals together by way of music.
This is all for now, thank you for being here and answering our questions.
