The rise of American electronic music producer, DJ Skrillex (real name Sonny Moore) has been well-documented ever since he broke out in 2010 with his album Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites that totally changed the landscape of electronic, and in many ways, pop music. Katie Couric tries to unpack his life and how the Recess producer has been so successful in her interview series with Yahoo. They discuss things like how Skrillex's collaboration as Jack Ü with Diplo and Justin Bieber came to be, his father's devotion to Scientology, and they even make a fat beat that is described as "a festival smash" and "for the children."
The video opens with the pair making some fresh beats with Couric adding her vocals to the track that Skrillex chops and pitches on the spot with some thrown-together drums. They sound pretty good.
The interview continues on with the oft-discussed topic of how Skrillex and Diplo were able to link up with a pop superstar like Bieber. As he has explained in the past, the trio linked up at a club last year during New York Fashion Week. Bieber sent Skrillex and Diplo an a-cappella and then they did their magic to it.
She wonders if he was surprised at the flak he took from some fans and, remaining as positive as ever, Skrillex explains that his hardcore fans follow him no matter what.
"My hardcore fans get what I do and like the fact that I don't care and I'm not afraid to fail and do something that everyone doesn't like."
The conversation turns personal as they discuss Moore's childhood as a little kid hearing "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors for the first time and the lessons he has taken away from his parents. At 16 he learned he was adopted and this spurred Moore to go out and see the world, joining the band From First To Last and touring with them.
His dad is a devout Scientologist and Skrillex defends the belief, but says he does not have time for religion himself because of music.
Moore believes that EDM is for the young at heart, which includes people of all ages, but delivers a bold prediction, somewhat sarcastically, that in 10 years a baby will be making a good song. Watch the full interview below.
