ITV LIVE – The DJ Sessions interviews Moguai 2/20/13

Number 1 hits, global headline tours, gold and double platinum awards for highly acclaimed releases are all part and parcel of the life of André Tegeler – aka MOGUAI –having established himself as one of the most trailblazer electronic producers of his generation. Over the course of a wildly successful career so far, his amazing talent and a combination of pioneering endeavors in the studio,spellbinding DJ sets and live shows have given MOGUAI deserved worldwide fame and recognition. From this immensely devoted and diverse global fan base has arisen,ever eager to experience what this dance music legend hasin store as he looks to break the mould that is the common perception of electro artists in his always-unique fashion.Since beginning his career during his youth in his native Germany, MOGUAI has worked outside the parameters that are often set around other artists.

His two highly acclaimed artist albums, ‘We Are Lyve’ (2010)and ‘Mpire’ (2012), both came out on megastar and international tastemaker deadmau5’s own mau5trap imprintand MOGUAI became the only artist outside of deadmau5 himself and Skrillex to bring out a full-length album on the label, such is the regard he is held in by his peers and key industry players. A multitude of singles came alongside and around these LPs on mau5trap and other heavyweight dance labels including world leader Spinnin’ and house icon Steve Angello’s Size to name just a couple. All coming at the same time as extensive headline tours to all four corners of the globe and prime festival slots including the likes of Tomorrowland and Berlin’s Love Parade where he had a crowd of 750,000 people all moving to his beat!

Add to the mix an abundance of high profile collaborations with the biggest and best from all parts of the music world and it’s clear to see the respect and admiration for MOGUAI that his fellow electronic artists hold for him. Fatboy Slim,Sebastian Ingrosso, Tommy Trash and Tiësto are just a handful of the heavyweights that have looked to him to help create something magical for the world to listen to. His Biggest hit to date and arguably the biggest dance track of 2013 – ‘Mammoth’ – with Belgian brothers Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, took off at the beginning of that year following 6 months of intense hype and anticipation from fans due to its inclusion in the Tomorrowland 2012 after movie.

After Spending weeks at #1 on the Beatport chart – holding firmover dance music’s busiest period of Miami Music Week –and thousands of sales, the rewards and awards deservedly rolled in. Over 50 million views on YouTube, over 5 million SoundCloud plays, a Beatport Gold Award for units sold and ‘Track Of The Year’ at the 2013 Beatport Awards –the list goes on!On top of this he is continually in demand to deliver his ever miraculous technical touch to remixes for a host of A-list superstars; Moby, Afrojack, Britney Spears, Underworld and Beyonce and many more have received his astounding re-imaginings. All executed with unwavering professionalism, technical ability and intuitive flair, it’s no surprise at all that requests for more keep coming.

MOGUAI’s coming-of-age occurred through the 90’s and early 00’s after a period immersed in his homeland’s rave scene and taking in the sonic delights from elsewhere in the country and around Europe, departing from DJ duties at warehouse parties and the like into the studio and in 2002 he brought out his first massive hit ‘U Know Y’ along with anew direction epitomized by his then-new imprint PUNX;firmly planting him on the dance music map. New life has now been breathed into PUNX with a relaunch that signals his intent to both unshackle himself from the confines of an increasingly saturated electro-house scene at the sametime as providing like minded artists with a platform from which they can do the same, with own productions such as‘PunkOmat’ and ‘When I Rock’ leading the charge from thefront.No task is impossible for MOGUAI and he still finds time every week to host his show ‘Rocker’ on one of Germany’s Two biggest radio stations, 1LIVE, which is listened to by an incredible 3.5 – 4 million people per day. For 10 years he has been ahead of the curve, bringing the freshest and best music to his homeland and is joined each episode by the absolute pinnacle of studio guests including Tiësto, David Guetta, Avicii, Calvin Harris and many more.

His Broadcasting doesn’t stop there either, as he also puts out the weekly ‘PUNX UP T HE VOLUME’ podcast online via iTunes, SoundCloud and on syndicated radio stations around the world! A plethora of new works and journeys are on the horizon for MOGUAI, not least a follow up to ‘Mammoth’ with Dimitri And Mike, which one can only assume will emulate – if not surpass – the accolades of the original leviathan. Following a 3 month North America tour, he will be taking on the European festival season in his usual hard-hitting manner before further globetrotting sonic excursions. Collaborations With the likes of TST and Benny Benassi, plus a realigning with mau5trap for exciting new releases offer the musical diversity that this maestro thrives on and add to that more barrier-breaking material through the PUNX imprint, and then it’s evident that MOGUAI has set himself up for another astronomical year.