Here’s how DJ Steve Aoki puts his creative energy to work

DJ Steve Aoki is a two-time Grammy-nominated international producer/DJ, entrepreneur, and founder of Dim Mak Records. As one of the highest-grossing dance artists in North America, it’s no surprise he’s in high demand. His recently collaborated with the likes of Lil Uzi Vert, Bok Nero, T-Pain, 2Chainz, and Gucci Mane, to name just a few.

In today’s collaborative world of music entertainment, Aoki spends more time out of the studio than he does in it. For him, finding creative inspiration is about working with different people, from different backgrounds in different places. “One of the benefits of being on the road is that I’m always around new environments, new stimulus. I meet different producers, and ultimately I end up making music that I wouldn’t have made if I was just at home.”

In this day and age, you don’t need to be in this studio 24/7. I make sure that everything gets uploaded to Dropbox where I can share all my files and sessions from wherever I am in the world.

On his latest album, KOLONY, Aoki was inspired by entirely new collaborations—artists he hadn’t worked with before. “During the process of making KOLONY, I found it less about who I am and where I came from, and more about finding that new road with the artist.”

This led to a creative output Aoki says he wouldn’t have found alone in a studio: “For me, it was about creating new music, something extraordinary and different. To do that, the way you make music has to change, and that’s where the magic lies.”

As a pioneer in digital creation and collaboration, Aoki uses technology both on and off screen to make his vision come to life: “In this day and age, you don’t need to be in this studio 24/7,” he explains. “I make sure that everything gets uploaded to Dropbox where I can share all my files and sessions from wherever I am in the world. I can do everything I need to do.”

To hear more from DJ Steve Aoki, see the video below.