Perhaps best known for his white-hot single ‘Move Your Body’, it should come as no surprise then that Öwnboss was nominated by Tomorrowland’s One World Radio as one of the 20 Most Promising Artists for 2022. Since then, his track has won the “Best Bass House Song Of The Year” at the EDM Awards 2022 and also been featured on the official soundtrack of the EA Sports F1 22 game. Öwnboss has also released remixes for Tiësto’s ‘The Motto’ by Tiësto, David Guetta ‘Crazy What Love Can Do’ and Kungs ‘Clap Your Hands’. With his music present on elite labels that include Spinnin’ Records, Ultra Records and now exclusively with Tiësto’s Musical Freedom. We caught up with the high-flying Brazilian emerging superstar to find out more about his newest release in collaboration with FAST BOY called ‘Left & Right’.
Hey Öwnboss, thanks for joining us! Congratulations on new single ‘Left & Right.’ What has the reaction been like so far to the release?
Hey guys! Thanks for having me. It was an amazing release. ‘Left & Right’ is my first original track after ‘Move Your Body,’ and it’s so good to see how things changed for me. I’m having a lot of attention from Musical Freedom, a lot of support from big names of the scene and a lot of support on digital platforms too. We are already reaching more than 100k plays on Spotify and have passed a lot of big names on the Musical Freedom YouTube channel. The track is doing super great on the dancefloors too. With the perfect match of the catchy lyric that stays in your mind and the strong groove/bass that makes people sing and dance a lot, I couldn’t be happier.
With so much hype and praise on your previous single ‘Move Your Body,’ how did the creative process change when producing ‘Left and Right’? Did you feel any pressure?
The challenge for me on that one was to produce something different from ‘Move Your Body,’ but in the same style to keep the spirit of the track that changed my career. My wish was that when people heard it, they could recognize that it’s an Öwnboss track and that it had my signature sound. And yes, I felt some pressure, because a follow up like that always will have judgments and comparisons, but the thing is that I am very happy with my new songs, so I’ll keep working hard and giving my best.
You have performed all over the world, from Tomorrowland and Creamfields, to Ushuaïa. Is there a venue/event that you are still yet to play that you would like to? Which one is it and why?
The thing is that I want to play in places where people are happy to receive me and that have heard and enjoyed my songs. I just want to play and make people happy with my set no matter what or where. Of course, the magic of big festivals helps a lot, but I just want to have fun with the crowd.
You made your official debut in 2016, how would you describe the change to your sound since then?
It has changed a lot. I usually produced deep house, then I tried some progressive house and also tech house. I have learned a lot all these years and it’s taken a long time to discover myself.
How did it feel to have ‘Move Your Body’ crowned as the year’s best bass house song at the EDM Awards 2022?
It felt incredible, because ‘Move Your Body’ broke all the limits for me and to win this award against so many good artists and so many good bass house tracks all over the world was something memorable. We were also really close to winning the overall tracks too, so… yeah, that’s something I’ll never forget!
When did you hear electronic music for the first time? Can you remember the early tracks that got you hooked on the genre?
My first time with electronic music was listening to trance and psytrance. I remember to listen Gabriel & Dresden, Tiesto, Skazi and Eskimo. After that Steve Angelo, Dirty South and Kaskade. It was a really long time ago.
How did growing up in Brazil influence your musical style?
My perception, here in Brazil, is that the crowd likes to sing happy songs and to dance, but not to jump on electronic music like foreign audiences. This influenced me a lot when I started playing, because all my electronic references were from outside of my country. In Brazil, one big name that influenced me was Gui Boratto, and as a producer I tried to fix here this “outside” EDM reality. That’s why ‘Move Your Body’ has this perfect balance for me. It works well in Brazil and works so well in all big festivals in the world. Growing up here made me mix outside and inside influences.
To someone who has never heard your music before, how would you describe it in one sentence?
I always find it hard to define my music. But let’s say that… it usually has a good break to sing and a strong drop to dance. Its maybe a good balance between tech house and mainstream music.
Which country you have played in which has the best crowds and why?
This is so difficult to answer. I have already played in so many amazing places all over the world that I can’t really say where the best place is. The thing is that all the places have been amazing for me in every single possible way. I’m in love with how people party outside my country and it’s been an amazing experience to discover new countries and new cultures.
Can you name some of your favourite upcoming DJs?
We have so many especial producers upcoming, but, yes, I can share some: Pajane, Dubdogz, Selva, Bruno Be, Watzgood, Fancy Inc, Maz and Meca.
Outside of electronic music, do you have a favourite artist or album?
Yes, I love 70s, 80s and 90s music and it’s a really difficult question to answer so I will go along with three artists: Led Zeppelin, Nirvana and Queen.
Would you ever consider doing a full-length LP type project? Is there any reason why you haven’t done this yet?
Yes, for sure. I dream about releasing an album. I want to have time to think and work, without being on the road, with my head 100% relaxed and free, so that’s why I haven’t done it yet. So many opportunities are appearing for me now and I’m trying to enjoy the best I can in this way, but I plan and hope that by 2024 I can accomplish it. Let’s wait and see.
What can we expect from Öwnboss in the near future?
I’m working hard and humbly to be one of the biggest artists in the world, so you can expect everything for me.