Don’t read this if you don’t want to find yourself humming the line “oh, I think that I’ve found myself a cheerleader” for the rest of the day. Too late? Sorry! There’s no doubt about it: German DJ Felix Jaehn’s reworking of OMI’s (ala Omar Samuel Pasley) 2012 reggae track is this year’s best (or most annoying, depending on your taste) earworm so far.
If you love the track, May 31 is your chance to see Jaehn live, when he takes over Okku’s Sunday night special, L.O.V.E. (alongside him are residents Yiannis, Ralphal Becker and Herman Courtes on percussion).
We caught up with the Hamburg-born 21-year-old to hear about how he got hold of the track and what he’s cheering for.
Q. Congrats on the success of Cheerleader. How did you come across this track?
A. The record label, Ultra Music [OMI’s label in New York], sent me Cheerleader. I liked the summer vibes, which were not yet explicitly highlighted in the original production. Therefore, I really wanted to give it a go.
Q. What do you look for in a track that you are going to remix, or do you remix lots of different things and see how it turns out?
A. I usually look for three things:
1) Who is the artist of the original song?
2) Do I like the song in general?
3) Do I think I can make a good [maybe even ‘better’] song/remix in my very own style.
Q. When remixing, how do you know how far to take it; when do you say, ‘it’s done’?
A. Once I get to a point, where the track is almost done, I listen to it over and over again, in different situations and places such as my study, car or iPod. Then I do further adjustments until I am happy with the result.
Q. Why do you think this song has been such a hit, and what was the difference that remixing did to it vs the original?
A. I simply think that it’s a unique song. The combination of reggae vocal with the house beat and sounds is really fresh. I only used the vocal of Cheerleader. So the entire track/production is new and different to Omi’s original song (have a listen to the slower-paced version here).
Q. What’s next for you? What other artists or tracks are you remixing?
A. I am working on many original songs. I am doing songwriting sessions with talented new artists in Stockholm, London and Amsterdam. I will also do some more remixes. I unfortunately can not yet tell you any names, but I am working on remixes for some of my idols.
Q. What can Dubai expect from your set?
A. I will surely play my own releases such as Shine and Ain’t Nobody besides some amazing tracks from other artists I like such as Oliver Heldens, Watermat and my German buddy Robin Schulz.
Q. Cheerleader is a great summertime anthem. What are your favourite summertime tracks? And what are your favourite tracks on your playlist right now?
A. There are so many good songs, so it is really hard to limit myself to just a few. On my playlist right now are for example: Astrid S - 2AM (Matoma Remix); > Sam Feldt - Show Me love (EDX Remix); Gisselle Roselli - Silk.
Q. If you were a cheerleader for something, what would it be?
A. Definitely soccer. I have always been supporting HSV, Hamburgs team, although they are not doing that great right now.
Don’t miss it!
Felix Jaehn plays Okku’s L.O.V.E. Sunday session on May 31. Call 04-5018777 for reservations.
