INTERVIEW: HOAX

The word 'Hoax' is generally used negatively, commonly associated with deceit and trickery. HOAX (BE) adopted the name to subvert people's expectations: a break from the norm, and not what you might expect.

Energetic; Emotional; evolving. HOAX (BE) is a rising Belgian electronica DJ and producer specializing in melodic and progressive house and deep techno. With previous releases on labels such as Sony Belgium, Loud Memory, Black Lizard and Blanco Y Negro, HOAX (BE)'s sound is based on expressing emotions through melody and elegant, evocative production as they seek to make their mark on the scene. electronic in 2023 and beyond.

Inspired in music production by his experiences at Belgium's legendary Tomorrowland festival, HOAX (BE) began exploring various electronic genres, initially producing and playing disco music at outdoor parties before exploring the deeper nuances of house championed by acts like Purple Disco Machine, Tinlicker, Ben Bohmer and Jan Blomqvist.

Self-taught in YouTube videos since the age of 15, HOAX (BE)'s productions are often highly emotional and remain firmly rooted on the dance floor. From the disco-tinged funk of tracks like Hot For You and Deeper Love, which have racked up hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify, to the epic, progressive scope of 2022's Vision of You, their music has a clean line and consistency without seeming formulaic, and is consistently energetic, emotional, and evolutionary.

In 2022, HOAX (BE) made their DJ debut in Ibiza, playing three parties over the summer, including a pool party hosted by B Jones, with further performances in Miami for WMC and Amsterdam for ADE.

We have had the pleasure of interviewing him and this has been the result.

Can you tell us a little about your early musical experiences?

I have always been very interested in music and I started producing when I was 16 years old, inspired by watching videos of YouTube. Seeing huge festivals like Tomorrowland and the likes really motivated me Although I did not study music when I was a kid, I self learnt everything by spending countless hrs learning how to produce with my computer. Initially my music was inspired by disco classics and then after the pandemic I dug a bit more deeper into more emotional sounds.

How do you hope that your music influences or impacts your listeners?

The music I produce is all based on my emotions, daily struggles or experiences I lived in my life. I think once you create something that resonates with life, then people can find themselves a bit into that.

Do you feel that your sound has evolved over the years?

Absolutely! As mentioned before, my first approach into music was disco and the evergreen classics. Then I started using music to channel my inner self and now my music is more progressive and melodic, with particular attention to vocals. I can't wait for you to listen to my new works, they should be released quite soon and I am very excited to see the reaction of the people that follow me!

Do you feel consistency is important in creating music? Or is it ok to experiment with different styles and sounds?

I think music, like everything, evolves and so does taste. So I always want to be true to myself and to what I consider beautiful. So my music has changed a lot, I always try to find that new sound that is a bit different and I strive to make every new release better and more emotional than my previous one. However I also have some specific "signature sounds" that I try to include in every production I make, because I want my listeners to still recognize my in the productions.

How do you see the next few years or your career panning out, in an ideal world?

I work hard to be accomplished and to live out of the job I love and therefore as long as in a few years I can still do what I love, I can be surrounded by friends, I can discover more countries in the world and I can see people dance with my music, then I will have achieved everything I need.

In a more "practical" response, I will be spending quite a bit of my summer in Ibiza and I hope to be able to play a lot there because the energy from the island is just magical and it is a true international place where you have people from all over the world react on your music. I have played 3 times there last year (it was my debut in the island, playing Eden, Hard Rock Hotel and Tantra) and I am looking forward to a busy summer over there this year!

What's the most important piece of advice anyone's given to you so far?

I think this industry has a lot of ups and downs but luckily I am surrounded by people that believe in me and help me see the end results, despite sometimes is a bit bumpy. But my friends help me realize that I am doing what I love and I can dedicate my whole life around my passion, and that is a huge help to achieve my dreams I think.

HOAX (BE) SOCIALS

https://soundcloud.com/whoishoax

https://www.facebook.com/whoishoax

https://www.instagram.com/whoishoax