Tiesto interview: 'Simon Cowell not capable of finding next Huge DJ'

Now 18 years into his career, the DJ is still riding the wave of success, performing in some of the world's most prestigious venues. With his new single 'We Own the Night' currently scaling the charts, Digital Spy caught up with the star to find out the secret of his enduring popularity.

Hello Tiesto! What are you up to this evening?
"I'm just eating some soup, but I'm gigging tonight at the LG Arena in Birmingham."

That's a massive venue. Do you prefer playing to larger crowds?
"I love big venues. I like smaller ones too, but it's been a while since I've played in England so it's nice to do a big one."

How do you find your British fans?
"I love them. They are always very educated when it comes to dance music and they love my music, so it's a win-win situation."

You recently polled at number three on DJ Magazine's Top 100 popularity poll this year after 18 years in the business. What's the secret to remaining so popular?
"I don't know what the secret is, but I just do my thing. I didn't even promote myself during the voting for that poll, so it's an honor that people appreciate my music. I think the secret is that fans know I'm real and see that I'm in the music business for the right reasons."

You finished behind David Guetta and Armin van Buuren. Are you a fan of them?
"Not necessarily a fan - I mean everyone has their own style of music and I would never play the same music that David Guetta or Armin does. I think my taste is more in the direction of Afrojack and Swedish House Mafia."

What do you make of Avicii and Calvin Harris?
"I love those guys - Calvin Harris is amazing. He's an amazing producer, an amazing DJ and an amazing person. I went on tour with Calvin and Afrojack in Australia and we get along really well."

You've teamed up with Skoda to play a string of intimate shows across Europe this summer - can we expect you to perform on top of one of the cars as well?
"I actually did that a couple of weeks ago! They supplied a custom-made Skoda which opened up and speakers came out. It was like being a part of Transformers. It was really cool! The car is nice and I only like endorsements that are organically fitting."

Simon Cowell is currently putting together a new reality show to find the world's next great DJ. Would you consider being a judge?
"Yeah, I would actually. Only if we could do it in the way I like it. I would make sure a DJ would look good and I'm not sure if Simon's capable to do that. He's done an amazing job on Idol and all those shows, but for a DJ to look good on television in three to five minutes isn't easy. DJs need hours, so I can't get my head around how it would look on television.

So you don't think it's a good idea?
"If we could find a way to make it work, it will be a really cool show. Most of the time - at the Grammys for example - a DJ will perform with just their hands in the air because they can't do anything and that makes it a little awkward, I think."

What kind of judge would you be?
"I would be very honest. I would never slaughter somebody because that's unnecessary, but I'd be critical in a positive way."

© ITV

What qualities make for a world-class DJ?
"They have to make great music and be a great producer. They have to know how to rock a crowd and have charisma and passion."

You recently released Club Life vol 2, but when can we expect your next full record?
"I'm not sure. Because the Club Life collections are so successful, I think I'm actually going to stick with them for now. I have so many tracks lying around and so I'm going to see later in the year whether I want to do another studio album or a mix compilation."

Just like older generations remain fond of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, do you think in a few decades' time today's youth will still love dance music into their retirement?
"No, I think it will be different. The old people 30 years from now will still love the older songs they recognize, but dance music is so young and consumerist that after a few months you get tired of it. Even if you hear it a couple of years later you're like, 'Hmmm, I'm not sure'. I always like to listen to new music and I don't really like to listen to old tracks."

At what age do you think your passion for dance music will mellow, if ever?
"Yeah, that's a good question! So far, not so much. I love dance music and I love to perform still. I actually love it more than ever before because I don't have any pressure anymore. I have everything that I want and so I now do it for the love of music. I enjoy gigs and knowing that people still love my music after all these years."bylewiscorner