Exclusive interview: Adam Holiday discusses new single & upcoming projects for 2019

South African DJ and producer Adam Holiday is determined to make 2019 his year. The artist started his musical adventure at a very young age thanks to his family, and more specifically, his uncle’s influence. Being just 17 years old, he secured his first DJ residency, as well as playing in some of the finest clubs in Johannesburg. After dominating the local scene, he decided to take a step forward, moving to Europe to be closer to the main music industry, establishing himself in Southern Spain. Over the years, he proved to be one of a kind, dominating some of the best clubs in Spain including Budda Beach and Café del Mar.

However, he also demonstrated his talent as a producer. Having the Dutch house god Erick Morillo as his main musical influence, he has released plenty of records for various labels including Shake Recordings, Baikonur Recordings, NoMatter, 99 Waves, and Solid Grooves, among others. The versatile producer has delivered plenty of club anthems like ‘SunScreen‘, ‘Breaking The Mold‘ and now his most recent track ‘Gravel Pitting‘.

Adam Holiday’s brand new record ‘Gravel Pitting’ was released today on the ‘Moonshot 009‘ compilation on Baikonur Recordings. Standing out as one of the highlights of the compilation, the track is powered by a relentless house energy that cements it as a certified anthem. Building up its intensity from the onset, the track is incredibly addictive, and will no doubt have listeners hitting replay over the coming months and beyond.

We caught up with Adam Holiday to discuss his past, present and upcoming future projects for the year.

What inspired you to start a career in the music industry?

I’ve always loved music, I think because I come from a really musical family when I was about 13 my uncle got me listening to house music and I fell in love instantly. I could spend all day in the studio making beats and throwing house parties so I could DJ. I knew very quickly I wanted to make a career in the industry so decided to study sound engineering.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

Erick Morillo is definitely my biggest inspiration in the electronic music scene. He has done so well for so long which isn’t an easy thing to do in the music industry. I personally think he is the best DJ and it was a dream come true when he supported one of my tracks on his SiriusXM radio show. Other inspirations musical include Mark Knight and Harry Romero, I think they are amazing producers.

Congrats on your brand new track ‘Gravel Pitting’. What was the inspiration behind the track?

There is a hip hop track by Wu-Tang Clan called ‘Gravel Pit‘, I always loved the sample they used in this song. It has such an edgy feel to it, I knew it would sound great in a house track. The original sample came from a track by Antoine Duhamel and I used the sample as the main driver of the track. The rest just flowed from that, I kept the track quite deep and techy which is the sound I’m really feeling right now.

What’s the story behind the name of the track?

I thought long and hard on what to call this track but ´Gravel Pit’ from Wu-Tang was already interesting so I thought why not.

All of your tracks carry your signature style, is this something you set out to achieve when you begin your creative process for each release?

I always set out to produce songs I would play in my sets and I do have a specific style of music that I like. When I produce a track, I try to have a starting point like a sample, vocal or an idea and try and bring my own style in along the way.

As someone who regularly performs in Spain at iconic venues like Café Del Mar, what made you decide to choose this location as your home?

I’m originally from Johannesburg, South Africa but felt moving to Europe would have more opportunity for me in the music industry. As I am used to the sun the South of Spain was a natural choice for me, I’ve been here 9 years now and never looked back. It’s also a short flight to Ibiza which is ideal.

Do you find that Spain has an influence on the style of the music you release?

Definitely, there are some amazing Spanish producers and the club scene is really big here, not just in Marbella but also in some of the surrounding cities like Malaga. Going out here and seeing what works well in the clubs definitely influences my sound and what I am trying to achieve in the studio.

Do you have any performances lined up for the coming months?

Yes… stay tuned for my summer gigs!

Do you have any new music in the pipeline?

I have a new EP featuring two tracks coming out shortly on Shake Recordings. I’m really excited about these two tracks and I can’t wait for the release. The main track has been working really well in clubs it has been getting great reactions. Apart from this release, I have a bunch of new stuff I am currently working on. I also have a few remixes coming up so it will be pretty busy for me in the studio the coming few weeks.

What are your plans for the rest of 2019?

This year I really want to grow as a producer and keep making the music that I enjoy. I have quite a few ideas for tracks that I want to try and complete before the summer. Apart from that my partner and I are planning on buying a house near Marbella. She is thinking ‘new house’ while I am thinking ‘new studio’!

Adam Holiday’s track ‘Gravel Pitting’ was officially released today, check it out on Spotify below.