Porter Robinson has had one of the biggest years of any artists in dance music. He completely transformed his image, his sound and, as a result, his career. The transition had started with his single "Language" and later the collaboration alongside Mat Zo "Easy," but it was made complete with the writing and release of his debut artist album Worlds. Worlds ditched his heavy, glitchy electro sound that he professed, focusing more on technical prowess more than songwriting and creating "beautiful music" at 90 beats per minute that really satisfied the creative spirit of Porter Robinson. During his time at Stereosonic, he stopped at the Electronic Music Conference to deliver the keynote address with fellow DJ and friend Nick Thayer about the process of making the album, give some advice for upcoming producers and say what inspires him, via In the Mix.
Porter Robinson sits down with Nick Thayer, who prompts the 22-year-old producer/DJ to discuss how he got to where he is in his career and give advice on how to get the attention of someone like him. His advice is a bit different from how others might view the music industry or "the game," as it is referred to in the discussion. He admits that his experience was largely shielded from many of the struggles and typical experiences that many artists go through, but in the digital age, where almost everything happens online, he urges artists to focus on being true to one's self and create something that is unique.
"The more effort you put into changing the game, the less likely it is to happen. The best subversion happens naturally," Robinson says. "I think the better way to do it is try and do something that stands out. And having an identity is really important for that ... I'm not saying authenticity is this magic bullet," he added. "You might do something authentic and just have bad taste."
He goes on to discuss the creation of his live show and his evolution of an artist, from someone making music in his bedroom sharing it on online forums with other producers like Madeon to becoming a global star who headlines festivals worldwide.
Watch the full, 40-minute talk below:
