25 years old head of Protocol records, currently #7 on Top 100 DJs list, David Guetta’s studio partner and author of hit singles such as Toulouse, I Could Be the One (ft. Avicii, UK #1), Metropolis (ft. David Guetta), Like Home (ft. Nervo) as well as Legacy (ft. Krewella), has also let us peek a bit behind the stage curtain. We wanted to unveil two faces of Nicky Romero, the one you see on world’s greatest stages and the other living out of the spotlights, constantly moving between airports, hotels, clubs, festivals and studios. The lives of superstar DJs might seem flashy with all that money, private jets, VIP rooms, top notch riders and fancy hotels, but life on the top is not that easy at all. The hardest thing seems to be keeping good balance between work commitments and private life, and it’s not that rare that even young artists burn out.


We’ve joined one of the EDM’s brightest stars for his performances at Ultra Europe festival in Split and Papaya club at Zrće Beach on the Isle of Pag to compare his gigs at major electronic festival and one of world’s most popular clubs. 25 years old head of Protocol records, currently #7 on Top 100 DJs list, David Guetta’s studio partner and author of hit singles such as Toulouse, I Could Be the One (ft. Avicii, UK #1), Metropolis (ft. David Guetta), Like Home (ft. Nervo) as well as Legacy (ft. Krewella), has also let us peek a bit behind the stage curtain. We wanted to unveil two faces of Nicky Romero, the one you see on world’s greatest stages and the other living out of the spotlights, constantly moving between airports, hotels, clubs, festivals and studios. The lives of superstar DJs might seem flashy with all that money, private jets, VIP rooms, top notch riders and fancy hotels, but life on the top is not that easy at all. The hardest thing seems to be keeping good balance between work commitments and private life, and it’s not that rare that even young artists burn out. 

I’ve actually prepared couple of decent questions, but as you proposed yesterday let’s talk about Croatian women …
Ha, ha, ha … Every time I come to Croatia there are so many good looking women. I just wanted to mention that. They look amazing. It’s good to notice it, right? It’s good to show them some respect.

What position has music in your career? Being a top DJ is not just about music anymore. Nowadays you have to stage big shows, run record labels, radio shows, you are experts on branding, marketing, promotion, social media …
For me the source of music is Holland. That’s where I live and that’s where I do most of my music, that’s my home and that’s where my heart is. Europe is still very important place right now to develop yourself as an artist, there’s that huge American market and Asia is growing as well. Obviously I don’t do everything you’ve listed on my own. I make music – that’s what I like to do and that’s what I want to do – I perform and next to that I’m also running the Protocol Recordings label. We also have a Protocol management company, but I have a lot of good people running that for me. I just want to make sure I can focus on music. Of course social media is important and branding is important too, but I don’t have time to focus on all that. I rather focus on the thing I’m really good at, and I believe that’s music.

We’ve tailed you at Ultra Europe festival and Zrće beach club. Those are two different types of events: festivals are more about socializing, while people come to clubs more or less just for you. How does that influence the choice of music you play?
At the festivals there’s a different setup. There are a lot of artists, so you need to make sure you play different than others and you also have to listen to other people’s sets to hear what they are playing and consider this, when you decide which tracks you will and will not play. When I’m headlining the event in the club, I can do just whatever I want. At the festival you have to adapt to others. For example: I don’t want to play any music from the artists that are on the stage the same day that I am. So, you have to prepare well. While when I play a solo show in a club, I just feel the vibe and I play whatever I like to play. And that’s the difference between my set at the festival or in a club.

Everybody see DJ lifestyle as a glamorous adventure full of beautiful girls, champagne, VIP lounges, private jets, expensive hotels … But this has to be a very physically exhausting life. Even young DJs, such as you or Avicii burn out.
Yeah, there are colleagues and DJs on the scene that really make it look like it’s all about cars and private planes. I can understand that, but I feel that’s not the real deal. In reality we tour a lot and you have to give up your personal life most of the time or at least a big part of it, to be able to play everywhere. I consider myself lucky. I would never ever say that I have a tough life, but sometimes really is exhausting. At the same time I am aware I’m very lucky I’m able to do this. There are not that many people that are able to give others a great time. I’ve had a bad burnout at the end of the last year and I’m still recovering from that. That’s why I only play one and a half hour sets now. I’m still kind of balancing it out. My problem is that whatever I do I always give 110 percent, and if you never ever take time off it will get back to you sooner or later. That has happened to me. Now I’m really trying to find a balance between working and taking time off just to make sure I can maintain this life for another couple of years.


Read the whole interview at http://www.emfmag.net/articles/emf-exclusive-qa-2-faces-of-nicky-romero/