Brazilian DJ and recently new hitmaker Öwnboss is heading to Southwestern Ontario for one of only three Canadian gigs this month, hitting Windsor on Canada Day, July 1, as direct support for international superstar Tiësto.
These are the first shows for Öwnboss outside of South America, as his mega hit Move Your Body continues to climb to the top of the dance charts around the globe.
“I am studying a lot of the sets from people who play in Canada,” Öwnboss told us in one of his first English language interviews. “I have talked with some friends and other DJs from Brazil that have already played in Canada and you can expect a really good show.”
Öwnboss started out as a dream job for a young Eduardo Zaniolo, who was looking to become a DJ despite what his family thought.
“For me, Öwnboss is a very special name,” he explained. “From the beginning, my family wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor and have a traditional style job. I had to quit my job to start my dream – to study to be a producer, to be a DJ. Here in Brazil, back in the day, we didn’t have famous DJs like we have now. It was very difficult for people to understand and I have this traditional family that did not understand at all. So, I created this name because I quit everything and I didn’t have the approval of my father. Öwnboss is about following your dreams – you can do it. You can be your own boss of your own life.”
That dream took off when he was approached by producer Sevek with a song idea called Move Your Body. It was a song that was being rejected by DJs everywhere until Öwnboss heard it.
“He has sent out the first draft of Move Your Body and nobody gave a shit,” Öwnboss explained. “Then he sent it to me and I heard something special in there. I showed it to some people who I trust and everybody told me, no bro, don’t do this. It’s very crazy that no one wanted it. This happened to ACRAZE with “Do It”. I think everybody was telling him not to do it and now he’s bombing everywhere.”
Move Your Body followed ACRAZE’s example and is blowing up around the world, surpassing the 25 million plays mark and averaging 500,000 daily plays on Spotify alone. It’s become a signature track for Öwnboss.
“I think the song works so well because Sevek and I kept it simple,” he said. “We have good drums, a good kick, a nice melody and that incredible piano synth at the drop. It’s a simple track with a good melody. Electronic music here in Brazil is very different than in other countries like the United States, Canada and Europe. Move Your Body was the first time I tried to do something outside the box. We did this amazing drop and now I am addicted to these drops.”
Along with Move Your Body, Öwnboss also had the chance to remix David Guetta’s latest single Crazy What Love Can Do.
“I had just finished playing a show and I was at the after party looking at my social medias,” Öwnboss said. “Then I received a message from David Guetta and everything stopped at that point. I looked at my phone and he’s typing right there. David Guetta is typing! I couldn’t believe it. We talked after and I found out he played Move Your Body at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami. He invited me to play in Ushuaia with him and that’s where he asked me to do the remix. And for me it was amazing. Amazing.”
But it wasn’t as easy as one might think.
“On my first draft of this track,” he continues. “I was overthinking too much and the result wasn’t so good. Then I send it to David Guetta and he send me an email back with the best feedback of my life, explaining everything what I was doing wrong and what I had to do. The final remix of Crazy What Love Can Do is what got released.”
Move Your Body landed him a recording contract with Musical Freedom, a record label started by Tiësto in 2009.
“I have a lot of tracks that I am working since the start of the year,” Öwnboss revealed. “Since I signed with Tiësto’s label Musical Freedom, I’m receiving a lot of the top lines, vocals, a lot of stuff to create new tracks. But for me what I want more Move Your Bodies in my life. It’s not about money, it’s not about being famous, it’s because I love music and I want to keep growing as a DJ. It’s everything I wanted in my life and I’m very happy just trying to do my best to conquer the world.”
Check out Öwnboss live on stage for the first time outside of South America when he hits the stage at The Colosseum in Windsor with Tiësto on July 1 to celebrate Canada Day.
Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster online or The Colosseum Box Office.
