[INTERVIEW] Jeffrey Sutorius Discusses Upcoming Album, Tour + More

Jeffrey Sutorius is an established EDM veteran with a busy 2022 touring schedule, including a headlining slot at Ultra Music Festival. For those wondering why his name sounds so familiar, he was one of the founders of the incredibly popular group Dash Berlin and even performed under that name solo for a little while before reverting to his own name. Jeffrey Sutorius is making his new DJ persona well known throughout the trance community with some of the best remixes and features that will blow your mind.

Read iEDM's exclusive interview with Jeffrey Sutorius below.

iEDM: Since leaving Dash Berlin, you now perform under your own name. Were there any thoughts on using a different name or DJ alias?

Jeffrey Sutorius: Of course. It is like a fresh new start. I just went for my own name because I thought it was the most logical thing to do. The people know I am Jeff or already called me Jeff. DJ Jazzy Jeff is already there, so I had to come up with something else. I used Jeff Bounds or Bounce as my alias before and still produce music under that name. That was an entirely different approach, and that was a long time ago, before my time working with Dash Berlin. I picked something familiar, something that feels right, and something not too awkward, even though my last name is hard to pronounce. I think it is just a matter of time before people get it synced in. It will find its way.

iEDM: A lot of your music is being released through Revealed Recordings. How is that partnership?

Jeffrey Sutorius: I am super happy with Revealed. I think I am not an artist directly connected to Revealed. They opened their arms and welcomed me to the family and I am so grateful for that. I think they have a fantastic enterprise at Revealed. I am not just saying that because we are working together now, I have seen it myself. Their success is not a coincidence. Great strategy, thinking and good about how the label should be run and how to develop new talent. They are great with new talent and very supportive. Thumbs up to them, great team working over there. I really like what they are doing.

iEDM: What is the formula for making a hit track?

Jeffrey Sutorius: The formula for making a hit track is that there is no formula. I think if there was a formula, then people would have already figured that out and we would have hits continuously from the same area. The same singer and songwriter and same producers and I think it doesn’t exist. I think it really is a matter of luck, consistency of production and trying to be original.

iEDM: You are slated for the Groove Cruise. How are you preparing for that?

Jeffrey Sutorius: I have probably the best single out right now “Sink or Swim” ready for that show. That is just a stupid coincidence but I love things like that. You can never really prepare for the Groove Cruise. I have been there a couple of times before. Since it’s a three-day cruise and you cannot just get off, I like to find the vibe and listen to other artists on board. I feed into that and go from there. Besides that, I do not alienate myself too much from what I have been doing that last five, six years. For the people worried if I still play older material, yes I do, absolutely. The thing I love about this cruise is that you get close to the staff and fans. It is amazing for both ends, actually. I really enjoy that.

iEDM: Is it important to have special attire when you're on stage?

Jeffrey Sutorius: I think so. It is important to dress in something you find comfortable. I don’t think its that different from people going out, when you go out you want to look good and feel comfy and look ravishing and appealing. The same thing goes for artists. I definitely go for comfort but I do think about what I will wear at the next show, 100%.

iEDM: Since you have played basically everywhere. What do you prefer, small or large venues?

Jeffrey Sutorius: I get this question a lot and I think both crowds have advantages. If you go for a smaller crowd, you are closely connected to people on the dance floor. For bigger shows, it’s a unique vibe. When you have tens of thousands of people in front of you and can get them all going, you know you are doing something very well. Smaller shows I think are more focused on the music that you do. It's more about your own repertoire. Bigger shows you need to come with the big guns that are appealing to a massive crowd, who aren’t necessarily all fans. So you have to keep that in mind because at smaller shows you have a bigger percentage of close fans. I like both. They both have their challenges and advantages.

iEDM: It is amazing that your job is to stand on a stage doing what you love in front of tons of fans. What's it like having an unconventional occupation?

Jeffrey Sutorius: I just try to make myself happy. I believe everyone can find happiness out of so many things. I think it is not that obvious for the performers and DJs to get happiness out of what they do because they do it continuously and it’s based off a feeling that needs to be happy. That doesn’t mean it is going to be a happy. In a way, that is the tough side of the entertainment industry. It has to be good and if it isn’t, people will stay away and not come to your shows anymore. With whatever you do, you can get those happy moments out of it.

iEDM: What would you tell somebody just starting off in this career?

Jeffrey Sutorius: I would recommend to start making music and make original music. Try to do something that others are not, something new and take it from there. It is a very interesting time because there is a fusion of life moments, too, and for new artists, there are a lot of unique ways in.

iEDM: Any DJs you would like to shout out?

Jeffrey Sutorius: A ton of people from Mexico. I have been waiting for that for a while. I always wondered why isn’t there more talent coming from such an influential country. The shows in Mexico are where everyone wants to be. There's so much passion, a lot of fan interaction, and a true love for electronic music. Look out for Hodge, Longspong curaso, ANG, and BSNO all coming from Mexico and are definitely people to watch. It is just a matter of time before more talent from Mexico comes up to rise.

iEDM: What is next for you?

Jeffrey Sutorius: It's a super exciting time. Next is a new year and new album. I am finishing it up over the next few days. The new album will most likely launch at the end of March. I am so excited for that. I have been waiting a long time to share this one. It has been worked on for almost two years. There is a lot of stuff you would expect from me but also a lot you might not expect. I hope the unexpected will be appealing and stuff everyone will dance to. Road testing on this album has been received really well, very positive. I am looking forward to a 2022 album tour. Playing Ultra's main stage has me excited. I am really a happy camper.

Listen to Jeffrey Sutorius' exclusive iEDM Radio Guest Mix below.