Felix Cartal, the Canadian electronic producer, specializes in creating melodic dancefloor tracks with a sentimental touch. Fusing songwriting and production roots with a love for club culture, he offers a distinctive take on indie dance music. Discovered by Steve Aoki and signed to Dim Mak, he first album debuted in 2010, expanding his influence as a DJ with frequent North American tours and freely shared online mixes.
Stage Hoppers contributor Andrea Simon recently had the chance to interview Felix Cartal on his tour stop in Buffalo. Here’s what we talked about:
So you’ve been in the industry since 2010, could you talk about your beginnings and how you got to where you are today?
Yeah definitely, so I started putting out music when I was at university for the Felix Cartel Project. And that was the days of Myspace, you know, because I’m old. But yeah, I was putting out songs and a few blogs on there, and one of my earliest supporters was Steve Aoki. He sent me a message on Myspace actually. And that’s how I signed with Dim Mak- his label. I put out music with them for about 10 years. Now, I’m just doing my own thing.
Is there a moment that you’ve had thus far in your music career that you are most proud of?
Oh man, there’s honestly so many. I’m always just very grateful that I’m here. I love music and I get to do it as my job. Like, I’m kind of like shocked that this is my life sometimes. So, I think I’m really proud of myself for just sticking to it through thick and thin and having this as my career.
What is your favorite song that you’ve ever produced?
That’s really tough. I’ve written a lot of tracks with Ofelia K, and there’s one that I really like called Fakin It. I actually ended up releasing it with Kaskade too. I felt like it was kind of a pivotal record for me- I really enjoy writing with Ofelia because she’s kind of got a weird sarcastic brain and I have a similar brain- so it works out well. I have released three tracks with her so far, and we’re currently working on a fourth one right now.
Do you have any advice for those trying to get started music industry?
Yeah, don’t. Just don’t start. Don’t get into this industry, it’s horrible. (Kidding)
What I will say, is find your weirdness. That’s a good one. Nurture that and the things that you find interesting. I think when you consume art and the things that you love, you should really sit there and think about it. Think about what it is specifically about those things that you like, and what makes it interesting to you. Then, try to do that with your music. And it can be anything really- it doesn’t have to be something mainstream or successful. It can be anything. If there’s some really weird niche that you like and gravitate towards, chase and nurture that.
Let’s talk dream collabs. Is there an artist that you would love to collaborate with on a track?
Yes, Paul McCartney from The Beatles. And I think he would be down- not necessarily down with me- but I think he would be down to do electronic music. He’s collaborated with some interesting artists in the past, and he also put out a record in the 80’s called ‘McCartney II’, which had a lot of electronic influences that I’m obsessed with. I think he’s very experimental and I’d love to work with him on something. I don’t even know how I’d start that conversation- but I’d love to try.
Is there a most embarrassing moment that you’ve ever had on stage?
Oh yes, the first time I ever played South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. I was very young and I was playing after Laidback Luke during a showcase. I was running all my stuff off a laptop at the time, and the stage setup was weird- it was very small and narrow kind and kind of like in a dive bar. As soon as I went to plug in my laptop, I accidentally bumped the power switch on the power strip, and turned off everything in the venue. All the music and lights- everything stopped and I was standing there like a deer in the headlights.
I plugged it back in right away but it took awhile for the music to start playing again… but luckily Laidback Luke is like the nicest person in the world, so he wasn’t upset. He told me, “Don’t be too hard on yourself, sh*t happens”.
How is the most famous person you have in your phone?
Probably Tiësto, or maybe Benny Benassi. I also have the rapper Fat Joe’s number in my phone from like ten years ago, but I don’t think I’ve ever even texted him.
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