Interview: Adam Rich

[gallery type="slideshow" link="none" size="full" ids="147963"] What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?  I always enjoyed music like anyone else growing up but it was probably the dance music boom (EDM specifically) that made me want to go deeper in the forms of performing and then eventually producing. I learned how to DJ at a music school in NYC called Scratch DJ Academy which taught me everything from the basics to advanced skills in live performances. After my completion, I took an introductory music production course followed by some private lessons and instantly became hooked on beatmaking. If I was not working in music, I would most likely be working in marketing or a similar capacity, preferably related to the sports industry. In addition to music, sports has always been a passion of mine and I even studied the music business in school.   What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity? I love being active in the form of exercise, playing sports, hanging out with my family, cooking, and relaxing with some Netflix at the end of the day. Exercising and cooking are great outlets for me to relax my mind and give me clear insight into what I am going to do next in the studio. Sometimes it helps me improve a current song I am struggling with and other times it gets me more motivated to finish specific projects.   How long has music been your career? I only started releasing original music two years ago but I have been devoting my life to learning and improving music production for about 7 or 8 years.   Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music? I currently live in Chicago which has been the home of some amazing artists including Kaskade, Chance The Rapper, Kanye, and more. Since I like to make dance music more than anything else, Kaskade has been a huge influence of mine and I listen to his music very often to get inspiration.   Tell me about the best and worst shows you have played. The best shows I have played took place on a yacht in Chicago where I played some very high energy sets for some great crowds out on the lake. The fact that I was able to provide entertainment for those few hours was a cool feeling and it gave me motivation to continue to improve. The worst shows were the ones where I was not able to play the type of music I enjoy most and even when I played what the manager wanted, very few people danced. It's very difficult to find the energy to play those types of shows but everyone has to suffer through them.   Tell me about your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already? I had the opportunity to play at one of the bigger clubs in Chicago called PRYSM which was a very fun night with a great crowd, which is most important in my opinion. I have several places on my list that I would love to perform at in the future. Las Vegas would probably be at the top of the list in terms of cities since it is the king of the night life world in the USA. Honestly, any of the venues there would be an amazing thrill. LIV and Eleven are also specific clubs in Miami that are incredible with so much energy.   If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket? I think a ticket including Hardwell, Coldplay, Kaskade, Goo Goo Dolls, Martin Garrix, and KSHMR would be pretty awesome. Obviously I have many other favorites but these would be just some :)   What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into music? Try not to get too crazy with every little detail when it comes to the production process. This is something I still continue to struggle with as I try to make everything perfect in my mind when most people will usually never notice it. Also, make sure to have a close circle of people you trust to not only give you advice but who will also be honest with you about everything from the business to music side.   If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, what would it be? Like I said before, don't try to make everything perfect because perfection is impossible and it will hinder your growth. Also, try to be consistent with everything from releasing music to staying active on social media to engaging with new and current fans.   Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?  I put everything into each song but Time might mean the most to me simply because it was my first official release that really got me started on this journey. I received some amazing feedback from new fans, friends, and family which signaled that I might have something going on here...   Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most? While I have not been performing too much recently as I have focused more on production, Darkness is still probably the song that gets the most love from fans.   What is the creative process for you, and what inspires you to write your music? I almost always start with writing the melody followed by the chords. For me, if the melody is good and catchy, then everything else will sound better. Sometimes I listen to other songs and get ideas for melodies while other times I just start writing some notes and humming in my head until something good comes out. I draw inspiration from fans, attending other shows, and sometimes just being outside in nature and exploring the outdoors. But fan support and the warm messages they send me is probably my top source of inspiration.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

I love listening to and writing emotional music that makes you feel something. Sometimes listening to music with some darker vibes and sounds can actually make you feel better and give you joy interestingly enough. Most of my songs are intended to be uplifting and give people a sense of optimism and happiness.

Do you ever have disagreements when collaborating and how do you get past them?

Yes, disagreements happen quite often when collaborating with other artists. The most important part of handling them is being respectful and acknowledging that the other person is working very hard and trying to do what they feel is right. I try to be as detailed as possible when I communicate with them and am always honest about what I feel could use some changes. At the end of the day, both parties should be happy with the finished product but it is pretty common to have some disagreements or differences during the collaboration process.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

My short term plans are to release as much new music as possible. I have many songs that are either done or in the final stages but I am working on finding new vocalists which is not always easy since they have to fit the project. I would love to start performing shows more regularly either at the end of this year or early 2022. I have three new songs that I am releasing over the next 6 weeks with some amazing singer/songwriters so be on the lookout for those! Social Media Links: instagram.com/adamrichdj facebook.com/adamrichdj twitter.com/adamrichdj