Nicky Romero Q&A at STORY

Photography by Ryan Troy on June 18th, 2013 in Clubs, Nightlife

Nicky Romero

Miami Beach, FL – June 14, 2013 – Friday night at STORY brought in one of the biggest names in EDM right now: Nicky Romero. This 24 year-old Dutch DJ has become a worldwide sensation in what feels like just the span of a night. He’s been playing at LIV and Arkadia in Miami since 2011, but it wasn’t until the past year that Romero really gained momentum on the charts with the help of big name DJ mentors like David Guetta and Tiesto. Now, Romero is a DJ, producer, and label owner, having started his own label last year called Protocol Recordings, and his hit songs can be heard on Y100. Just last week, he returned to Miami to give his first solo set at STORY, and blew the roof off. He even had a few moments to spare to chat with World Red Eye about how much has changed in the past year and what we have to look forward to coming up.

World Red Eye: Last time you played at STORY was with David Guetta for his F*** Me I’m Famous party during WMC, what was that like and what’s your relationship with Guetta?

Nicky Romero: It’s awesome! David and I are like brothers; we spend a lot of time in the studio together, and I play with him many times during his FMIF summer residency at Pacha in Ibiza this season.

WRE: Just last year you launched your record label, Protocol, with the first three releases all hitting number 1 on the Beatport charts- how’s that been going for you and what brought about Protocol?

NR: Well I really wanted to set up my own label, so I would not have to deal with release schedules that were, in some cases, not opportune for me. I came up with the name Protocol myself, and we now have a label, a worldwide radio show, and an event all under the same name.

WRE: What can we expect to see in second half of 2013 from Protocol- any collaborations or releases coming out soon that we should know about?

NR: The first one coming up is my single with Krewella called “Legacy.” I have some interesting collabs in the pipeline, but I cant say a lot about that at the moment. Just follow me on my socials and keep up to speed!

WRE: You’ve been coming to Miami for the past couple years, what keeps you coming back to the city outside of the heavy industry times like WMC? What’s your favorite part about playing here?

NR: Well one of the main reasons is Biz Martinez! Seriously, the people at LIV have always been so good to me: they throw kick-ass parties, it’s always packed, and I’m always stoked to play! I am always up for playing anywhere, anytime, don’t get me wrong… But LIV has always been a smash when I played it any day of the week, even starting off in Arkadia was loads and loads of fun!

WRE: A year or two ago you were more up-and-coming, quickly gaining popularity, and now your track “I Could Be The One” can be heard on the radio… What’s it been like having such a rapid rise on the charts and hearing your own track on mainstream radio stations?

NR: Sometimes I have to pinch myself to see whether this is all reality or not. I do understand that my career has skyrocketed, and I am very blessed to be in this position, and believe me I count my blessings every day. This question I get asked a lot in interviews, and I really couldn’t tell you how it feels to hear your own music on mainstream radio, other than awesome.