For the fifth time, dance music artists Joven Grech and Cyprian Cassar – better known as Tenishia – have secured a spot on the World’s Top100 DJ list. Holger Camilleri interviews the duo ahead of a free event that will see their fans gathering together for one big celebration.

You’ve played for large crowds, from 300,000 in Hanoi, Vietnam, to small club nights across the globe, to big events like the TranceAddict Area at Tomorrowland. And there are the yearly Tenishia events in Malta. Which crowd do you enjoy playing for the most?

All of them. We love our job and every event and every crowd, big or small, brings with it its own stories. One would think playing for 300K people is exciting and we would agree. Even just looking at the video or photos when playing to a big crowd, it’s a rush. But then again, club crowds are also fun and also more challenging. They are easier to read, but require more skill, too.

Does performing to such different scenarios affect your set?

A DJ is also an entertainer and, even though we believe one should stick to whatever sounds he or she likes, it’s important to know how to adapt to different crowds in various countries, time slots and events. It might be that some tracks you usually play might work in Argentina, but will send a crowd off to sleep in China.

Some tracks might be suitable for warm up sets or opening slots, but do not exactly fit in peak hours. Your set should also change depending on who is headlining that particular event, particularly if you need to build up for the headliner. This is where most of the upcoming DJs fail. Most people think that to be a good DJ you just need to pump out the good tracks that everyone knows. However, it goes far beyond that. If you hear a DJ playing hit after hit at 10pm, when the club has just opened, then probably he won’t go too far in his career.

What is the biggest challenge when trying to get the crowd into the vibe?

The most valuable skills a club DJ should have are music selection, crowd reading and the knowledge of a lot of music to flow a good set. Mixing music fits somewhere in there, too. It’s psychological, most of the people won’t even notice what you are doing, but using all these elements correctly should get the crowd going. Catch the crowd in your rhythm and you’ve got a great night ahead.

What differences do you see between Maltese crowds and foreign ones?

We have seen big changes in the Maltese crowd throughout the 18 years of our career. What is annoying is that, for such a small island, many people suffer from a serious case of elitism, destroying what once was a very strong clubbing scene. We see people who snob each other, where the agenda is not music but what people are wearing and who is in the VIP area or not.

What is EDM for Tenishia?

EDM stands for Electronic Dance Music and it once meant exactly what is says – an umbrella genre that also included trance, house and techno under its umbrella. But, nowadays, it’s also a genre in its own right that – if we’re honest - we are not particularly fond of. It goes by various names – EDM, progressive house, trouse…

Somehow, a particular set of rules applies to bands – and a totally different set to DJs

This genre does attract a lot of criticism. What is Tenishia’s take?

We can’t really blame the critics. Even though EDM has opened doors for other subgenres, the mainstream sound is pretty immature. I still can’t figure out why so many radio stations play such a non-musical and noisy genre, but refuse to play tracks that are full of emotion. Is it a passing trend? Maybe, but whatever it is, it’s far from knowing beautiful music. It’s true that music is very subjective and usually we are very tolerant of other people’s tastes. But we can’t help asking the question: where is the actual music in some of the tracks nowadays? To us it feels more like it’s more about trash talking and looking cool.

Many artists change their styles through the years – a fact that isn’t always accepted by fans. How do you feel about the social media backlash against these artists?

It’s easy to criticise on social media, but most of the time these comments come from people who have no idea how a DJ career really works. Most of the time these are just people who want to create drama. Take Tenishia, besides the sounds that many know us for, we also produce chill-out music. I do understand that some big names had to take steps to adapt... it’s part of the process.

I was thinking specifically of DJs like Armin van Burren, whose recent releases have been criticised for being too commercial…

He is one of the most successful DJs in the world and my guess is that he knows what he is doing. Some kind of evolution is necessary when you reach that level. One particular track of his, What it feels like, got a massive backlash. But then, it was also one of the biggest tracks Armin has ever produced.

One of your biggest events, Tenishia in concert, generated extremely good feedback. Do you have any plans to hold a similar event in the future?

Someday, probably. But our focus for this year is on our US fans. The US has been a bit of a hard nut for us to crack, up till now. We also want to keep building on our adventures in Asia. We have just signed an agreement with former US No. One DJ Markus Schulz to start touring the States with him. The first show takes place at the iconic Avalon, Hollywood, in December.

You are now into the third edition of the Frozen Roads chill-out album. Where do you see yourselves in the next five years?

The main reason we produced three chill-out albums is simply because we love music. However, these albums have extended our reach out of the clubs and festivals to people who do not frequent dance events or clubs. We believe that music is unlimited and the thought of holding an event for this genre, together with an orchestra, has passed through our minds many times. The first album had a track nominated for an International Dance Music Award in Miami in 2011. We are now on the third one, which we will probably release in January. Those who do not enjoy dance music should really listen to this one, it’s quite special.

We have just signed an agreement with top US DJ Markus Schulz to start touring the States with him. The first show takes place at the iconic Avalon, Hollywood, in December

Large scale events in Malta have vanished for some years and many blame overly restrictive laws. There is the feeling that that dance music events are the ones that suffer most, while other events obtain the green light more easily. Do you feel there is a prejudice against the scene?

Not really. I personally agree with the 4am curfew. People just need to go out a bit earlier, like they used to do before, then go home earlier and go out the next day. The lack of largescale events is also due to the fact that the Maltese do not like to pay for their tickets. They argue the tickets are expensive when, actually, compared to other countries they’re very fairly-priced. This means promoters are focusing more on clubbing tourism, selling the tickets abroad or to tourists. I must say I’ve seen great steps forward in this regard, especially with the Lost and Found Festival.

I should add that the issuing of permits tin Malta does tend to discriminate against DJs. Somehow, a particular set of rules applies to bands – and a totally different set to DJs. The latter includes an insurance policy which can cost €5,000, a bank guarantee of €11,000, a €1,000 ambulance service and the presence of a drug squad. All this comes out of the promoter’s pockets. And all this is irrespective of the size of the event. Regulations such as these means DJs cannot even play at the Beer Festival.

Tenishia’s favourite track?

The track of the moment is Cosmic Gate,featuring Jes – Yai (Here we go again). Most probably, few will have heard this track, which is probably why everyone says that radio music is quite bad nowadays. We suggest checking it out.

Apart from dance, what music inspires Cyprian most?

Chill-out and soundtracks.

What tips would you give to upcoming producers and DJs?

This job is not for you if you’re seeking attention. Do it only if you love the music. If you really have the passion it takes, then take everything step by step and you will succeed. Many still think that living in Malta makes it impossible to succeed internationally. For Tenishia, the opposite was true. Malta was the backbone of our story.

The Tenishia Free Thank You Party takes place on November 21 at Mansion, Sky Club, Paceville.

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