In an interview with MTV, Steve Angello has opened up a good deal about the creation of his epic new album. He has even gone on to discuss the possibility of working with Justin Bieber, or lack thereof, as they both reside on the same management under Scooter Braun.
When discussing the process it took to create Wild Youth, Angello appears nostalgic as he thinks about the 3 and a half year period.
“I started three and a half years ago. I started it because I wanted to write something that had a meaning and I wanted to tell a story. I think a lot of music today is not really storytelling. A lot of people are just working with songwriters and producers and they get delivered something based upon a request from a record label and some input from the artist. So for me it’s really important to start from scratch. 
“I sat down with a piece of paper and thought, what’s my story? What do I wanna talk about? I think that was a different aspect for me because I’ve made songs my whole life that have just been for partying and creating a vibe on the dance floor. But now, I actually wanted to do a real artist album that I felt that this is something special, not only for me but for the people around me. I can have people take part in this, and explain and tell something and they will actually get it.
“The process has been really hard, I thought I was done a year and a half ago but I listened back to the album and it was too similar to the stuff that I’d done previously so I scrapped pretty much half of the album and started over. It’s been really long but at the same time it’s been really emotional and like a self-discovery trip for me where I’ve actually figured out myself which is awesome.”
The Swedish house DJ/producer also remarked on the current state of EDM and even the controversial social media rants which certain artists partake in. He speaks boldly of taking action to change the scene rather than being vocal on issues merely for attention without taking steps to make any tangible change.
“It’s a period, we’re going through a phase, and fans are really excited about it. It’s a lot of young fans and everyone’s excited, everyone’s hyper, it is what it is.
“A lot of artists are making money just doing whatever they need to do, and I’ve created songs too…I was really happy when I saw Chemical Brothers coming in with a new album, and you see Prodigy, Faithless and Aphex Twin, who have all been a part of making dance music what it is, they’re coming back, and they’re coming back really strong and showing again why we love dance music.
“Me going on a rant on social media about dance music isn’t gonna change anything unless I do. I have that approach, I’d rather put my head down and go and work my ass off and then I can release music that has substance instead.”
And, finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for. Being a part of Scooter Braun’s management agency, the question was almost certain to come up.
So, with the acclaim Biebs’ dance-leaning Purpose has achieved, has Scooter floated the option of a collab?
The simple answer is “no.” But more complexly, it speaks to both Scooter’s integrity as a manager and Angello’s reputation as a principled artist. Check it out below.
“No, I mean, he knows I would never do that, I don’t think he would ever ask me. At the same time they appreciate the work that we put into it and they understand the craft of it, where this is a life story, this is something that I’ve been trying to tell people for my whole life and now I’ve finally got to the time where I can tell it so for them it’s equally interesting with just having something with a lot of substance than just pushing one radio record.”
Be sure to check out Steve Angello’s new album, Wild Youth, part 1 is out now and you can read our review of the 6-track story here.
Source: MTV UK
