How was 2017 for you?
Spartaque: This year was just great for me. One of the most successful years in my 12-year career. I should pay my dues to the agencies I’m working with. It’s Barcelona-based Cubo agency and the guys who deal with my publicity, Urban Rebel PR. Indeed, we all work as one and do a great job, I believe. It’s all being done to make my name grow and develop, and I’m really happy about the way we find new solutions and set new tasks before ourselves. This year I moved to Barcelona. That’s one of the major things on this year’s agenda of mine, which I’m still to accomplish, a really important step for me both as an artist and as head of the family. So yeah. This year was a blast, and I will stay this way in my memory.
Highlights?
Moving to Barcelona. I am sure that this will bring along a great lot of advantages for my musical career. Besides, there has been a great number of awesome festivals and various events. There were also several great vinyl releases on my CODEX label. I took part in such big events such as Dream Beach festival, Aquasella Festival, I played a gig in Fabrik Madrid… Many, many bright events have taken place this year and I really hope that the next year will bring more of them, more interesting achievements which I will gain through hard work, just as I’ve been doing this year.
Lowlights?
A number of events I was part of this year, where the attendance was much lower than I initially expected, than at most of the parties I play. But I wouldn’t like to name them precisely, in order not to be mean to promoters and not cut myself off a potential chance to have another chance to perform at those events in the future. Statistically, it was probably one in 20 events that failed to meet my expectations this year. Another lowlight was an episode when I was rejected entry to Switzerland. It was my baby daughter’s birthday… Then my wife flew to Greece with her for a vacation, while I could neither celebrate my daughter’s birthday nor play a normal set. I also couldn’t play at scheduled show in Germany the next day. For about a month I couldn’t see my family because they were still on vacation. But on the other hand, this incident pushed me harder to taking a step of moving to Barcelona. So, as I’ve proven to myself a million times already, anything bad that happens to us from time to time could also have a good flip side to it, if you take a right approach to the situation. These things are also full of better senses, and by making the right type of conclusions from these situations, you can drastically change your career, your whole life for the better.
Song of the year?
Niereich, Hackler & Kuch – Blackstreet (Original Mix)
What’s your New Year’s resolution?
I’ve got loads of plans for this year. But once again, I should approach the implementation of my plans step by step, stage by stage. After I move to Spain, I will definitely require some time to resolve my personal issues, related to resettling of my family. Of course, it will take some time. But once I get all that settled, I’d like to seriously consider introducing CODEX showcase parties there. That’s my major brand nowadays, my creation that I’d like to develop and invest in as much as possible. As an artist, I hope I’ll be opening new markets. There are plenty of festivals I am yet to take part at, broadening my horizons. I believe all of it can be achieved; I only have to continue working in a right direction, and that’s what my team and I have been doing anyway. I am also willing to release on more labels and not forget about my own two imprints which have been performing quite well, actually. I’m happy to see what’s been cooking there. So, yeah, as the Romans said, Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger). That’s my motto pretty much for the upcoming year.