Australian DJ and producer TyDi took the world by storm when he suavely entered the scene at the youthful age of 19. Placing in DJ Mag's Top 100 for the last 3 years, TyDi gives us a peek into his fears of flying, his album in progress, and growing up down under.
TheSauce: First of all thanks for doing this interview with us – I imagine you have a really busy schedule right now.
TyDi: I'm never too busy for a chat!
TheSauce: So, you're from Australia. For our fellow Americans, we'd like to know – what's a typical Australian upbringing like? Surfing? Suburbs? Kangaroos?
TyDi: I'd say the typical Australian upbringing is not far off from life in California – well not for me! I lived by the beach where the weather was always great, I can see a lot of similarities with Cali. Australians love the outdoors, especially our water sports!
TheSauce: You're still pretty young. What made you start djing originally? Particular song? Christmas gift?
TyDi: I was always a music freak, when I was 15 I was playing drums and piano. When I first heard Dance music (from an older friend) I just immediately fell in love with it. I started producing music straight away and I've never once looked back!
((FYI readers: TyDi is one of the few classically trained musician djs – he has a degree from the prestigious Conservatorium of Music.))
TheSauce: To prep for our interview I listened to basically every track you've published anywhere on the internet… your sound is so beautiful. How long does it take you to finish a track, from idea to end?
TyDi: Thank you! Well yesterday I did a remix from my friend Kerli (a California girl actually) and it only took me a day. Sometimes a song can take me a few weeks though… it really depends on how I'm feeling when I write it. It's always good when I sit down in the studio and everything just falls together perfectly.
TheSauce: Do you have a ‘gut feeling' when you're done, like “that one is going to be amazing” ? Can you tell us your two favorite tracks you've ever done and why?
TyDi: Haha yeah I do get that feeling a lot, especially with my new stuff. I'm about 10 tracks into a brand new album and every time I finish one the songs I get that gut feeling. One of my favourite songs that I wrote was ‘Meet me in Kyoto', I wrote it back when I was 16 and it just has a special sentimental value to me. It reminds me of everything that was going on in my life at the time when I wrote it.
TheSauce: I see your travel/tour schedule is completely hectic. What do you do when you're not djing? just sleep/eat/produce?
TyDi: (Laughs) I just live a normal life when I'm not travelling, I hang out with my friends and drink lots of wine.
TheSauce: Since you are traveling so much, what do you do on the plane? Work on music? drink vodka and pray to reach ground safely? For our readers – a ton of djs we've interviewed actually hate flying and one of them even admitted he spends each flight pale and holding a teddy bear!
TyDi: Yea… I hate flying too. It makes me…really uneasy. But living in Australia means I have to travel for about 24 hours every week. I just sit back and deal with it, usually smash some scotch and watch episodes of Family Guy.
TheSauce: We recently featured Tania Zygar and I know you've worked with her multiple times. Her vocals blend so perfectly with your sound. Who would be your dream person to work with on an original track, vocalist or otherwise?
TyDi: Yea I've collaborated a lot with her, we definitely work well together. I've always dreamed of writing a song with my favourite bands like The Used and Dashboard confessional, and it looks like that dream is coming true! Oh. Shhhh… I shouldn't tell anyone that yet!
TheSauce: I could offer to delete that but I won't. 🙂
TheSauce: Can you tell us anything else about your upcoming releases or what you're working on now?
TyDi: I'm about to release a new single with vocals from Christina Novelli, I'm really loving it, hopefully the fans will too!
TheSauce: Ok last question. Not to get all nostalgic, but do you remember what your first piece of real equipment was?
TyDi: Absolutely. It was a shitty little Denon ‘dual CD player' that let me mix tunes… After that I bought Technics 1200 turntables and began mixing vinyl.
TheSauce: TyDi, thanks again for agreeing to be interviewed!!! Our readers love your music and we wish you the best of luck with your new album and single.
TyDi: Cheers and thank you!
Find out more about TyDi here –
His website http://www.tydi.com
or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/tyDimusic
