“I kind of put myself in a box, and the type of music that I make isn't necessarily ideal for dance, which is what these events are all about. Like, really heavy trap and dubstep is really fun and there's a lot of high energy, but there's not as much groove as other genres of music.”

SUMMARY

Aaron Della Vedova chats with Nathan Shaw, known as Ekali, who is a music producer, DJ, and EDM trap style artist. Ekali has worked with heavy hitters from his first song out of the gate that was picked up by Drake. He has worked with Skrillix, Zoo, and Wafia, to name a few. His journey to get to the top of the food chain in the music industry and that first confidence boost he got when Drake sampled one of his songs.

Ekali’s love of music started at a young age in Vancouver, Canada. When he was in elementary school a special teacher, Ms. Tomlinson, gifted him a violin that changed his life forever. In high school, he struggled academically and eventually dropped out to pursue music full-time. He joined a band but eventually felt creatively unsatisfied only playing bass.

In the early 2000s, electronic music began to gain popularity, especially in America. This is when the protagonist began to get interested in EDM and started making his own music. His first song was Unfaith, which Drake and Party Next Door sampled, giving him his first big break. He eventually hired an agent in Europe and went on four or five full European tours before becoming a well-known sought after DJ and producer in America. But it hasn’t all been easy, fun, or pretty.

Ekali gets real about drugs, anxiety and lonliness on the road as a solo artist, and what, or who, is the catalyst for him to course correct and move into the next phase of his career and life.

Tune in. We hope you enjoy this open, honest conversation with the remarkably talented Ekali.

What we chat about:

0:01:55 A Journey from Vancouver to the Music Industry

0:03:20 Ekali’s Musical Journey

0:06:32 Ekali’s Breakthrough Moment and Early Career Experiences

0:11:09 From Touring in a Van to Making Lemonade Out of Lemons

0:14:06 Touring and Substance Abuse

0:16:34 Touring as a Solo Artist

0:20:19 Balancing a Rock Star Lifestyle with Self-Care

0:21:47 Social Anxiety, Solo Album, and Touring During COVID-19

0:25:29 Impact of the Pandemic on Musicians' Live Performance Income

0:27:25 Navigating Touring and Relationships in the Music Industry

0:28:39 Fiance, Touring Life, Marriage Plans, and AI Art

0:30:21 AI and Its Impact on the Arts

0:32:08 Use of AI in Art and Music Creation

0:33:47 Benefits of Utilizing Technology in Music Production

0:35:23 Exploring AI as a Creative Assistant and His Upcoming Music Project

0:41:04 Meaningful Tattoos and Decorating the Human Body

0:46:11 Upcoming Projects and Tour Plans