What first drew you into music production?

Music has always been a large part of my life. For as long as I can remember, Music was always there for me, through the good and bad times. As a child, I would hear songs on the radio and create my own melodies. I first fell in love with musicians such as Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, Guns N’ Roses, and Def Leppard. Then I found electronic music and I was hooked, with a large portion of my inspiration for music production coming from Skrillex and the late Avicii. I still to this day go back to their early works for inspiration.

You are one of the best remix producers we have encountered on the internet! And your latest remix of Nickey Romero is one of our all time favorites. How do you know if a song is a good candidate for a remix? Also, what is your creative process like when making a remix?

This means a lot to me! To me, knowing if a song is a good Remix candidate is easy. I hear the original and I instantly think of the ways I can change and manipulate it to make it a sound of my own. If I feel like it can fit a “Squalzz” type vibe, then I get to work. Sometimes it’s hard to create a remix if I can’t find an acapella of the song, or if an artist doesn’t directly send one to me, but sometimes an idea is so good I manage to find a way around this. My creative process for a remix is writing my ideas down in the studio as I hear it in my head, and I have to do this as I’m going about it, because if I lose it, it’s almost impossible to get the idea back.

Your remix of “I still see your face” is another great example of how capable you are as a producer! The mixing is on point and the melodies/ideas are out of this world! Could you tell us more about your studio setup and some of your favorite plugins?

Again thank you! My Studio setup is pretty basic. It pretty much comprises of Yamaha hs6 studio monitors, an audio interface, Fl studio 12, Epiphone les Paul, a Ibanez bass guitar, and HP laptop. My favorite plugins right now are the classics, such as Sylenth, Nexus, and Serum. A new plugin I’ve fallen in love with is called Little Alter Boy. It skews the vocal format and makes them sound really low or high but still in the same key.

Your signature sound reminds us of the sound of some of the greatest producers in the world (Two friends, Diplo, The Chainsmokers etc). How did you manage to achieve such a professional sound in such a short time?  Can you tell us more about your musical background?

A lot of practice and long nights. I’ve spent the last two years not getting much sleep. I’ve put about five years of work into two short years. I try to experiment with bending genres and making new styles of dance music. My goal is to make something the world hasn’t heard yet. When someone hears my music even if they have no prior knowledge of what they are listening to, I want them to know that it is a Squalzz track they are listening to. The crazy thing is I’ve never had any formal music training. Since I was young, I’ve had the ability to pick up any instrument and play it. I don’t always know what key or scale I’m playing in, but I just know that it sounds good.

You have only started putting up music on Soundcloud a year ago and you are already getting hundreds of thousands of views! How does it feel to receive such a warm welcome from the community?

I just love my fans. I don’t have a giant following or anything, but I love the people that support me. I like to call it the Butterfly Gang. I have always been fascinated with butterflies, especially the blue butterfly, or the blue morpho. The amount of love I have received is amazing, and I can’t thank my supporters enough. I’m only 17, and I have a lot still to learn about both music and life, and seeing that people still appreciate me and what I do means everything. My hope is that more and more people will love the sounds that I bring to them. I feel like I have a lot more to offer the world, and I am only getting started.

What are your goals for 2018? Any upcoming projects we can get excited about

One of my goals for this year is to build the Squalzz brand. I want to make some big noise in the industry and spark a resurgence in this scene, while also being different. The people want something new and exciting, I’m here to give them that new sound. I have a few projects with Jake Guercia I’m working on. He’s another really talented producer. Be on the lookout for him as well. I have a lot of new originals I am finishing up; alongside some amazing remixes, I have recently completed. I wouldn’t say a possible EP is out of the question either. I want 2018 to be the year of both Squalzz and Dance Music! Give me a listen, and I promise not to disappoint.

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