Called one of the most promosing artists for the future by Armin van Buuren or the man who’s bringing us Melotrance, Hazem Beltagui, an interview.
First Armin van Buuren called you one of the most promising future trance artists in the world. How did you meet with one of the best electronic artists in the world?
Hazem: We never met actually, it all happened by accident really. I was launching my new label ‘Red Soho’ under the Soho Music Group early 2013 and we sent him our first release ‘We Are’ my collaboration with Allan V. Allan V is actually from Belgium. Armin loved the track so much that he wanted to include it on the ASOT (A State Of Trance) 2013 compilation and it all started from that point.
Your music is heavily pushed on ASOT (A State Of Trance), the radioshow from Armin, how does it feel to recognized?
Hazem: I’ve been extremely lucky to get all this support from such a heavyweight as Armin. It definitely means a lot to any producer or artist to feel recognized for all the hard work he’s doing, it is such an exhausting career.
You’ve also been playing on a ASOT event, can we expect more gigs on those popular events?
Hazem: Playing on ASOT 650 in Utrecht was such a mind-blowing experience to me. On that day I realized what I have accomplished over the previous year. And I’m playing on ASOT in Ushuaïa Ibiza on the 4th of September, really looking forward to that.
You are giving yourself the name producer of Melotrance? Is this genre compared with the early progressive trance music we had in the 90’s?
Hazem: I came up with the name, Melotrance, to describe my sound, simply because back in 2013 when Armin started supporting my music on ASOT. I started gaining more exposure and many people posted on social media, wondering how they should describe my music. It wasn’t the standard uplifting trance nor the progressive trance. So, it is somehow a mixture of tech, prog house and trance with a lot of emphasis on melodies, hence the name Melotrance.
In which part of the world is Melotrance the most popular?
Hazem: I’ve seen my fan base grow all over the world over the past year, with a half thanks to ASOT and Armin. I guess, it isn’t easy to say which country because these days almost everything is available instantly and everywhere. It’s really an amazing time to be an artist nowadays.
Do you think there’s still a future for progressive music, or the little brother of trance music?
Hazem: I think that progressive music is the way to go as tt has more potential than uplifting trance for example. It appeals to both trance and house fans, so I think progressive will go bigger in the next few years.
What can we expect from you in the near future? A full album for one of your own labels?
Hazem: Beside my singles and remixes I will start working on album and will hopefully get it done and released next year. But I still haven’t decided where to release it yet though.
You are also competing for the DJ Mag Top 100. Do you think you will be getting a spot in the list this year?
Hazem: Yes, I’m campaigning for a spot for sure. Hopefully with the support of my fans and followers I will achieve this goal. Would definitely mean a lot to me.
Thank you for the interview and we wish you good luck for the future. (JL)