DJ Fenix and legendary vocalist Chris Willis recently teamed up for the infectious track “Feelings for You,” the two musicians stopped by the K-Swiss pop-up studio during the Nexus Lounge Amsterdam to talk about their recent collaboration and more.
Fenix and Chris Willis make somewhat of an unlikely pair. Fenix is one of EDM’s most promising rising talents. After having gotten his start in 2004 in Moscow, Fenix has since made history by becoming the first DJ to play in the Kremlin. Chris Willis, on the other hand, got his start in the U.S. as a gospel singer in the mid-1990s. Chris has been featured on a number of David Guetta’s tracks, and continues to release singles on his own as well.
Fenix and Chris Willis were asked what inspires them as individuals and artists. Chris Willis told us:
“You know, I always love living in the past. I’ve loved music growing up, just ballads and crooners, and singing like that, and being raised in the church, you know that whole gospel spiritual connection. So, I always try to infuse a little of that passion, spirit, harmony, melody. And if there’s a really great track, which is the case with Fenix, and a lot of my really great collaborators, it’s easy to hop on and create a really good melody and wrap it up in a beautiful story.”
When asked what their biggest fears are, Fenix told us:
“So, first of all, I’m scared about my English because my local language is Russian. That’s why it scares me. And I’m trying to be more clean with everybody. And secondly, I think I’m scared to be fat, that’s why I’m trying to eat healthy food.”
Chris, on the other hand, told us:
“My favorite thing about Fenix that I discovered is that he’s incredible on skis, water skis. And I am TERRIFIED of water. I mean I’m an average swimmer, but there’s no way I’d ever be able to surf… He’s an incredible sportsman, and that was my dream, was to be an athlete, so I’m living out my dreams vicariously through athletes like Fenix.”
When we asked them what their best advice to their younger selves would be, the guys gave us some great, heart-felt answers. Fenix told us,
“So, first of all, you need to be yourself. You don’t need to try to be someone. You need to create your own style, and you don’t need to repeat the way from another artist or producer or musician. You just need to try to create your own way, and you don’t need to be scared to create new sounds and trying to do something new. It will always be your own way.”
Check out the interview here, and find out what Chris Willis’ answer was, how the duo handles jet lag, and which three DJs they’d take with them if they were stuck in the Amazon rainforest for a year.
