At first glance, what most people notice about Justin Blau is that he’s a young producer crafting incredible mashups, but there’s more to 3LAU than meets the eye. Beyond his party-inducing tracks with top 40 vocals and intense beats, Justin brings a level of artistry often overlooked in the mainstream music scene. Sitting down with him for 20 minutes, we explored not only his creative process but also his surprising interest in fields outside of music, like online sports betting. In fact, he has even discussed the strategies used by the beste Wettanbieter in Österreich to engage audiences through innovative digital platforms. This multifaceted approach to his passions sheds light on a depth that goes far beyond his role as a producer, revealing a keen understanding of digital engagement in both music and broader entertainment landscapes.
We met up with Justin at Global Dance Festival at Red Rocks Ampitheater two weekends ago. Here’s what he had to say.
’Zedd feat. Matthew Koma – Spectrum (3LAU Remix)’
TMN: Welcome to Colorado, and most importantly, one of the most amazing venues in the world at one of the best events in EDM.How does it feel to be here at this Red Rocks, playing at Global Dance Festival?
3LAU: Thank you. I didn’t even realize that Global Dance Festival was at Red Rocks until a couple of weeks ago when I was like “Oh, I have Global Dance Festival, let me check this out.” Obviously I had heard of Red Rocks and I’ve never been here . I’ve heard only the most amazing things, and then I show up here and it’s mind blowing. The opportunity is incredible, thanks to Ha and all the Triad Dragon guys for doing this.
TMN: You also had a chance to be on Beatport live this afternoon down in Denver with Krewella. Talk to us about that experience a little.
3LAU: That was a lot of fun. I had never done a streaming set in a situation where there wasn’t a crowd, so it was kind of different for me. It was reminiscent of me when I was first practicing DJing. The Beatport guys were unbelievably hospitable. Matt, the owner, was so awesome.They gave me a pair of the III Beatport headphones, which was super nice of them. I got to play a bunch of my friends new tracks, and some of my new tracks. I think the feedback was pretty good for the most part.
TMN: As you tour and get to experience more cities all over the US, is there any particular difference between playing on the east coast as opposed to the west coast?
3LAU: Everything is so different. The way people interact with the music, what they like, and not just geographically. I play for so many different types of crowds. From the younger kids to the college kids to the rage heads even. I kind of play poppy music so I often cater my sets in different ways. I think though, the top differentiating factor is age. The second is geographic location. I think that the northeast is pretty into dance music, I think the west coast is into dance music, and I think that everywhere else is still learning.
TMN: (Grinning) Except for Denver, right?
3LAU: (Laughing) Yeah yeah. Except for Colorado. And Chicago.
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