Los Angeles-based dance-pop artist WizG, aka Josh Wizan, released his brand new single, “Don’t Wanna Need You Now”, a few days ago.
Speaking of “Don’t Wanna Need You Now,” WizG shares, “I couldn’t be more excited for this music release. artist that I was, a revamp of the music producer that I am, and a rebirth of the DJ that I know I will one day be.
Brimming with soaring vocals and heart-pounding bass drums, “Don’t Wanna Need You Now” juxtaposes its driving beat with lyrics that tell an all-too-relatable tale of staggering heartache.
Formerly a duo, WizG’s infectious sound blends elements of progressive house, electro-pop and future bass into seductive and uplifting sonic potions. With famous releases like “What About Us”, “Back to You”, “Do or Die” and his remix of Wrabel and Kesha’s anthem hit “Since I Was Young”, WizG has garnered millions of streams on major streaming platforms.
With features in EDM.com, wave music, and YourEDMWizG shared the stage with Matoma, Lost Kings and Dada Life.
CelebMix sat down with WizG to find out more about the person behind the music, the inspiration for “Don’t Wanna Need You Now” and how his infectious sound evolved.
What are three things you can’t live without?
First of all, I can’t live without my Epi-Pen. I was born allergic to all nuts, sesame and shellfish. I have to like it.
The second should be a helmet. I can’t go anywhere without a helmet. I constantly listen to music, trying to find inspiration.
The third would be Italian cuisine. I could eat Italian food seven days a week, three times a day if necessary.
What is the story behind the name WizG?
When I first created WizG in my senior year of college, I thought it would be fun to continue it with my best friend. WizG was formed by combining our two surnames. My last name is Wizan and his last name is Garcia. Hence – WizG.
Although it was comfortable having my best friend there to brainstorm ideas, join me during sessions, and listen to endless amounts of drum samples, I didn’t need him. I was the creative brain and driving force behind the project from the start.
I have kept the name ever since.
What inspired your new single, “Don’t Wanna Need You Now?”
For ‘DWNYN’, I wanted to do something that I had never done before. My previous tracks always revolved around pop vocals, but always had a slow ballad feel to them. I felt like I could never really play them during a set. My previous discography is very decor oriented. You have to feel and be in the right place at the right time to listen.
For ‘DWNYN’, I wanted to create a song that had a house tempo but kept the lyrics catchy. Something you can play in the car on the way to work, play during a pre-game with friends, and would look great on the dance floor.
Tell us about your state of mind as you approach the recording of the song.
For me, writing a song always starts differently. There is no formula that I follow. No defined Ableton pattern, no defined tempo, no defined scale. When I write music, I like to dive into the emotion and the message I’m trying to convey. What do I want the listener to feel when listening?
Some songs start with the chords, some with the drums, and some just with the vocals. For ‘DWNYN’, the first melody I created was the horns, and I built the track around them.
“Don’t Wanna Need You Now” is a reminder that you can always find that instinctive moment that leads you to move on to bigger and better things if you search hard enough.
How did you first come to music?
Like many, I started to take an interest in dance music when I experienced my very first electronic music festival. I instantly fell in love. I was in awe of everything. The flashing lights, the vast production, the big stages and the people. After attending, I did what all inspiring producers do, download Ableton.
I had no prior knowledge of music theory and no idea how to play an instrument. However, I had a fire burning to one day perform on big stages and create memorable songs like those acts I saw this weekend. So I started teaching myself.
Which artists/musicians have had the most impact on your sound?
There are so many artists/musicians that I look up to. The ones that had the biggest impact on my sound would have to be The Chainsmokers, Loud Luxury, Gryffin, Lost Kings and Illenium.
My mission as an artist is to make my music connect and resonate with people. I would say these four artists have timeless pop-focused EDM records.
Did your sound evolve naturally or did you push it deliberately in a certain direction?
I first fell in love with dance music during the progressive house era. So initially I started producing at a tempo of 128bpm. After learning how to produce progressive house, it was very stereotypical, so I gradually started learning how to produce future bass in the 140 bpm range and other genres.
Fast forward to today, I believe my love for pop music and love songs guided me to my current sound. I love incorporating different pianos, guitars and percussion into each of my records and I love the emotional lyrics.
Which artists do you think are killing it right now?
Obviously the return of Swedish House Mafia is exciting and unique, however, right now I’m very impressed with John Summit, Morten and Joel Corry.
I’m super impressed with how John Summit has soared onto the scene with his steady releases and hilarious brand. Each release gets bigger and bigger and streams like crazy on all platforms. Morten’s future rave sound is so unique that I know it will eventually be played on every stage. Regarding Joel Corry, the man cannot miss.
If you couldn’t be a musical artist, what would you be?
If I wasn’t a music artist, I’d probably be doing something in sales or marketing. This is where I graduated from college.
Who or what inspires you?
The most important driving factor that leads me to create my music is human connection. I’m fascinated that we humans can laugh, cry and smile for similar things. It enlightens me that we humans can relate while being so different.
The pop dance music I create always revolves around themes of love and heartbreak. I found myself at my highest and lowest points in life when I felt these themes. I’ve used lyrics revolving around past relationships, melodies revolving around euphoric feelings of love, and more. Most people know what it’s like to love someone or something as much as I know that painful, agonizing feeling of pain. That’s why I think when you listen to my music, it’s very relevant. Kind of nice or not.
What can your fans expect over the next six months? New material? Live concerts?
It’s been about six months since I released any music. I not only evolved as an artist but also as a person. This new version is the start of a unique sound for WizG. No more slow mid-tempo ballads. With every release, fans will hear something they haven’t heard from me.
I’m thrilled that listeners are now hearing the new direction I want the project to go in. Songs that are still centered around experiences of love and heartbreak but are more dance-oriented. Faster tempos, different instruments and new melodies.
This summer, I have a few shows scheduled. The first is the Loving Life festival in Los Angeles in July. Buckle up, because these next six months are going to be filled with WizG.
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