Hailing from the UK, Philip George is probably younger than most DJs/producers who are climbing to the top of music charts – but his dreams are just as big, if not even bigger.
On 28th December 2014, he released his debut single “Wish You Were Mine”. From what we know, the song samples Motown singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder’s song “My Cherie Amour”, a soul classic that was recorded and released way back in the late 1960s. So what business did Philip George have in breathing life back into the tune and how well was it received in the end? On 4th January 2015, “Wish You Were Mine” entered the UK Singles Chart at #2. It was only held off #1 by Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”.
How’s that for a grand entry by a bedroom producer, eh?
Recently, we managed to ring up this budding superstar and talked shop for a bit with the young Brit. We find out how his (almost) instantaneous success has been treating him, how he’s adapting to being in the limelight, and what other tricks he has got up his sleeves for the neat future.
Here’s what went down:
Your “Wish Your Were Mine” song, which you created from the comfort of your own bedroom, is still getting a lot of plays as we speak! Do you think that’s going to set an example for current bedroom DJs/producers and work for aspiring DJs/producers like yourself?
That’s the whole point! It’s possible that it’ll set an example and that’s the way forward, I guess.
Tell us about your bedroom studio setup and walk us through how each piece of equipment helps you put together a song/a track.
Well, I have 2 computers in my studio, a Windows computer and an Apple Mac, and I use the Windows at the moment. I have them plugged into an external monitor so that’s an external screen. And yes, I have 2 Yamaha studio monitors which are for the music and an external sound card to plug them into the computer. It’s pretty much a standard studio, really. So, obviously you have the computer which has the music program on it to create music on and that goes through to the external sound card which then goes into the studio monitors. The studio monitors are probably the most important part of the studio, in my opinion. Because without them you wouldn’t be able to produce the good quality music that you do. If they sound good on the studio monitors, they’re more likely to sound good on different sound systems. It’s not always the case because you do have to reference them with different sound systems but in general, they’re a good reference for the sound systems out there.
We hear that some of the artistes that you’d like to someday work with are such as Sam Smith and John Newman. What about DJs/producers? Do you have a DJ/producer wishlist of talents that you’d like to work with in the near future?
DJs uhmm..who would I like to work with in the future? I’d probably like to work with, to be fair, some bigger names, if I ever get the opportunity. I’d like to work with someone like..a DJ called Noah, whose music I’m really into at the moment. Or someone who’s like a little bit “in the know” like Secondcity, or I don’t know..some other unknown DJs that I really like! That’d be awesome.
Do you remember the first time you were exposed to making music? What was your first memory of it and what was that experience like?
Yeah! It was 2010, and I remember that I had just downloaded a free version of FL (FruityLoops) then I kind started making dubstep. That was the first kind of music that I was making (laughs), which was a bit mad. And then it went from dubstep to drum and bass. Just messing around on FruityLoops! I loved it, although it was a downloaded version so it didn’t work properly. I’ve always been interested in creating music because when I was younger, I was always intrigued by all these music programs that would just put loops together. I remember playing music on a PlayStation even, on some program that I can’t remember what it’s called now, but I was messing around with it on there.
You quit your 2 part-time jobs to pursue a career in music, which is a huge risk for someone as young as you are. Have you ever thought of what’ll happen if this doesn’t work out? Do you have any backup plans?
I had 2 part-time jobs before all this so I worked behind the bar and I worked at Next which is a clothing line in the UK. I had part time jobs and this one kicked off so I left both of them. I mean, yeah, it’s always a risk you know, leaving 2 jobs for this, but I have confidence in this and to be honest, I didn’t expect it to be as big as what it is. But this is kinda what I’ve always wanted to do – for the last 5 years, this is what I’ve wanted to do since I left school. So I’m like, why not? Take the gamble, take the risk. Worse come to worst if this doesn’t work out, I’ll just go out and look for another job. You know what, I’m actually willing to learn most things like, I had a job interview which I turned down, to do planning permission for houses and stuff like that. I actually had an opportunity to get an apprenticeship. So if this did fold, I’d personally get into something in property, because I like looking at architecture and houses.
What else is currently in the pipeline for you for the rest of 2015? Are there any tracks that you’re working on that you can talk about or do you have any upcoming projects that you can tell us about?
At the moment, I’m just working on the forthcoming single, the second single after “Wish You Were Mine”. I’ve also just done some new remixes and more new music to put out there. And an album, eventually. It’s going to be exciting to see what happens because I don’t think I realise how much I’m writing at the moment. I keep thinking that I’ve nothing to show but I’ve actually got quite a bit of a portfolio now and I can’t wait to show everybody! As for upcoming projects, uhm, let’s just say that it’s for the festivals. You know, quite uplifting, a bit of an anthem kinda sound. It’s sounding pretty good, it’s sounding cool, and hopefully it’ll blow people’s minds.
Thanks for the chat, Philip 😉
No problem at all. Thank you all for checking out the song and thanks for the support! I can’t believe you’re listening to it, it’s crazy.
Special thanks to our friends from Universal Music Malaysia for the opportunity too!
We’ll leave you now with Philip George’s hit single, “Wish You Were Mine”:
For more information, visit his Facebook page. Drop him a tweet on Twitter too, if you’d like 😉
