If you’ve been on TikTok over the past few weeks, you would have certainly come across videos created to Topic and A7S’s viral hit ‘Breaking Me’. The track has put the German producer on the global stage and his music has fast become synonymous with summer, parties and one hell of a good time.
In an exclusive interview, the hitmaker chats to us about the creation process of the hit single as well as his just released track ‘Why Do You Lie To Me’, the importance of creating music that is unique and he shares a message to his South African fans.
We can’t start this conversation without chatting about the massive success you’ve achieved with your smash hit ‘Breaking Me’. Talk to us a little bit about how the song came together.
I was on a songwriting trip with A7S last summer and we had a random session in the studio together. It wasn’t anything special and we didn’t write anything crazy that day until the idea for ‘Breaking Me’ came about. We started off with the melodies but we weren’t really excited about the song and it was lying around for a while. We then went to Miami on another songwriting trip where we decided to finish it. We released it two months later and the song blew up on social media.
It’s been incredible to see! How does it feel seeing the song spread like that and the connection people have to the song?
It’s been great – especially since the world is going through a lot right now. It felt like we somehow brought a glimpse of happiness to those who heard it for those few minutes. The whole thing has been an incredible experience because I have never had a song that was climbing and climbing on the charts for a period of eight months before it started to show some sort of decline. Usually, you release a song and after one or two months, it naturally starts to decline where this one was just the total opposite.
I personally noticed the song on TikTok and the app has been instrumental in the success of so many singles over the past year or two. What do you think apps like these mean for the music industry going forward?
I mean, I would say it’s always changing. Back in the day, it was MTV that was really important and then, at some point, it was ringtones which were really important. I think TikTok has gotten the format right to get people to discover new music which is really important. Naturally, this particular app is very important for artists to utilse today but in five year’s time, it will probably be something else.
You’ve worked on a number of collaborations since 2014 when your first single came out. Which collaboration pushed you out of your comfort zone the most?
I think the track that pushed me outside of my comfort zone the most was ‘Solo Contigo’ because that was the first time I ever had a song which is not in English. That was a real challenge for me and I am super proud of how it turned out.
One of my favourite singles of yours is ‘Perfect’ – the collaboration you did with Ally Brooke. The song did some massive things for you, especially in the US. Why do you think so many people connected with that particular song?
Well, Ally Brooke has quite a large following and a lot of people know of her and follow her work. But, the song itself was also so important. Back in 2018, many musicians were singing about self-love and that’s a reason so many people related to the song.
You also just dropped a new single with A7S titled ‘Why Do You Lie To Me?’. How important was it for you guys to create something different to ‘Breaking Me’?
For me, evolution is so important and it’s something I work hard at doing. I think if we wanted to recreate what we did with ‘Breaking Me’, the song would come across as quite boring for listeners. Why would anyone want a carbon copy of a song they already know, right? The song, however, isn’t too different in the fact that we tried to stay in the line of melancholic dance music and create kind of like a heart-breaking and sad song and combine that with dance music.
Exactly that! Tell me, how has the Covid-19 pandemic changed life for you as an artist?
Well, besides not being able to gig, the pandemic has forced me to stay at home more which means I have more time than I usually would in the studio. I’m just like trying out different genres right now and just I’m just producing and producing. I work on new songs every day now.
Which is incredible! Finally, do you have a message for your South African fans?
Of course! I would just like to that my South African fans for all the love they’ve sent my way over the years and for dancing to my music at clubs and festivals. While we are all stuck at home, remember to be positive, listen to a lot of music and hopefully, I will be able to come down and play some live shows and meet you guys.