By Tom Alsup
Photos: Or Danon
Hair, Makeup & Styling: Shimon Shoshan
“Too many DJ/producers have gone underground, stopped making music, and chosen to wait out this horrible year,” says Guy Scheiman. “I think it’s important that we all keep doing the things we love, especially artists who need to maintain their artistry, even if there isn’t much hope of an income for the foreseeable future.”
This month, Guy Scheiman is out with “Disco Dance,” the 79th single release from his record label, Guy Scheiman Music. It’s a celebratory track that urges listeners to have fun and forget all the mess brought on by the pandemic. “My goal from the beginning of my career has always been to make people happy through the power of arm-raising music. That hasn’t changed because of the virus.”
Guy Scheiman is one of the most successful young DJs and producers on today’s international club scene. He has produced official remixes for some of the world’s biggest stars, including Cher, Kylie Minogue, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, and Lady Gaga. Before COVID, his club bookings spanned the globe (with gigs earlier this year in Moscow and China), where he ignited dance floors with his euphoric experiences.
Guy Scheiman was first introduced to dance music fifteen years ago in Tel Aviv through a DJ friend. “He taught me the art of spinning on turntables,” he recalls. “I practiced every day for hours on end.”
He began DJing friends’ parties, and that led to gigs at city bars and clubs where he made a name for himself with a unique high-energy sound that combined progressive, tribal, and tech house with strong melodies and memorable vocals. Fifteen years later, his live sets still feature strong grooves and powerful bass-lines. “Music has become food for my soul,” he explains. “It’s a wonderful getaway from daily life. It somehow makes everything brighter.”
He has played some of Europe’s biggest parties, including Salvation, HustlaBall, and Scream in Paris. He has headlined New Year’s Eve in Beijing and Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. He has also performed the world’s biggest pride festivals, including New York, Madrid, Amsterdam, Chicago, and Tel Aviv, as well as Jeffrey Sanker’s White Party Palm Springs.
When playing the same beats and sounds all the other DJs were playing grew to be stale, Guy started remixing his own music. It launched a second career for him. His remixes have been commissioned by some of the world’s biggest and most reputable record labels, including Universal, Interscope, Sony, Capitol, Atlantic, and TommyBoy.
Through the pandemic, Guy Scheiman has kept busy producing mixes for his own label, as well as remixes for major label artists, including Kygo’s “Like It Is,” Katy Perry’s “Never Worn White,” and Taylor Swift’s “The Man.” He also regularly produces live stream shows. “If anything positive has come from all this, it is that the connection between the DJ and audiences has gotten way closer,” Scheiman says.
It’s true. DJs are able to interact with fans more easily during their streams. Some DJs even collect emails from fans so they can update them on their upcoming live shows.
“The type of music we play has changed,” Scheiman continues. “People are home and sober, so the music is much lighter and more pop.”
He points out that DJs have always had to adapt their sounds to the situation, and he views the pandemic as an opportunity to explore and modulate his repertoire. His last project, “Let’s Get Along,” with Marcos Adam, had a very Pop/Classic House vibe.
“I’ll save the hard, progressive house beats for the virtual circuit weekends,” he laughs.
It’s good to be able to laugh even with the serious uncertainty of today’s world. The club music industry that Scheiman loves is suffering, and he is urging fans to support their favorite artists and venue owners. “Buy drinks-to-go at your favorite bar and tip your DJs when they go live,” he says. “Share and support their streams. Let them know you appreciate what they do.”
Visit guyscheiman.com