We had the pleasure of meeting with Big Wild after Euphoria Music Festival in Austin, Texas, to get to know him and his music better. Jackson Stell (AKA Big Wild) is an electronic music producer out of Venice, CA, primarily known for his feel good, island vibes.
For our readers who have never heard your music, explain your sound in 5 words:
Adventurous, Big, Fun, Eccentric, and Fancy.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing/producing/playing, etc.?
I love to surf. Recently I have also been experimenting with making different kinds of food. I make a lot of Indian and Italian food at the moment.
What does your band name mean and where did it come from?
I was really inspired when my girlfriend took me to Big Sur California about 4 years ago. The breathtaking landscape of Big Sur really left me in awe. The name Big Wild naturally came about just being there in nature. The name Big Wild means I have the freedom to really try new things and every song is a journey for me.
What advice do you give any artists starting out?
The best advice I can give any new artist is to try and find your craft and your sound. You can start by imitating people you like by making it your own, but I believe you should always stick to making things in your own unique style.
Best moment in your career so far?
Euphoria Music Festival was definitely the best moment in my career so far. I have never seen such an upbeat crowd vibing to my music. It really was an iconic and fun moment for me.
Worst moment in your career so far?
Recently I had a gig at a fraternity. In the first 10 minutes of my set my laptop just started making a static noise. Once I restarted my computer, the power went out and even the generator backing everything up went out. It was a real shit show, but I powered through it. It really taught me to keep going even if in the start things go wrong.
What artists would you like to collaborate with?
I really have been wanting lately to collaborate with the singer Rationale. I have been listening to a lot of his music and I believe that his voice would go so well with my music.
Where do you see dance music in the next 5 to 10 years? What is the next BIG THING?
I really think that live music outside of DJing is the next big thing. This idea of a “mega DJ” like David Guetta will not be as common anymore. I see a new wave of artists coming that are more creative because I think everybody like me is tired of just seeing DJs. This club fad of EDM is probably soon to die out.
If you could go open up for any artist on tour right now who would it be?
Tame Impala for sure. I think we have a similar sound and I have always looked up to him as inspiration for my music.
What got you into music? Do you play any instruments? How long have you been in music?
I have been playing music for over 13 years. I started playing the trumpet and went on to make hip-hop beats in FL studio. It started out as me just trying to make the beats that I enjoyed. It was more like a hobby, until I started getting good and selling my beats to different artists.
Check out Big Wild’s new Spring Tour 2016 for upcoming dates in your area as well as his latest Spring 2016 Mix:
