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lineup except maybe me, Cashmere Cat and
Madeon. For some people it’s this ideal festival
lineup of people you hear online but you
wouldn’t get the chance to see all in one place.
I tried to not pander when I was deciding
the lineup, I tried to do the right thing for the Kevin Winter / Getty Images / Coachella
festival and create the right experience.
One of the best things that happened was,
when I started, I drafted a dream lineup and
that’s essentially what we ended up with. One
thing I’m over the moon about is the excitement
of the artists to do a festival like this. That is
such a great piece of this. I heard from one of
them, “This is exactly what I wanted to do.”
So it sounds like one of the benefits is that
you get complete control over the environ-
ment of the performance, not just your set.
I’m really controlling and obsessive with my
music, videos, festival presentation, with ev-
ery project I do I like to control the multimedia
as much as I can.
So to be able to be involved in all aspects of
the festival is really cool. It's nice to be work-
ing with Goldenvoice because they have so
much experience, and Coachella is my favorite
festival to play. It’s just such a good experi- MADEON AND PORTER ROBINSON wave to their fans at Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival April 23, 2017.
ence for the artist.
I want Second Sky to be a really good expe-
rience, not only for the fan but for everybody choices, so they don’t have to sacrifice seeing even people who were into these more obscure
on the lineup, I want them to feel comfortable. one artist for another. You’re not allowing styles wouldn’t know. I wanted them to feel
I feel that there’s so many musicians, my people to disrupt, there’s a little bit of force- fearless. I don’t usually hold peoples’ hands to
peers who are just struggling, generally. And I fulness. “No. Watch this artist because they’re sell tickets and make sure people come. It’s al-
wish they weren’t. I wish everyone who makes fucking awesome.” Maybe in the future [other ways been ‘Let me put on this experience that
music that I really like can have their ideal festivals] might want to keep it to a single I hope is uncompromising. I did my absolute
career. Obviously that’s not always possible, stage, so people are forced to reckon with mu- best to make it cool according to my own stan-
but that’s a big part of why I wanted to do sic that they might not know. That’s a really dards and if you want to come, that’s great.’
this. I’m trying to create a dreamland for these big part of what I want to do. I feel really lucky to be in this position,
artists and give a lot of them a little extra For me, the idea of being able to do a where I can do whatever I like and people will
boost with my audience. festival that is uncompromising, that doesn’t come check it out. I don’t know if that’s gonna
offer people a lot of choice, but is saying ‘Here last forever, but I can’t tell you how liberating
So you are going to perform the material is the lineup, enjoy it,’ is the most incredible it is, creatively, to know that I can do basically
from Worlds. tool. It shows that the people who follow me whatever I think is good and people will at
In 2014 I launched Worlds Live, it’s something have faith in what I do. least give it a chance. That really makes me
that I worked on and made a long time ago. feel loved.
It’s something my fans have a strong affec- You seem very grateful to have fans that I don’t expect my fans to like everything that
tion for. A lot of people really want to see that let you take chances. I do, but I really care that they always listen to
show exactly as it was several years ago. It’s Honestly, it feels reassuring. I really cherish what I have to say. I want always be making
something that they idolize, they could proba- that I have that relationship with my audience. something uncompromising and honestly the
bly say it better than me, but they really have Time and time again I have been able to do way I think it should be. That aspect of it, that
come to revere this specific show. these projects that are not what they want or people believe that, is incredible.
I try to avoid always giving my fans exactly expect, but hopefully they give it a chance,
what they want. My most recent project, figure it out, and come to love it. It sounds like you’ve really been enjoying
Virtual Self, was mostly for me. I think so many people turned around on Vir- the experience of curation. Would you con-
But the cool thing about performing Worlds tual Self. When it first came out people expect- sider a return in 2020?
is I get to give people what they really want by ed that warm, fuzzy, nostalgic, emotional music There’s so many logistical elements of put-
doing the full live show, which I haven’t done I was doing with Worlds and were anticipating ting on a festival. I’ve had so many questions:
very much in recent years. And the upside of a sequel to that. When I came out with Virtual “Are people gonna come?” “Is there gonna
that for me is getting to say, “Look at all this Self, it was really cold, serious, not as warm as be some issue?” You never know, there’s so
other cool music.” my past projects. I really felt like I was doing many things that people perceive is the artist’s
that for such a niche audience, for like 100 responsibility.
The festival is only one stage, meaning people, myself being one of those people. I want to see how it goes before committing
attendees only get one performance option But people still came to the show. And I to another year, but the part I feel absolutely
at a time. I’m sure there would be tons of obsessed over the show, I obsessed over the certain about is putting on a super cool lineup
other artists who would love to join, why music, I obsessed over the videos. I wasn’t of stuff that I think is legitimately great, and
not open a second stage? playing songs like, “Every Time We Touch,” a trying to make it the best musical experience
The intention of this festival is to give people beat from a 2000 trance record which people possible. And Goldenvoice handles all the oth-
a compelling lineup that they are absolutely would know, I didn’t want to hold their hand. er logistical aspects, so that’s the part of the
going to want to see. And there’s not a ton of In fact, I tried to play a good deal of stuff that festival that I’m excited to see how it goes. s

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