Manse is a Swedish DJ who has been honing his craft for more than eight years. Over the years, the talented artist has risen through the ranks, becoming a label favourite for Revealed and Armada along the way.
After initially garnering industry recognition for his remixes, Manse has since developed his own original music which truly defines what he represents as an artist. He has a number of hits under his belt, including ‘Freeze Time’ and ‘No Matter Where We Are’. One of his latest offerings is ‘Time of Our Lives’ featuring Jantine, an infectious offering which proves that Manse is a name to look our for.
We recently caught up with Manse to discuss music, the biggest challenges he’s faced in the industry and what the rest of 2017 has in store.
Have you always wanted a career in music? What would you be doing if you weren’t a producer?
I’ve always loved making music since the day I started, I had the dream to one day be able to make music fulltime without any extra job. And it feels amazing to be able to do this full time and to be able to pursue my dreams! I made music while I was doing different work and also while I was at university, if I wouldn’t be making music I would probably work with Real Estate in some kind.
One of your latest releases is the infectious ‘Time of Our Lives’ featuring Jantine. How did the collaboration come about?
I was in Gothenburg with my good friend Claes Funke (who also wrote my debut single on Revealed Recordings ‘Freeze Time’) and I usually go there for 5 days to spend some time with his family and in his studio and just have a good time. We started off with some of his vocals he had laying around (he is a songwriter) so from there on it was a quick process to finish it.
What was the production process like on the track?
So I got the vocal from Claes Funke, and started building the track with the breakdown, to get the emotions I wanted in the track, and then all of a sudden I had the hook for the drop written down, and from there on I usually have a quick flow to finish all the details and mixdown/master. Sometimes it takes longer depending on what kind of track it is, but ‘Time Of Our Lives’ is a fairly ‘less is more’ track, focused on the emotions rather then many elements, so it was a fun process!
What would you say has been the best time of your life so far?
Oh, so many moments in my life that I am so happy to experience when it comes to friends, family, music, manager etc. But I would say the best moment was when I had my first show in Ibiza, Ushuaia…. and my closest group of friends joined me to Ibiza and we had an amazing time together as friends do! Then I’ve experienced other amazing moments during tours around Asia, meeting amazing and loving fans who are dedicated to the feelings of music.
You’ve played on a number of incredible stages. Is there any gig/festival that remains particularly memorable for you?
Something that will always be special in my memory was when I played at the Revealed Recordings Stage at Tomorrowland, I had an early time slot, but I was lucky because it started to rain just before my set started, so the tent was PACKED with party people, it was incredible!
How do you go about putting together the perfect set?
For me it’s all about the journey, I love to play my own music that is very close to my heart. Sometimes you have to read the crowd a little bit but usually they are very open for a more softer, progressive house set mixed with some more party tunes, it’s all about finding the right balance!
If you could only play five songs for the rest of your life, which five songs would you pick?
Swedish House Mafia – ‘Don’t You Worry Child’
Wiz Khalifa ft Charlie Puth – ‘See You Again’
Manse ft Chris Jones – ‘Rising Sun’
OneRepublic – ‘Let’s Hurt Tonight’
Coldplay – ‘Fix You’
Who are your biggest heroes in the music industry?
Hardwell, Armin van Buuren, Axwell & Ingrosso, Eric Prydz, Deadmau5, Steve Angello etc, they all been huge influencers for me when it comes to building your sound and career, but also how you treat your fans and have an energized show!
Has your Swedish roots influenced your music at all?
It’s hard to say, but I would think so since we grow up with big role models like ABBA & Ace Of Base etc… but also producers like Max Martin who makes so many hit records that we hear on the radio everyday! I do think Swedish music is a bit softer, thus why I feel Progressive House is something that is really close to my heart!
What are the biggest changes/challenges you’ve faced in the industry during your career?
I would say the biggest change is the whole EDM style has changed, before it was very popular to make bangers and progressive house but nowadays its more pop/electronic music that are welcomed on the bigger stages. This means it’s difficult for the up and coming artists to develop without a big label or artist that back you up. But it’s also very necessary since music needs to be evolving and can’t stay the same forever.
What advice would you give to any DJs or producers trying to carve a career in music?
Do what you love, and follow your heart! It’s always good to be influenced but try to make as many tracks as possible because you learn from EVERY track you make (this doesn’t mean you have to expect that all of them will get a record deal) but it’s all about how hard you work and how many tracks you make that will shape your sound :)
What does the rest of 2017 have in store for Manse?
Some really cool shows this year, I just came back from the Revealed Recordings residency in China with Sunshine Club in Guangzhou, where I had the honor to be the first artist to kick off the one year partnership they are doing. Now I am finishing off the next upcoming releases (Revealed Recordings, Armada, Sony & Enhanced) for the whole of April, then back on the road starting off with Revolution Festival in Vietnam. So stay tuned on my socials for new music and my adventures :)
Thank you to Manse for his time. Keep up to date with him on Twitter and Facebook.