We had a chat with electronic music extraordinaire Tobias Bergson, who released his latest single ‘One Day’ on 25 October via PLAYY. Records. The Afro-house inspired track has already received support from the likes of House Music Love, Mixmag Germany and Mixmag Netherlands, as well as airplay on KCRW’s Metropolis show in Los Angeles. In the interview, Tobias reveals how he stays focused when dealing with challenges, how he finds inspiration and the goals he’s working towards.
Stream ‘One Day’ while reading the interview with Tobias below:
1. Tell us about you, how long have you been making music? What inspired you to start?
That’s a good question. It actually all started with Levels by Avicii. I was so excited about that song that I wanted to start producing music. That was about 10 years ago. I can say that I’ve been producing music ‘professionally’ for around 5 years. The time before that was basically my learning phase. I would sit at the computer almost daily for one to two hours, trying to create beats or come up with melodies.”
2. The music industry is super competitive these days, was there a moment in your life that you wanted to give up on music? How did you manage to stay focused and achieve what you want?
Yes, of course, there are always moments that aren’t easy. You kind of grow into the industry overnight and have to learn how everything works. And sure, I definitely made a few mistakes at the beginning. But the great thing is, I mainly produce music to unwind—making music calms me down, so to speak, and I don’t want to give that up. Of course, it’s not always easy to organize your thoughts and not see everything so negatively, but music is a passion, and passion comes with its struggles. I believe when you truly take something seriously, it naturally affects you, and that’s a good thing. The important thing is not to fall into a hole and see only darkness. To get out of such a slump, sports help me, as well as spending time with my girlfriend and friends
3. How would you describe your creative processes? Who writes the lyrics to the songs? Are the music and lyrics written in conjunction, or separately?
I produce the instrumentals and then send them to the singers without any vocals. Some singers ask me what the lyrics should be about, and sometimes they don’t. I just go with the flow. There are songs where I’ve set the theme, but there are also songs where the artists take it into their own hands
4. Where did the inspiration come from?
There are many sources of inspiration. For example, when I watch a documentary—whether it’s about sports, science, or art—I get inspired by people who are absolute experts in their field. That motivates me to produce music. Even when you watch documentaries about artists and see where they started from, it gives me a boost of motivation every time. I used to love watching live streams of Deadmau5, seeing him sit in the studio for hours, tweaking a beat that wasn’t quite right, and then that one move turns an ordinary track into a masterpiece. That’s something I’ve always enjoyed and still find very inspiring. Even when I watch a live performance from an artist or a great DJ set, it immediately inspires me to try something or create a similar beat
5. What’s next for you?
My next goal is to be able to present my self-produced music to an audience. That’s really my next step, whether it’s at my own gig, as part of a lineup at an event or festival, or in a club. That’s my current goal
