DJ Spotlight: Q&A with Cedric Gervais

While most of us were figuring out how to make money doing chores and attempting to get our driver’s license, Cedric Gervais was rocking a residency DJing at the top club in Paris. At the age of 13, the French electronic DJ and producer got an early start on what would become his international career.

Raised in Marseilles, France, Gervais is not a rookie to the electronic dance world. It was his jump to the Miami music scene at the brink of electronic sweeping the United States that allowed for Gervais to carve out his stomping grounds. Now known as the reigning king of Miami dance with top club residencies, collaborations with electronic and rock stars, a successful production label, a tour, and a new record called Are You Looking for Molly?, Gervais is a relentless force of talent.

He’s been all over the world, but now he’s stopping through South Lake Tahoe at A.W.O.L. Snow, February 24-27th. We’ve already packed our bags, secured tickets and room packages, and downloaded plenty of new jams; but before we hit the slopes, we sat down with Gervais to chat about his journey to the top, how he sees the electronic dance scene today, and why he won’t listen to dance music in the car.

DiscoverSD: How did you begin producing music?

Cedric Gervais: My father used to own a lot of clubs in the South of France. When I grew up in South France, electronic music was really big. It was that, and rock and roll. There was no hip hop, there was nothing else. I was a 13 year old kid going to raves and going to my father’s clubs. One day I told my father that’s what I wanted to do, and I started playing for his club, started producing by my techniques, and started mixing records and everything. So at the age of 13, that’s when everything began.

DSD: When did you arrive in the United States?

CG: I was playing my first gig at a famous club in France, and I was the resident there. I was like 15 years old. And the Queen in Paris, which is the most famous clubs in France, came and did a party and they saw me were like, ‘man this kid is really good, we want to bring him to Paris and make him our resident.’ And so I went to Paris, started playing at the Queen, and all of a sudden in France, they shut down every club for drugs just when I arrived to Paris. So I did one gig there, and after that they shut down every single club in Paris. A friend of mine was living in Miami, and he said I should come to Miami and stay awhile and wait for the clubs to reopen. Then I’d go back to Paris and keep my residency. So I went to Miami, fell in love with the city and just stayed there.

How is the club scene different in the U.S. versus France?

CG: When I moved to Miami it wasn’t there yet, it was actually the only city in America that was getting dance music because of the different flavors, like Latin America and a lot of European in Miami, so there was a certain vibe. But it was still not like Europe used to be in dance music at that time. But I felt when I moved to Miami that something that was going to blow up, so I fell into the right city and I felt like that was going to be the new thing in America.

DSD: You reign over the Miami dance scene. What is it like for you coming to California?

CG: Now it’s at the same level as Miami, music wise. If you had asked me that same question 5 years ago, I would tell you it doesn’t compare to Miami. But now, dance music is so strong in America, that I can go to Texas or Virginia, or anywhere. It’s like everywhere I go, dance music is the same. I think that California is the second strongest market in dance music right now.

DSD: Where do you find your musical inspiration?

CG: Listening to all the DJs and listening to different kinds of music. Like when I’m in my car, I don’t listen to dance music, I listen to rock n’ roll or chill music or whatever. I think when you produce a record now and days, you have to be inspired by another record and turn it your way. There’s no more just creating something from scratch. If somebody tells you ‘I created that’ I think it’s a lie, everyone gets inspired from something.

DSD: How would you classify your style of music?

CG: I like to call it sexy house music.

DSD: What tracks or remixes are you most proud of to date?

CG: There’s a couple of them. My song “Spirit in My Life” was the first song that I’ve done, and I’m pretty proud of this song. It’s like such a beautiful song. My recent track I did, “Molly”, I’m most proud of. It’s part of the new record I just did.

DSD: Greatest professional achievements so far?

CG: I’m proud of going around the world, and I take a lot of pride of being in Miami. What I’m proud of is everywhere I go, people are saying this is the guy from Miami. I mean everywhere I show up, they’re like “Cedric, Miami,” representing the city that I love so much. I think what I’m proud of is because I started everything over there, I learned everything from this city. And now that I can be in Budapest or I can be in Argentina or in LA, it’s always “Cedric, representing Miami.”

DSD: We can’t wait to party with you in Lake Tahoe. What can we expect to experience at your show?

CG: I have a lot of new productions, so what you’re going to see is a lot of people having fun. You’re going to hear a lot of new stuff and new Cedric for 2012. I have about 25 new tracks so I’m going to be playing all my new stuff. I’ve never been there, so I’m excited to be in that city

DSD: So, that’s the new project you’ve been working on?

CG: Yeah, I’ve been sitting for a year producing, trying to find my new sound and stuff like that. I haven’t put out anything for over a year and now I have a 25 track record ready, including “Molly” which is the first single we’re going to release. So right now I’m just like a little kid, I’m so excited. I have 25 new songs, I’m playing my new record and everyone’s coming up to me asking “What is this new song?” I’m enjoying all of that.  

Love Cedric Gervais? So do we! See him live at A.W.O.L. Snow, February 24-27th in South Lake Tahoe. Ticket prices have been lowered to $100 and they’re going fast, so buy yours now. Find out more details on entertainment, hotel and ticket packages and pricing at snow.tryawol.com or email snow@tryawol.com.

See for Yourself: View our album of 2011 A.W.O.L. Sun photos at the ME by Melia in Cabo San Lucas.