Assortment

Questions

Today's the day. You're lucky enough to have the chance to interview your favorite DJ. You get to work bright and early, with coffee from Starbucks and your best blazer and white jeans on, with a black blouse underneath. You get right onto your work laptop and pull up the questions you've prepared for him. You look over them, checking for any typos, fixing any mistakes.

"Alright, y/n, today could be the start of your new career. We're counting on you, don't screw this up," your boss reminds you gruffly, keeping you motivated. "Got it boss, I'll do my absolute best!" You assure him cheerfully as you continue with your corrections. "Stay on top of your game, hear me?" He reinforces as he walks away.

You sip your coffee as you prepare for the interview, daydreaming about it slightly. You go over the schedule in your head. The DJ is arriving at 10:00 AM, and the interview is at 10:30. You've got about an hour.

It passes quickly, and you head down to where the DJ will be arriving. "Okay, y/n, you can do this, it's just an interview," you  think to yourself as you get everything ready. The camera crew is already there when you arrive, and there he is, one of the biggest Swedish DJs, right there in the flesh. Tim 'Avicii' Bergling.

"Switzerland, ok in Zurich?" You hear someone ask him. It's your coworker, Hans. "Seriously?! Hans is fucking incompetent, his English skills are that of a kindergartner! What the fuck?!" You explode internally, now furious at Hans. "Sorry?" The poor confused Swede replies, chuckling awkwardly. "I mean, I literally just got here like two minutes ago, but yeah. It's great, I love it," he answers, going with his best attempt at processing Hans' question. You sigh and facepalm.

"Alright, Hans! Take a hike, go do something else, I've got this," you say, swooping in and saving the interview. The DJ laughs, and so does the rest of his crew. "Fucking Hans," someone chuckles. "I am so sorry, Mr. Bergling, Hans is a piece of work, I have no idea how he got here first, anyway, I'm here now, making sure this interview isn't a clusterfuck," you apologize, expressing your frustrations. "It's cool, I get it, journalism is complicated," he assures.

"Do you need a second, or am I good to start the interview?" You ask, doing your best to be polite. "Whenever you're ready," he answers casually. "Alright! First question: what does it feel like when a piece of music you're working on is ready to release?" You ask. "Umm, I would say, well for example with Levels, it was when I found the Etta James vocal, and was able to fit it in. It just went in perfect, it was quite satisfying," he describes, thinking back to his biggest hit. You write that down, and move on to the second question.

"Second question: were you always musically inclined, or was there a magic moment where you realized your passion?" You ask, pulling from some of your own experience. "Hmm, well, I didn't play any instruments or anything when I was younger, but growing up, music was always around me, so it's just always been part of me, I think," he describes honestly. "I love that for you, you must have many positive memories when it comes to music," you comment, stirring away a little. "Oh, yeah for sure," he confirms.

"Third question, complete change in topic, but are there any habits or rituals that you have when creating your music?" You ask. He laughs. "I wouldn't know if it's a ritual, but I like to have snus with me most of the time," he answers honestly.

"Fourth question, another change in topic, what song would you say is the soundtrack of your life at the moment?" You ask, curious to know. He takes a second to think. "I could say Levels, but that's only because it's so big right now, so... probably I Was Made For Lovin' You  by Kiss, it's a song I've known for more than half my life," he answers honestly, giving two potential answers. "Would you ever consider wearing the Kiss makeup?" You ask jokingly, now curious.

He starts to laugh. "Probably not, I don't want my face to break out!" He answers honestly, still chuckling. "Gotta love that adult acne," you joke, knowing how it feels. "Yeah..." He responds, now feeling awkward.

"Moving on, who would you say is your favorite Swedish artist right now?" You ask, knowing to change the subject. "Swedish House Mafia is having a great era right now, I'm a fan of that," he answers simply. "Oh, yeah for sure. Do you have a favorite member, or do you like the group as a whole?" You ask, going farther into it. "Just the group as a whole, really. They're super good with each other," he answers honestly.

"What is something you wish people knew about what you do, whether that be DJing or producing?" You ask, moving onto the next question. "I wish people understood how hard it is to produce while touring. It's one or the other most times, you need a break to actually get anything done in the studio," he describes honestly. "That makes sense to me, I don't know why they expect you to just mass-produce music. It can't be done in a factory," you relate, sharing your own thoughts about it. "Exactly! I'm not a machine, I'm just a 22-year-old from Stockholm, I'm trying to figure things out still!" He expresses, feeling understood.

You sigh, able to tell how tired he is. "Alright, my last question, it's a bit of an arbitrary one, and be honest: does pineapple belong on pizza?" You ask with a chuckle. He chuckles and thinks for a second. "I've never actually tried it, so for now I would say no," he answers.