Get to Know $ilv@ in His Exclusive One EDM Interview

$ilv@ is an artist who has fully immersed himself in the EDM scene for the majority of his life. Starting from humble beginnings through DJ’ing at dorm parties at university, $ilv@ has gone on to become a well-established DJ and producer who offers something fresh and unique with every release. $ilva@ has gained himself over 200,000 monthly Spotify listeners and is setting himself for an astounding year. Here is One EDM’s exclusive interview with Long Island native, $ilv@.

For those who haven’t heard of you, tell us a bit about yourself?

The name is $ilv@ but it is pronounced “Silva”. I first got my name at the University of Buffalo in 2010. It was my pledge name for the fraternity, Phi Delta Theta.  Buffalo is also where my DJ career started to take off. I was the DJ for many college parties and college bars. The name just stuck after that. I honestly don’t think half of the people even knew my real name; they just knew $ilv@!

People loved my shows and always came back for more. After I graduated college, I returned to Long Island where I was born and raised. I continued that momentum and started to play gigs around the Island and in New York City. I recently started to produce over the past two years. Also, I have a few singles coming out, and my next song, “Al3xi$”. was released on Feb. 14. If you have not heard my stuff, give it a listen on any streaming platform. I promise it will not disappoint!

How would you describe your style of music?

I don’t really know how I would describe my music but what I do know is that I don’t want to sound like someone else. Regarding originality, I try to be original, or at least as original as I can be. However, I try to sound funky and weird, but at the same time not too out of the ordinary. I want people to be interested, and want them to want to hear more, without being so unusual they want to change the song.

Meanwhile, I try to keep people’s attention all whilst breaking the typical rules of EDM. I also like to produce a bunch of different sub genres of EDM. It depends on what mood I’m in when I start producing.

What made you first get into music?

Growing up I listened to all types of music, in many genres. I loved them all. Music to me is one of the best forms of expression. What really got me into music was listening to it on car rides to basketball games, or practices with my dad. He liked all types of music, so I got to listen to a bunch.

As the years went on, I broadened my horizons even more, and started making little mixtape CDs for people at school. I used to make them into all sorts of playlists for people.

What really got me into music is the way it can affect a person’s emotions, and how it makes people relate. I can hear a song in a language I can’t even speak, but still understand the emotions of the person creating the song.

Who are your influences?

This is hard to answer, because I have so many! One huge influence I have is the genius himself, Deadmau5. One show that really had me thinking, “I want to do this,” is when I saw him in Toronto at the Rogers Centre. You can just hear through his music the pure emotion. He sold out the entire stadium. His music is extremely in depth, creative, and one of a kind.

Another artist who really influenced me is Avicii, may he Rest In Peace. His music moves people in ways that they can relate to and feel. There are plenty of other artists that influenced me, but I would be going on for days. I’ll just stick with these two brilliant ones for now.

Who or what exposed you to the electronic music scene?

I would say I really got into the scene in college and I would go to all the EDM clubs and shows. One duo that stuck out was MSTRKRFT and their show was legendary. Afrojack and Laidback Luke were also getting big at the time since EDM was at a high. I had a big group of rave friends, and we would all go to these shows together. We would trade candy, party, and live the PLUR life. We began to DJ in dorm rooms, and this is where it really started to take off for me. The love and bonding that EDM inspired was what really made me love the music.

What is your favourite song of all time?

My favourite song of all time would have to be Strobe by Deadmau5. It is just so perfectly put together and in depth. The way it hits at the drop, and how the melody is so chill, really makes it timeless. I recently bought, “Where’s the drop?” on record, and have been able to hear this song in an entirely new way. I highly recommend it.

Who is on your bucket list to collaborate with?

I would have to say Steve Aoki, The Bassjackers, Afrojack, Deadmau5, Fisher, Hardwell, Kygo, Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, Axwell, and Cheat Codes. This is just to name a few.

If you could produce music for any other genre what would it be and why?

I have produced some stuff for hip hop, and rap. Doing that is always fun. They have catchy beats, and it is always cool seeing what a rapper, or artist do when they hop on those tracks. Then again, if I could produce for any other genre, I think it would have to be rock music. Rock is a huge part of my upbringing.

What can we expect to hear from you in the coming months?

In the coming months, I will release a few more singles. I will update everyone on the release dates. My newest single, “Al3xi$”, is out now and I will also release a few hour-long mixes. Keep a look out for all of these. You can check in on release dates and other stuff on my Instagram. My name is @j_matarese. I will keep you updated through this.

Finally, what one of your songs should we check out that best describes you as an artist?

Definitely check out “Al3xi$” and “F33l Th3 $am3“. It has some hypnotizing melodies, mixed with some spiralling builds.

*Interested listeners are welcomed to follow $ilv@ on Soundcloud, Twitter, and Instagram.