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Raiden: Beyond Asia, Towards the World, One Step at a Time

Raiden: Beyond Asia, Towards the World, One Step at a Time

Korean DJ/producer Raiden is a true global trotter, abroad more than one-third of his time. With a large array of experience and charisma, he is gaining traction in the global EDM circle.

Words : Daehwa Lee

 

Raiden is soft-spoken. He is a gentle soul. His eyes are pretty big for having monolids. When playing back the interview recordings, I had to crank up the volume way up for the first ten minutes. He sounded nervous and his voice was a low-whisper. Though timid and quiet, this guy gets on the mainstage in front of thousands of people, towering over the sea of people and performing his written songs. He even gets up on the booth and performs improv. “Sometimes I even surprise myself. Jimi Hendrix also used to be shy, but on stage, would set his guitar on fire. I think I am that kind of guy.”

Raiden is one of the few Asian DJs that have reached the smallest circle of the world EDM scene. Though he is more hidden compared to the others, he is definitely the most influential DJ in Asia. Looking at Beatport’s Protocal Recordings top ten tracks, Raiden’s ‘C’est La Vibe,’ ‘Acid Love’ are 3rd and 8th, respectively. Search Martin Garrix’s STMPD RCRDS top ten; Raiden’s ‘Keep My Light On’ is 4th. Raiden also was the first Korean for Ultra Miami main stage in 2017. He performed for Tomorrowland the same year. This year, his DJing performance was live broadcast to billions around the world during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games.

“I went to Martin Garrix’s party in Ibiza recently, and met Dyro and everyone you can imagine. I was the only Asian. The DJs there asked Julian Jordan who is that dude? As Julian told them, “It’s Raiden.” It felt good when they exclaimed they had heard about me. I have finally made it this far. I have more fans in Europe than in Korea. In Europe, they sometimes notice me on the street. Though I am nowhere near being that famous, I do have some hard-core fans.”

This did not happen in a day. These are the fruit of years of dedication without any guarantee. Raiden spends more than one-third of his time abroad. Not only to perform at festivals, but to actively network with artist and collaborate with them. “Being in the same room is best when collaborating. Emails aren’t enough to get the right details. If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad then Muhammad must go to the mountain.”

Raiden’s suitcase has circled the world countless times; jetlag and time difference are the norm. These are the small prices Raiden has paid, to break down stereotypes about Asians and to actually be accepted as ‘one of them.’ He will go to Africa and Europe for collaborations, even if he doesn’t have any performances there. Sometimes, it gets overwhelming and he feels exhausted. But he learns first-hand about their success stories straight from the source.

“DJs must go to Ibiza. That is where history happens. For example, I was invited to Martin Garrix’s party, and The Chainsmokers was there. Everyone was there. Around midnight, after the Martin Garrix party, everyone chants ‘let’s go to the David Guetta party!’ That’ how it is all week. No meeting rooms, just bonding over drinks and good music. The best way to collaborate.”

There is another reason why he has to go to Ibiza other than networking. “Techno and underground music are more dominant than EDM there. Being fully immersed in the music made me remember what house music is really about. Even people drinking expensive champagne are here for the underground scene. The interior of clubs change drastically from party-to-party. It’s almost like magic, looking like a different place within 24 hours. A few days fully immersed in techno, already changed my style. That means that the vibe was already flowing in my veins. It is in my system. That’s really inspiring for me.”

Yes, there is a lot of criticism that Ibiza is too commercialized, but the Ibiza that Raiden was describing seemed true to its core. “Commercial? Maybe a few years ago, when EDM had exploded. From 2012 till 2014, I did get that vibe. But it’s been changing ever since, for three years. In the past, you would see Hardwell, Fedde Le Grand, Calvin Harris’s posters just all over town. But not anymore. My friends don’t have shows. Only the biggest DJs get booked. EDM is played at Ushuaia, commercial spots and tourist traps, but of course those places aren’t the main attraction. You don’t see a lot of EDM parties; the Marco Carola party, Solomun party are the places you can’t miss.”

 

From Guitarist to DJ

 

Raiden’s obsession about music started with the guitar when he was 14. He saw a guitarist’s face, performing solo. It was the face of ecstasy and in a trance state; he wanted to know how it felt and hence, bought his first guitar. He took lessons for a year, created a band and worshiped rock. When he was 17, he even had the opportunity to learn from the famous Korean guitarist Sangwon Han, a relative of a relative.

“I was into the latest rock music. But Mr. Han would make me practice blues, and remnants of the past, telling me that all rock music I was obsessed with originated from blues. I just did what I was told. After graduating from high school, I got in a music school in Japan. But after hearing me play, the professors there asked me, “Why are you here?” This was a school that taught fundamentals, and I was far beyond that level. It was only then; did I know the true value of Mr. Han’s teachings.”

As a hard-core rocker at that time, he wasn’t interested in DJing instantly. “You can express what you feel at that very moment through your guitar. The guitar is an extension of myself and a raw representation of myself. On the other hand, DJing felt rather distant because during the performance all you do is hit the play button to a pre-recorded track. But I found out there are various dimensions in excitement. Communicating with the crowd through the booth was a whole different experience to playing in a band. When I ride that flow, nothing feels better.”

Recently he has started playing the guitar on stage more often. The closing ceremony for Pyeongchang Olympics was a splendid example. He had written a song solely for the ceremony, playing his guitar on live. He took his guitar with him to Ultra Korea too. He also had a liver drummer beside himself to play a full sound of Muse’s ‘Knights of Cydonia.’

“It seems people are getting tired of just DJing. We are instinctively drawn to live performance. I gave an Avicii performance at World DJ festival before Ultra Korea and saw people screaming at the top of their lungs when I got on stage with a guitar for ‘Wake Me Up.’ I hadn’t even struck a chord yet, but they went crazy because they know what was coming.”

The level of maturity of his guitar skills is another reason why foreign artists want to collaborate with Raiden. “Nicky Romero and Fedde Le Grand are surprised and love it when I play at their studios. Because I have been playing all my life, the guitar is a medium I am truly comfortable with. The music flows through me and my guitar, as an extension of myself. The Pyeonchang Olympics performance was based on who I am as an artist and what I am passionate about.”

 

Heart Of Steel

 

What was the main reason behind Raiden’s success? What was the first turning point for you? He answered these questions in a heartbeat. “Releasing ‘Heart of Steel’ at Protocol.” What about your career as DJ at Ultra Miami? “No, released at Protocol trumps everything.” He said.

“Performing without any fanbase and DJing after getting a response are two totally different things. When I first uploaded my videos on Youtube the majority of the comment section were like, who is this? Now, the comment section looks very different.”

“Nicky Romero used to mostly play progressive and electro, but after I signed the contract, I see a lot of future bass. I can’t believe it. I released the song in January of 2017 and went to perform in Thailand the next month. Nicky was also booked. He shouted at me to get up on the stage. I had no idea. I didn’t even ask him to help me? Fedde and Martin also supported me and encouraged me. And here I am today.”

‘Heart of Steel’ had to go through all lot of rejection. We’ve recorded the chords for the first time in 2013 and made tons of arrangements. Bright Lights, the famous singer had collaborated, but still no label was ready to publish it. They had no choice, but to consider letting users download it for free. But as soon as he changed the genre from progressive house to future bass, the winds started to change.

“A future bass version just popped into my head when I was lying in bed. We were contemplating about what to change. As soon as we heard the future bass version, my manager and I exchanged that looks of certainty. We pitched it to Protocol. They said they’ll get back to us in a week. A friend in A&R told us that Niki really liked it. My manager was shouting in the café, like a crazy person. (Laughter)”

What is Raiden’s final goal? “Being number one in Asia at the least. Life is a gift only given once, and I want to grow and push my limits to a whole new level. To be written down in history.”

But there was a premise. “Being in the entertainment business, you see those that take the easy path of fame and celebrity status. But that type of success doesn’t guarantee happiness. I want to be true to myself and to my music. My fans like my music, not my celebrity status. The road of fame seems further away from the truth.”

October 10th, 2018

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