If you haven’t heard of Topic, the German producer and DJ that has seen his music really take off in the last year, then today we have a treat for you. Hot off of the Astralwerks label, Topic has had a major hit with his recent release, “Breaking Me” feat. A7S, which has made it into 97 global Spotify Top/Viral 50 charts around the world.
FMF: Hi Topic! I’d like to thank you for taking the time to talk with me, especially after the recent release of your newest single, “Breaking Me” with A7S. When did you know that you wanted to make music your career? Did you have any other dream jobs growing up?
Topic: Producing music was my hobby since I was 16 years old. My music teacher was ahead of time and had planned a school-project where we could use music programs on computers. I got stuck on that and also started producing at home. It always gave me so much fun to create music so I pursued it as a hobby. I actually worked in a business job for 5 years, but in 2014 music became bigger and bigger and I finally decided to quit my job and only make music.
You’ve cited Swedish House Mafia, Avicii, and Deadmau5 as some of your favorite DJs and biggest influences on your music. Who were some of your favorite non-EDM artists that had an impact on you?
I started making music in 2008 and during that time Timbaland was my biggest influence!
What is your personal favorite track that you’ve created?
Haha, always a very tough question! But probably “Breaking Me”. The track will always have a special meaning to me as it made my dream come true of having a global hit!
Your songs have topped the charts in both the U.S and your home country of Germany. What do you think are the biggest differences between the music scenes and audiences in those countries?
I actually think, especially through streaming, that the differences in music scenes are getting less and less.
What do you find to be the most difficult part of producing a song?
It’s always different! That’s also what’s exciting about music production, you never know what happens!
You’ve described your song “Breaking Me” as “a meeting point between heartbreak and zestful beats.” Do you find it cathartic to express those emotions through lyrics and song?
“Breaking Me” kind of started a new era when it comes to my sound. I like to call it “melancholic dance music” – songs, which bring up various kinds of emotions but with a sound, which makes you want to dance. My tracks are not always about a certain situation that have been experienced by myself – but an emotion that many might know and could empathize with! As a producer I express my emotions mostly through sound so it’s essential to work with songwriters, who are on the same page.
Do you find you stick to a certain style of music or do you like experimenting with other genres? What’s the most you’ve ever been out of your comfort zone in terms of producing?
Oh, I used to find it really hard to stick to a certain genre. If you look at my releases from 2016-2019, you’ll find many different kind of genres… But right now I finally found what I wanna do! Most out of comfort zone is making techno tracks and producing hip hop beats.
What’s your favorite part of the music scene?
The best part is getting to travel to play my music, as different cultures influence and enrich me and my sound. I tend to soak up the vibes wherever I go and process them in my music. Due to the very special circumstances traveling and playing festivals isn’t really an option right now, but I’m glad to see that the music I produce offers a small distraction to the current situation the whole world is facing, which can be quite challenging for a lot of people!
On behalf of Fresh Music Freaks, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. We can’t wait to see what you release in the future!
Thank you! There’s a remix that came out in May, and another remix to come in June!
*Featured Image via Vien Tran Van*
