Vintage Culture Talks Working with Tiësto and Só Track Boa

Vintage Culture stopped by to chat about his single “Coffee (Give Me Something)” with Tiësto, staying positive during the pandemic, and plenty more!

Since first emerging on the scene, Vintage Culture has become an artist whose name must be in the conversation when discussing top-tier talents. Dominating the decks in his home country of Brazil and at iconic festivals all over the world while also delivering some amazing tunes along the way that continue to chart, there’s no surprise that he’s risen through the ranks at a rapid pace.

Riding the wave of success from singles like “In The Dark” and “I Will Find,” Vintage Culture further cemented his legacy in Brazil with Só Track Boa, a series of parties that have sold out consistently in Brazil and even landed in New York. This year, he hasn’t let the pandemic slow down his ascent in the scene either, as there’s been a flurry of amazing tunes and remixes released over the past few months including “Party On My Own” with Alok and “Coffee (Give Me Something)” with Tiësto.

Most recently, Vintage Culture took to remixing Joel Corry and MNEK’s massive tune “Head & Heart” with Fancy Inc and put a fantastic spin on the release to keep the summer vibes rolling strong. Looking to gain some insight into his production process, Só Track Boa, and how he’s stayed motivated during the pandemic, we caught up with him for a chat. Check it out!

Stream “Head & Heart” (feat. MNEK) (Vintage Culture & Fancy Inc Remix) on Spotify:

Hi Vintage Culture, thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. 2020 has been a challenging year for the music industry as a whole. In a year unlike any other, how have you been staying focused, healthy, and productive during this time? What has your experience been like?

Thank you for having me. It is a pleasure to answer your questions. In fact, despite the pandemic, we must try the best in each situation. In regards to staying healthy, I’m working out and training every morning. Of course, it requires discipline, but I would say I’m making some progress! It was positive to have time to organize everything, to plan new things that sometimes I don’t have time to look at closely during the tour. It’s great to rest and get as many studio hours as I want. I have over 100 songs ready, and the release schedule makes me anxious every day.

You’ve become well known for your remixes over the years and recently dropped one for Joel Corry and MNEK’s “Head & Heart.” How do you decide which tracks you want to remix and does the production process differ compared to making original tunes?

I think what keeps Vintage Culture alive is producing and playing what I really love and what makes me happy. The remixes I make are songs that I like from artists that I admire, which pushes me harder to always deliver something really great. The process is different from original songs to remixes because the music already has its own story. Vocals have already been recorded. Whether or not you have to think of something that makes sense to the artist being remixed and my own style.

Other remixes you’ve done range from Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” to The Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition”. Which remix that you’ve worked on challenged you the most and put you outside of your comfort zone/sound?

Great question. Actually, I always try to go beyond my comfort zone when producing and remixing. If I’m remixing a song I already visualized it out of my comfort zone.

One of your most recent stand-out tunes is “Coffee (Give Me Something)” which saw you team up with Tiësto. What was it like working with a legend in the dance music scene, and what brought you two together for this track?

I released “My Girl” on his label, Musical Freedom, in 2019. Afterward, we started talking about doing something together shortly. So that day came to life! It was the perfect opportunity; words can’t express how happy and grateful I am. I loved the song. Working with Tiësto is an honor and a lifetime experience. Imagine a boy hailing from a city of 15 thousand inhabitants in the middle of nowhere, who wanted to be a DJ, and now he is actually releasing a song with Tiësto? It feels incredible.

This year you also released Vintage Culture & Friends 3 with features from Meca, Gabe, Bondi, KVSH, and Dashdot, and the previous edition was in 2017. What led to your decision to bring it back, and how do you curate the tracks for it?

Literally, I have more songs finished than I could possibly release on a regular release schedule. The EPs enable more songs to be out as much as the fans (and I) would like to. Some EPs, such as the Vintage Culture & Friends series, are actual priorities, carefully curated alongside my management team.

I love the music video for “Cante For Nós”. You travel from the beach to the mountain ranges and everything in-between. What was the creative process like for this video?

It means a lot! I also love that music video. It was the very first one we did on such production level and aesthetics. I can say that it was one of the best days of my life. Having my friends and me together at such a paradisiacal location, unforgettable. “Cante Por Nós” is also a milestone for KVSH, a great artist. I am pleased about the result, and for everything, the song made to our careers.

Aside from making music and playing sets, you also started your own festival series, Só Track Boa. How did that come to fruition and what does the future hold for it?

The brand Só Track Boa has started as a small Facebook page posting DJ sets. They opened their doors to me when no one else did. We became friends, and now they are my business partners. Só Track Boa evolved into a clothing brand, a yearly-calendar of parties, and finally, to the enormous festival we love today selling out stadiums all over Brazil and gathering up to 25,000 people. There was an edition in NYC in 2019 that sold out, and in 2020 it was supposed to happen twice the size, sold-out was expected as well.

The electronic music scene has grown in Brazil over the past decade, even with the economic struggles that other artists like Alok have mentioned in past conversations with us. What do you attribute to its exponential growth in that time frame? Where do you see it going?

It is common sense that given the exchange rate between USD x BRL (local Brazilian currency), it became incredibly expensive to book international artists in Brazil in the past five years. Therefore, naturally, local acts gained more opportunities and visibility. Brazil is so big. I also believe that the Brazilian’s taste has changed. Fans are supporting local acts. Brazilian artists are evolving into reliable brands. Everything I mentioned above, plus a lot of work, production investments, and good music that had lots of acceptance by the fans, took me to be where I am today. I am confident Brazil has all the potential to export high-quality electronic music.

Having been featured on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine and chosen by Forbes Magazine’s list of 30 under 30, what is a piece of advice you would give to aspiring producers?

You are the artist. It’s your own career. Always be on top of everything. Do not outsource your responsibilities. Participate and engage as much as you can. Choose the people by your side wisely.

Finally, now that most of the year is over, what can fans expect from Vintage Culture the rest of 2020 and beyond?

I would like to thank everyone who accompanies me on this journey. I miss you all! I can’t wait to be back with you, playing for hours and hours at every party. I can promise a lot of new songs and surprises… I’m looking forward to delivering all of my body and soul to you.

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