Fresh off his hard-hitting and crazy debut at Ultra Music Festival 2014, MAKJ graced the decks of Zouk for his first time in Singapore last month. The crazy one-night only DJ gig was packed with his signature blend of anthem EDM remixes. We managed to catch up with him to chat about LA, his sources of inspiration and his essential DJing wisdom.

So tell us a little bit more about yourself and your background.

I’m 23, originally from San Luis Obispo, California, and now live in Los Angeles.

How did you start DJing?

I saw DJ Q*Bert in a club while I was living in China, fell in love with the art-form, and taught myself how to do it shortly thereafter.

How would you describe your signature sound?

I come from a hip-hop/scratch background, so I mix very fast and use lots of samples.

What is the most important thing you want to achieve when playing to a crowd?

Constant energy and no lulls in my set, I want the crowd going crazy the whole time.

How does it feel after your huge set at Ultra Music Festival?

It looked and sounded absolutely crazy. Best set of my life! I had so much fun that day!

How does LA impact your work?

A lot of DJs are moving to LA these days, and there are lots of great studio spaces everywhere and tons of nightclubs, so it definitely allows me to collaborate and immerse myself in the music.

What are you most inspired by?

I’m inspired by how I DJ live. I always produce originals and remixes so that they fit well in my sets and have lots of changes and different elements. 

According to you, what is the most important thing about DJing?

Work hard and never give up. No one else is going to do it for you.

What do you think about EDM in general these days?

It’s bigger than it’s ever been which is great for everyone involved, but it also means that it’s very important for everyone to stay creative and continue to push boundaries so that the sounds don’t get stale or played out.