New Zealander DJ and producer OPIUO made his Suwannee Hulaween debut with a stellar show on the final night of the festival. EDM Chicago was lucky enough to sit down with OPIUO on Sunday afternoon where we discussed his live show with an orchestra at Red Rocks, new music and his Hulaween experience so far. Check out the Interview and some photos from the show below!
So this is your first time at Hulaween, how do you like it so far? Do you get to stay for the night after your show?
We saw some Jamiroquai last night and the 3D light show over Spirit Lake. I really like that stuff, things like that excite me. Tonight after the show we’re flying to LA and then over to Australia
Are you headed to Australia to play any shows?
Yes, in about a week we’ll be playing with the Orchestra in Melbourne.
Oh wow that’s awesome! Speaking of the orchestra, you just played a live show with the orchestra at Red Rocks. Could you tell me about that?
It was kind of one of those insane moments in life where you don’t really know what happened once it was over. It was very surreal. I put everything I had into it. I wasn’t nervous but when I walked off stage I had nothing left because we gave it our all.
Had you played Red Rocks before that show?
Yeah, I’ve played there a couple of times but this was my first time headlining my own show there. It was really special, I had lots of family and friends there.
Are you going to continue playing with the orchestra in the future?
Honestly, I can’t say I won’t but I also can’t say I will because each show takes about three months of work. We have to build the orchestra, find all the right people. We have good contacts in Melbourne so we can do it there but Red Rocks was really cool because it all worked out there.
Is the orchestra from Red Rocks the same as the orchestra you’ll be playing with in Melbourne?
No, logistically we can’t fly out the whole orchestra, it would probably cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
So you play today at 6:30, are we going to hear any new music and do you have anything you’re working on?
Yeah! I just finished an EP and I’m working on another one that may turn into an album. I feel very free at the moment to make music, I’ve been collaborating with a bunch of artists. Personally I go through phases where I can produce music. After the we played with the orchestra at the Red Rocks show I had a lot more time to make music.
I’m making electronic music because now that I’m done with the whole live show I want to go back to where I came from and I’ll be playing some of it today.
How is it going back and fourth from live shows and electronic?
It’s fun. we want to keep people surprised and interested in what I’m doing. Some people like the solo show more and some prefer the live show so it’s nice to have both.
A big thank you to OPIUO for taking the time to sit down with EDM Chicago. We wish you the best of luck and we’re looking forward to hearing the new tunes!
