Best of 2013 Interview: DJ, Producer & Radio Host Gina Star

Gina Star is a DJ and producer originally from Dallas, Texas. After moving to LA in 2006 to further her career, she was hailed by the LA Times and E! Entertainment as one of the most talented and sought after DJ’s in the city, and was welcomed into some of LA's most exclusive V.I.P. celebrity endorsed nightclubs, playing her own special style of big room uplifting house.

Moving across the pond to the UK in 2009 to further her DJ & production career, Gina propelled herself into the limelight working with Toolroom Records and gaining support with her productions, notably Pete Tong spinning her Cirez D & Sunscreem mashup to the masses on his Radio 1 show.

Gina Star released ?This Is Hollywood' which entered the Beatport Top 100 at #10, and #1 on the Progressive House chart. David Guetta featured it on his internationally syndicated F*** Me I’m Famous radio show. The track features the instantly recognizable vocal talent of Roland Clark preaching ?Welcome to Hollywood, what’s your dream'.

'I Want It Now' debuted at WMC '10, and uses the unmistakable hook from the legendary band Queen – I Want It All... & I Want It Now!!! Given the thumbs up from Queen's management via EMI, this project developed into a full release for Toolroom Records including a remix from Robbie Rivera. Tiësto featured the record on his International 'Club Life' radio show and podcast, Judge Jules named it his 'Tried and Tested Tune of the Week' on his Radio 1 show.

Gina has mixed several Toolroom Records compilations including the best-selling ‘Miami 2010’ ‘Ibiza 2010’ ‘Miami 2011’ and ‘Best of 2011’. She also did an ad campaign for Gio-Goi Clothing, which was circulated throughout Europe.

Her remix of Tiësto and Mark Knight 'Beautiful World' was used by Tiesto in his DJ sets and on his radio show, and her remix of Chris Willis (David Guetta’s favourite singer/songwriter) “Too Much In Love” went to #4 in the Billboard Club chart; both are still getting radio plays on Sirius.

In 2012 she launched a self titled monthly Podcast which counts down her current top 10. The latter part of 2012 saw single releases of iWIN on Atlantic/Big Beat, Bliss on CR2 & Action, Tears, Bananular and U Don’t Love Me on new label LOI. She was featured on the front page of Beatport and is heavily supported on radio shows around the world including BBC Radio 1, Capital FM, iHeart, Sirius & in club charts such as Music Weeks Coolcuts & DMC’s Buzz Chart.

2013 is shaping up to be Gina’s biggest year yet. Her track ‘Midnight’ was featured in the Miami Buzz Chart, and now Cr2 will release ‘1000 Years’ which features a classic vocal sample. Early radio support from Thomas Gold, Nervo, and SIRIUS XM, and the remix package includes a trap remix by BARE, who has recently remixed Sebastian Ingrosso and Nicky Romero. The following release will be Gina’s collab with Poet, the DJ/producer for the Black Eyed Peas. It’s titled ‘Electric Love’ and features the amazing vocals of Golden Phoenix, who is the sister of legendary Natasha & Daniel Bedingfield. Next will be ‘DNA’ featuring Dominic Wolf, and ‘Chemistry’ feat Jonny Rose.

Gina's had single releases on Toolroom Records and Cr2 Records in UK & Eire, Vicious in Australia and New Zealand, NEWS in Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg, TIME Records in Italy, We Play in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Family Tree Music in Scandinavia, Just Music in South Africa, Blanco Y Negro in Spain, Warner Bros in Israel, and Atlantic Records & Big Beat in North America.

Interview was written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias, Music Journalist /Radio DJ

Name: Gina Star

Location: Los Angeles

Dimitri:  Can you tell us about your achievements in your music career in 2013 as DJ &/or producer?

Gina Star: 2013 has been really hectic! I’m most proud of the last couple of records that I released. ‘1000 Years’ on Cr2 and ‘Electric Love’ on my own label, lOi, performed really well.  

Dimitri:  If you look back on 2013, are there any events in your music career that you wished you had done differently in order to get a better outcome?

Gina Star: I wish that ‘1000 Years’ had come out at the beginning of the summer instead of in September. It was just one complication after another with that one! 

1) Best Track:
Gina Star:  Sub Focus feat. Alex Clare – Endorphins 
Such an amazing vocal, and the remix package was awesome

2) Best Artist (DJ & producer):
Gina Star:  Maybe an unoriginal answer, but Tiesto is my favourite. Consistently good music and always a pleasure to watch DJ. You can tell he genuinely loves what he does. His label ‘Musical Freedom’ is the best for big progressive vocal house.

3) Best Remix:
Gina Star:  The Pierce Fulton remix of Tritonal ‘Now or Never’. It’s got just the right amount of disco which sets it apart from the rest.

4) Best Remixer:
Gina Star:  DubVision has had a few good ones this year

5) Best New Talent (DJ or producer):
Gina Star:  Vicetone – this has certainly been their year

6) Best EDM Album:
Gina Star:  Maya Jane Coles - Comfort

7) Best lyrics in an EDM track:
Gina Star:  Whelan & Di Scala feat Eden – Open Up Your Heart 
Been out for almost a year now, and I still love it

8) Best Vocalist/Singer featured on an EDM track:
Gina Star:  Kyler England in ‘Take Me With You’ by Tiesto

9) Best EDM Label:
Gina Star:  Musical Freedom

10) Best Online Social media network:
Gina Star: Instagram – so easy and enjoyable, like one big photo album. Still somewhat free from spam

11) Best music composition software:
Gina Star:  Abelton – user friendly and good for collaborating because everyone has it 

12) Best Event or Open Air Festival:
Gina Star:  TomorrowWorld – I had the best time opening the main stage for their first year in the United States

13) Best DJ set of the year from another DJ?:
Gina Star:  Chuckie at his residency in Vegas – not only is he technically very good, he really plays from the heart  

14) Best country in which you have performed:
Gina Star:  Japan – love it there, the people are so nice, and they love dance music

15) Best Radio show:
Gina Star:  Austin Kramer’s show on Sirius 

16) Best Radio station:
Gina Star:  Sirius 

17) Best Online Record shop where you usually purchase your music:
Gina Star:  Beatport

18) Best Website that you visit regularly:
Gina Star:  Elektrodaily.com – really a good variety of topics and reviews 

19) Best smart phone/mobile/App:
Gina Star:  Shazam. Best app ever. I don’t know what I would do without it

20) Best DJ/Producer product (software or hardware):
Gina Star:  Rekord box for the Pioneer CDJ’s – getting your set organized is a breeze 

21) Best Twitter or Facebook message you received from a fan or friend or you have read from someone else:
Gina Star:  I love it when fans send me pictures from my shows. They look like they’re having so much fun and it makes all the travelling worth it. 

22) Best piece of News you heard this year related to Electronic Dance Music:
Gina Star: I don’t know, but I read @DjsComplaining all the time. It’s so hilarious. 

23) Best holiday destination or best hobby or activity that you spent some time in during 2013
Gina Star:  My visit to Guam for a festival was incredible. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. 

24) Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career:
Gina Star:  Trends fade quickly. Stick with what you love. 

25) Best Movie of the year preferably related to EDM or inspired you to compose a track.
Gina Star:  I really liked the movie JDango, so well written and funny
                                             
26)  Best tip that you learnt this year relating to DJ’ing or music composition
Gina Star:  A friend of mine explained in detail the finer points of vocal stretching. It’s really been helpful to know how to adjust the formants properly. 

Dimitri: 2014 is ahead of us; would you like to tell us your plans for future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations or DJ gigs.

Gina Star:  Lots of music and remixes coming out in the next few months. 

Dimitri: Thanks very much for taking the time to reply to this interview

Thanks very much to Owen Ingram for his support to organise this interview

Additional info:
http://www.ginastarmusic.com/
http://www.facebook.com/ginastarmusic
https://twitter.com/DJGinaStar
http://soundcloud.com/djginastar
http://www.youtube.com/user/djginastar
http://smarturl.it/gspodcast
http://www.beatport.com/artist/gina-star/96626