Read the Kurt April Interview below and share it on social media.
Please tell our readers who you are and what you do?
My name is Kurt April. I’m a 18 year old energetic DJ/Producer situated in Cape Town South Africa ??
My love for music has basically been there since I came out the womb haha , started off with hitting on pots and pans and then getting my very own drum kit at the age of 4! From then I started enjoying his myself playing funky rhythms and always wanted to be the drummer in my church hahah. I then grew older and came across virtual DJ and use to just make everything sound like the chipmunks and fooled around with the software. I got to high school and learnt how to play the guitar , saxophone and piano , this was a crazy experience for me!
As time went by I started doing sound engineering at my church from the age of 13 , I got taught and mentored from a great man by the name of Lionel Newman, this opening massive doors for me in the industry getting to work with so many big names and do things that not many 13 years olds would be doing at the time. I then begun my journey with one of the top sound and lighting companies in the country , Eastern Acoustics. Wow! The journey with EA has been crazy! I’ve been privileged enough to work at huge scale concerts and festivals as well as at the Artscape theatre!
My DJ career started out with a friend of mine Bradley Bosman , Bradley had this controller that I use to love messing around on! I then started playing small events about 2 years ago at 13 year old birthday parties as a duo with Bille zeeman under the name “RecksonDecks”. I then went on my own path as a solo act and that’s how I thought it would remain , playing at 13 year old birthday parties also known as a “disco” hahah. I didnt see myself doing what I’m doing now back then , I have grown and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far , but this is only the beginning! I’ve been privileged enough to play alongside acts such as Mandragora , Sophie Francis , Sketchy Bongo , Locnville , Chunda Munki and Mogey , just to name a few.
I’m no pro just yet! I'm working really hard to keep going up in the ladder! And will remain humble through everything I experience. passion for music is crazy and I just love making people happy through what I do! All glory to God for bringing me this far! My
I’ve got so much planned for this year, I’m super grateful for everyone that has been supporting me and I’m so excited for the journey ahead!
How would you describe your influences and how have they changed over the years?
My main influence is definitely Martin Garrix! Might sound sooo cliche , but Martins drive , energy and level of production is crazy! He started young and worked his way up, and I just feel like I can relate in so many ways! I enjoy watching the Martin Garrix shows that get uploaded to YouTube , showing his life behind the scenes. It is probably the most inspirational thing ever! And I always find myself watching them before shows.
Another influence would be MakJ. I once streamed his ultra Miami set and I was blown away! MakJ does some crazy things on those players.
What´s new right now?
Ive been working on a lot of music lately! And have definitely been improving on my production. Mid Last year I went for some production lessons with the man himself Max Hurrell! I took a lot out of that.
You can expect a lot of music from me this year! But there’s on song in particular that I’m so excited about!
I’m planning on releasing this track a bit later this year , it’s a really special track called “Graceful” , The song got inspired by a great girl who holds my heart. I put a lot of emotion into this song , I’m super happy so far and I cannot wait for the public to hear it!
2018 is going to be a massive year, I can feel it.
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Are you a superfan of anyone? How did you become a superfan? Do you remember how you become a fan and what turned you into super fan? Have you ever thought about why you´re such a fan?
Definitely Martin Garrix!
Everything he does is just so inspirational, especially for young DJs/Producers , I’ve been following Martin ever since animals right until now, and I’ve got no words to describe how great this guy is!
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What was the biggest mistake you made when you started making music and what would be the number one tip you could give to a newcomer musician?
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How do you get gigs? Can you share any tips?
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Do you have good promotion tips for other musicians?
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Do you have insights on how to grow your audience on soundcloud that you want to share with our audience?
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What has been your biggest challenge right now? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
My biggest challenge will most probably be balancing school with Events , but yes I’ve overcame these challenges and have set my priorities straight.
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How do you personally discover new music?
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Once you discovered new music, do you tell others about the new music/artist you discovered? If yes, how exactly?
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What is your number one tip to improve your music production or songwriting skills?
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What is your best tip for those who struggle with finishing their tracks?
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We meet again in one year. What has changed?
It’s every DJs dream to perform at ultra , that is definitely one of my goals, and I believe that I will achieve it if I keep on working hard and believe in myself. In a year from now another goal is definitely for my fan base and my following on social media to grow. This time next year I’ll be in university studying , but definitely won’t neglect my music!
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http://www.soundcloud.com/kurtapril_dj
http://www.facebook.com/iamkurtapril
https://www.instagram.com/kurt_april/
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Enter your questions to the artist in the facebook comment section below.
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