We were joined on theRoof at theWit in Chicago by the outstanding DJ and music producer, Alessandro Kraus, better known by his stage name Suark during the Nexus Lounge Virtual this past fall.
Born in Geneva, Suark is quite the international figure, splitting his time between London, Los Angeles, and Milan. He began releasing music in 2016 with his debut single “Black Rainbow” and has since acquired a following of almost 30’000 monthly listeners of Spotify. His work includes a variety of singles, EPs, and remixes, and he’s always coming out with new sounds.
“Maybe the next step for digital entertainment will be virtual reality,” says Suark, on the future of virtual concerts. It’s a question a lot of artists have been grappling with lately. While COVID continues to be a problem, virtual concerts continue to be a necessary solution. Still, Suark, like many other musicians, has concerns about the extent to which a virtual concert can ever replace the atmosphere of a live performance.
“When we talk about a ‘live stage,’ it’s a completely different feeling because of the interaction with have with other people… even seeing a live stage that is just surrounding you is different than just watching something on a screen.”
Perhaps one day we’ll be able to experience a whole concert from the comfort of our own homes. For Suark, VR certainly could be a way to recreate what he refers to as the “three-dimensional “ experience of a live concert, but” he says, “there are gaps that still need to be filled in.
Concerts aren’t the only part of Suark’s professional life that’s changed recently. In February, he signed a deal with Smash The House–a Belgian recording label featuring artists such as Unmet, Ozcan, and Bassjackers–and he’s been working with them on a variety of projects since then.
Getting to where he is today has come out of nowhere. Becoming a professional musician requires a strong work ethic, and, for Suark, a part of that is as simple as keeping good hours. He says he often gets up early to get work done without being disturbed because everyone starts calling afternoon. That’s when all the studio work happens. Then, in the afternoon, it’s all ‘bureaucracy.’
Full-time hours or no; however, Suark says it never really feels like his job.
“It’s my passion.”
So what’s next up for this budding DJ and producer? Well, with a label on board and an evident passion for the studio and live performance, it looks like this is one artist with a bright future ahead of him.
Or maybe he’ll end up living on a boat? Confused? To learn more about Suark’s boating dreams, his feelings on negative feedback as well as his favorite films, and the influences that made him the musician he is today, then go ahead and check out the full Nexus Radio interview.
