In The Big League: QUANDO Has Begun His Climb Up The Global EDM Empire
QUANDO has already achieved what most EDM producers dream of (Credit: Courtesy of QUANDO)
Can the ripples from a tiny dot like Singapore extend to the ocean of the global music milieu? Nullifying the naysaying doubts of many is the astonishing upward surge of QUANDO, who has – in the nascent stage of his career – already earned signings from some of the biggest labels in the EDM community. Achieving what many would deem a pipe dream, QUANDO hit the big league when his anthemic number, “Know Us”, landed a release with Revealed Recordings, the juggernaut owned by the one and only Hardwell. With its quaking drops, iridescent hooks and mighty vocal delivery courtesy of Robbie Rosen, the massive track opened doors for the local high-flier who continues to soar through the upper echelons of the industry.
On home soil, the multi-dabbling business student has earned his stripes. As a commercial DJ, QUANDO has helmed the decks at venues like Empire, Get Juiced and Lady Wu where he holds the fort as its resident selector. The trained turntablist also handles music curation for the Tipsy Collective – an F&B group with numerous outlets – and represents The DJ Collective as one of its members. His attachment to the emotional architecture of dance music and astute grasp on trends in the industry eventually formed the impetus for him to craft his own tracks, and he hasn’t left the realm of production ever since.
His mega sound has been picked up on the radar of major labels (Credit: Courtesy of QUANDO)
Built with brawn and magnitude in mind, QUANDO’s compositions bump up like a tightly-wound Jack-in-the-Box, releasing a tension suited to the energy-craving preferences of EDM junkies. Like the umbrella of genres it entails, his repertoire is a sweeping exhibition, channelling big room oomph, almighty trance melodies, and even the jittery rhythms of tech-house. It’s a vision that’s simply too big to stay unnoticed in this little city, and with enough perseverance, QUANDO has managed to win the attention of not just Hardwell, but other empire bigwigs including Thomas Gold and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. It all signifies more than just a victory for this ambitious individual, but a milestone for the local EDM scene that shouldn’t be overlooked.
QUANDO reveals how it all began to click into place in this interview, his perspectives on Singapore’s music climate, and how you get a superstar DJ to notice you. It’s time you get to know QUANDO.
QUANDO’s music journey began in 2018 (Credit: Courtesy of QUANDO)
Hello QUANDO. How did you first get into DJ-ing? Was it a school or mentor that taught you the ropes?
I first got into DJ-ing after I came back from Europe. I was greatly inspired after being exposed to many different sounds in clubs and festivals all across Europe. When I came back, I wanted to try my hand at DJ-ing which is how I met my mentor, DJ Mad Jester (second runner-up of the Red Bull 3style competition) who taught me turntablism as well as the ins and outs of the local industry. Huge shout-out to him for guiding me on this path since day one. I’m really thankful to have him at my corner.
And what about production? What made you go down that path?
Initially, I was playing at bars and smaller clubs in Singapore showcasing other producers’ music. I felt that, in order for me to take this passion to the next level, I needed to start making my own music and showcase my own sound; thus, leading me on this production journey.
Your sound features significant elements from big room house, trance and tech-house. Are these all genres that’ve influenced you personally?
Yes, all these genres have influenced the way I listen to music as well as how I approach my productions. I always try to test myself and try out different things. When I’m working on an idea, I don’t really think what genre it’s going to be in, but more on what I can do with the track creatively. I wouldn’t want to restrict my productions to one genre. The end goal of my productions would be to take the audience on a journey where we can enjoy sounds such as big room, trance, progressive house, tech-house and bass house all in one set; exposing them to both old and new sounds.
Then, what would you say is the QUANDO signature that ties all these altogether?
I would say that the QUANDO signature sound is all about versatility. For me, my main goal would be to introduce new sounds to my audience to keep my music interesting, so my fans would not know what to expect on my next track. Should I make just one genre, I feel that it would narrow my fans specifically to just that genre. I would love to make music where we all can enjoy a spectrum of genres.
“When I’m working on an idea, I don’t really think what genre it’s going to be in, but more on what I can do with the track creatively.” (Credit: Courtesy of QUANDO)
Let’s go into studio talk. Could you share some favourite production quirks of yours?
The program I use for making my tracks is Ableton, which I find much easier compared to the other DAWs. Usually when I start a track, I work on melodies or chord progression ideas first. I would start off with a bright piano with some reverb on it. In my opinion, both these elements are the most important as they act as a hook in the track. After coming up with melodies and chord progressions, it’s all about finding the right elements and combining them in the track.
For plug-ins, here are some I use on my tracks:
Organic sounds (strings, keys and guitars): Kontakt or Nexus.
Synths: Spire, Sylenth 1, Serum and Diva
Sidechain: Shaperbox and LFO Tool
Reverb: Valhalla
Bass: Massive
EQ: Fabfilter Pro Q3
And for mixing, I am currently using V-Moda headphones.
“To have that achievement is definitely one of the highlights of my career, especially getting support by Hardwell himself on the track.” (Credit: Courtesy of QUANDO)
The first time I caught wind of you was when you had “Know Us” signed to Hardwell’s Revealed Recordings. How does one even land a dream signing like that, all the way from a small dot like Singapore?
Well, I would say it takes a lot of determination to get signed by Revealed, as they receive thousands of demos a month. Only a few demos can get signed on their label which I am very thankful to be part of. Truth be told, I got rejected many times before releasing “Know Us” on Revealed. To have that achievement is definitely one of the highlights of my career, especially getting support by Hardwell himself on the track.
Did your momentum swing upwards after that signing?
Yes of course. Signing with labels such as Revealed, Fanfare, Gen Smash and many more have opened my music up to a larger fanbase spread all across the world. Signing with labels also opened many doors for collaborations with many international producers who are also signed to the label.
“I would say that the QUANDO signature sound is all about versatility.” (Credit: Courtesy of QUANDO)
Being involved with the more mainstream side of dance music culture in Singapore, can you share some personal perspectives of the local commercial clubscape, or experiences from your past residencies?
The good thing about Singapore’s local commercial clubscape is its diversity. There are so many clubs in Singapore which offer a variety of different sounds. Being an open-format DJ, you need to have a big enough library of tracks in order to adapt to the venue. For example, if you play in clubs like Cherry, your Top 40 and hip-hop libraries have to be very strong because the partygoers visit that venue expecting to listen to that genre of music. There has also been a big rise in hard dance and bass music in Singapore. Many clubs such as WAN are supporting these sounds. There is also a strong community of local producers who actually focus on pushing out this sound.
You’re a resident DJ and music selector for the Tipsy Collective. Does that mean music is a full-time career for you?
Currently, I’m completing my degree in International Business in RMIT University. Tipsy Collective is an F&B group with six outlets spread all across Singapore. Before the pandemic, my jobscope was to DJ at one of their outlets, Lady Wu, which is a bar in Boat Quay. Mainly I would play hip-hop, r&b, Top 40s, house and sometimes EDM at that venue. Other than being a DJ, I also assist in the Spotify Curation in all their outlets.
“In my opinion, I feel that EDM music is like a cycle where it comes and goes.” (Credit: Courtesy of QUANDO)
Do you find time to explore the underground scene here?
I’ve been to several venues such as Headquarters and Tuff Club to check out the underground scene. I can say that I really enjoyed my time at those clubs as the sounds they showcase really break out of the norm of the local clubs in Singapore which is very refreshing to hear. Though I haven’t tried it out, I’ve also heard that Singapore’s underground scene has been very creative in hosting their parties, such as The Council holding underground raves at the Tuck Lee Ice Factory. Would love to visit one of these events once the pandemic is over.
What are your thoughts about the whole EDM phenomenon? And do you feel it influences the way you approach your work, whether you’re producing or DJ-ing?
In my opinion, I feel that EDM music is like a cycle where it comes and goes. Though it consists of different sub-genres, every genre will have its spotlight and gradually fade off. With time, different EDM sub-genres will all have opportunities to make a comeback. One good example would be big room, which I predict will make a very strong comeback in 2021 or 2022. Many big producers are coming back to that sound which is good for emerging big room producers. For me, I’m only currently focused on making dance music. Even new collaborations or projects that I’m taking on would have to be in the realm of dance music for me to get excited.
And to end off, can you share what you’ve got planned for the year ahead?
For 2021, I hope to release as many quality tracks as possible in conjunction with building my own brand, QUANDO. My team and I are also working to start a bi-weekly dance music radio show called Kronos Radio, with the aim of bringing the freshest tunes to Asian markets as well as showcasing talents all across the world.
(Credit: Courtesy of QUANDO)
