Getting to Know… Zoibaf | Interview

For the 31^st interview in The Musical Hype ‘Getting to Know…’ series, we get the scoop from emerging Italian DJ/music producer Zoibaf.

“La vita ha sempre bisogno di una colonna sonora mentre la vivi tanto vale poter essere colui che decide quale deve essere questa colonna sonora.” In English, that lovely, reflective, and thoughtful statement by 26-year old Italian DJ and music producer Zoibaf (Fabio Nicora) translates as follows: “Life always needs a soundtrack while you live it as well as being able to be the one who decides what this soundtrack should be.” For our 31^st interview in the ever-growing Getting to Know… column, The Musical Hype is fortunate enough to ‘get the scoop’ from this talented emerging progressive house, electro house musician. Apparent throughout the Q&A, Zoibaf possesses a passion for music, numerous musical influences (including the late, great Aviici), and big aspirations for his music career in the future. Read his aforementioned hyperlinked bio, and you’ll see the stepping stones Nicora has taken so far towards achieving his dreams (playing guitar, learning how to produce, releasing originals, remixing, etc.). Without further ado, here is Getting to Know… Zoibaf – Interview #31!

Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype: Ciao Zoibaf! Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule and agreeing to answer some questions for The Musical Hype – it is much appreciated! My first question is pretty simple, yet complex at the same time. For those who are unfamiliar with you – at least right now – how would you describe your music? What makes Zoibaf distinct or unique?

Zoibaf: Hello! Thank you for having dedicated this space to me and my music. The word that best describes my music is melodica [melodic].  In fact, my main goal every time I work on a new track is to find a melody that can emotionally involve the listener.  That’s why I always try to find a singer with the ideal voice for each song, so you also have a catchy and engaging vocal. Every new track, I always try to improve and characterize my music so that it is different from the others.

Brent Faulkner: When did you first become interested in music or becoming a musician? What experiences early in your life helped shaped you as the emerging music producer that you are now?

Zoibaf: Music has always had a lot of importance in my life – I’ve passed through different genres. In fact, even now, I listen to almost every genre. I studied guitar for a few years but then the appeal of electronic music was greater than other genres. Surely, the rise of artists like Avicii, Nicky Romero, and others made me more and more passionate about this genre. Then, during these years, I met many people I worked with who helped me a lot to grow musically.

Brent Faulkner: As an emerging musician, what are some of your aspirations and goals for the future? What does the ‘Zoibaf’ vision look like?

Zoibaf: My main goal is to try to make music my main occupation so I can concentrate on that and get to know artists more experienced than me to be able to improve more and more. I am working on several projects with various, ‘very good’ artists and I hope I can complete them all as soon as possible for everyone to listen to.

Brent Faulkner: All musicians have a variety of influences, musical and otherwise. Who would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how do they influence you? Beyond musical influences, what else motivates you in your craft?

Zoibaf: The person who mainly inspired me to take this path is definitely Avicii. In fact, his death was really a blow for me. My favorite genre has always been progressive house, and I was inspired by well-known artists like Nicky Romero and Hardwell, but also by less known artists such as Tom Swoon, Paris Blohm, Kaaze, and Manse. Lately, I’ve also been passionate about Future Bass, and I’m inspired by some artists like Illenium, Gryffyn, and MitiS.  As for other   genres, I am also inspired by artists like Coldplay and Bastille whose sounds are truly incredible!

Brent Faulkner: So, getting a bit more technical, as a producer, what makes the ‘magic’ happen in the studio?  What is your process for creating awesome music? Many producers use a variety of equipment, software, and instruments create some ‘sick’ music, so, what do you use?

Zoibaf: When I start working on a new song the first part I focus on is always the drop because I think that, along with the sung part, is what matters more in a song. Once I complete the drop I work on the rest of the song and then, I look for the ideal singer for that kind of song. As for the equipment I work with,  I don’t use particularly complex instruments, I use Fruity Loops, a midi keyboard, and two monitor speakers. Obviously, more tools can help a producer to improve the quality of a song, but in my opinion, they are not fundamental.

Brent Faulkner: Speaking as a musician personally, we all have songs we’ve performed that have a special place in our hearts for a variety of reasons. Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song or a song that’s extremely special to you that you’ve recorded or performed? Why is that song special?

Zoibaf: Yes, everyone has one or more songs that are special to him. In my case, the two songs that mostly had an impact on me and that I also played often were “Wake Me Up” by Avicii and “Calling” by Sebastian Ingrosso and Alesso. Regarding my music, the tracks that gave me the most satisfaction were “Break Through” (with Jex) and “Stay Here” (with Brooke Tomlinson) because they are the ones where I most succeeded with getting listeners involved.

Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype: Moving past the technical – time for a little fun! What would you describe as a crazy, unusual, or total whacky experience when recording, performing live, touring, or otherwise in your life? Feel free to be creative!

Zoibaf: One of the craziest experiences of my life was certainly in 2013. I was in Ibiza with some friends at an event in which he had to play [with] Afrojack. That evening, we met a person who allowed us to go backstage and meet Afrojack and follow the show with them. It was really a super evening!

Brent Faulkner: More fun! Beyond the awesomeness you’ve already shared,is there anything else awesome, cool, or ‘left of center’ the world should know about Zoibaf? Secret talents or surprising tidbits? 

Zoibaf: Honestly, music is almost 100% what I do so there are not many curiosities about me, I’m passionate about sports, especially Football [Soccer]. A characteristic that definitely represents me is perseverance; I never give up on a goal and I do everything to achieve it.

Brent Faulkner: Perseverance – love it! Okay, we’re winding things down – hope I didn’t wear you out too much with my questions!  What are you currently working on or promoting that you can share with The Musical Hype (and the world)? Secrets are awesome, but there’s no pressure – no pressure at all Zoibaf! Haha.

Zoibaf: I’m really working on a lot of songs and I hope to be able to publish some soon.  I can’t share a lot, but I can say that some of the new songs will be collaborations with artists with whom I have already collaborated and others with new artists that are also very well known.

Brent Faulkner: Once again, thank you so much for sharing taking the time to answer these questions.  Best of luck moving forward. 

Zoibaf: Thank you for your time and for this opportunity, good luck to you too!

Zoibaf Socials & Such: Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Spotify • Soundcloud • YouTube

Photo Credits: Thomas Barabino, Zoibaf