DJ Markus Schulz

DJ Markus Schulz is arguably a legend on the trance scene. An international star in the trance community, with over two decades of DJing experience, he has ruled the world.

Born on 3 February 1975, Markus is a German-American DJ and music producer based in Miami, Florida. He is best known for his weekly radio show Global DJ Broadcast that airs on Digitally Imported Radio, After Hours FM and other online stations. He is also the founder of his own music label Coldharbour Recordings and Schulz Music Group (SMG), an artist management company that manages rising stars in the industry.

Markus has six albums under his name besides dozens of singles and remix albums down the years and several collaborations with various artists.

A regular to Indian shores, this time for the Enchanted Valley Carnival in Mumbai in December, Markus spoke to VERUS FERREIRA about his career over the years, his upcoming album and plans for 2018 minutes before he took to the stage.

Are you aware of Indian trance music culture?
I think that the trance community in India is the fans. I get messages all the time from the fans out here and I know that they really challenge me as a producer. This is because it’s like they listen to everybody and the thing nowadays is that it doesn’t matter if you are in India or if you are in Amsterdam, London, New York or wherever, it really is a global community, especially when it comes to trance. Everything kind of lives online and it doesn’t matter where and from what part of the world you are and just for that reason alone, the trance fans are probably the most challenging fans out there but they are also the more loyal and passionate fans. So I really love, especially India, where there is such a big online community. I like coming here and seeing and experiencing that passion first-hand.

You’ve played at clubs and music festivals; what makes the two different and which do you prefer?
The festivals are like when you go to a shopping centre and you see a window and you can see what they sell inside it. My festival set is like a window of who I am as an artist. When you go in to it you realize there is so much more there. I love playing festival sets because it’s so much more fun and there are fans out there discovering you and you just put on the best show you can, but in the clubs you have to do really long sets and I have to spread my wings and fly a bit.

What is the most valuable thing you have learnt in the last 20 years of being a DJ?
The most important thing is what comes out of the speakers, all the politics, all the drama that happens behind the scenes and there’s a lot that happens here in the trance scene, but the most important thing is what the fans hear and what’s coming through the speakers.

You are also the founder of Coldharbour Recordings, run a management company and also have your own mix series. How do you balance all this?
I have a great team of people who are working with me. We have a vision of finding like-minded musicians, DJs and producers that like the same frequency that I want. It’s great because you can make them collaborate with each other and everyone clicks with the same frequency.

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