Renowned producer and DJ Alexander Popov recently unveiled his highly anticipated album, ‘Reflected’, a dynamic 16-track journey that serves as both a musical chronicle of his personal and professional experiences over the past few years and a reflection of the ever-changing world around him. The album, released on November 3rd via Interplay Records, features collaborations with industry heavyweights such as Paul Oakenfold, Heatbeat, Kitone, Brandon Mignaccia, and more. From the desert gem with an Eastern flavor in ‘In Your Mind’ to the euphoric collaboration with Chester Young and Whiteout on ‘Overtaking’, ‘Reflected’ explores a spectrum of melodic electronic dance music styles. In this exclusive interview, Alexander Popov delves into the album’s creative process, his memorable collaborations, and the personal significance behind tracks like ‘The One’, a collaborative effort with his wife. As a seasoned artist with over a decade in the industry, Popov also shares insights into staying motivated, evolving as an artist, and his thoughts on the future trends and directions of electronic music.
Congratulations on the release of your highly anticipated album ‘Reflected.’ Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the album and its unique blend of melodic electronic dance music styles?
Thanks! This album is my musical reflection of what happened with me and with the world in the last few years. It was a turbulent time and there were a lot of different events that happened in my career and in my personal life. It’s all reflected in the music on the album.
You’ve collaborated with some big names on this album, including Paul Oakenfold, Heatbeat, Kitone, Brandon Mignaccia, and more. How did these collaborations come about, and what did each artist bring to the project?
I like to work in collaboration with different artists. It opens a wide vision for the music production process and helps to mix different styles and sounds. Especially cool to work with such legends like Paul Oakenfold, his music inspired me to start producing trance back in the days.
Could you share some insights into the creative process behind ‘Reflected’? How did you go about selecting the tracks and shaping the album’s overall sound?
I had the idea to release the album for more than two years, but it was a turbulent time and I was postponing this release. At the moment when I realized that five years had already passed since the release of my previous album, I decided that I couldn’t delay it any longer.
One of the standout tracks on the album is ‘In Your Mind,’ which features Ahmed Helmy. Can you talk about the creative vision behind this track and the Eastern flavor it brings to the album?
I love the sound of Ahmed Helmy. He is on fire at the moment and wanted to have a new collaboration with him for the album. So I dropped him an idea and he added some powerful elements and helped to make a real banger. I’m totally happy with the result and love to play this track live in my sets.
Your collaboration with producers Chester Young and Whiteout on ‘Overtaking’ is euphoric and energetic. What was the inspiration behind this collaboration, and how did it enhance the album’s diversity?
We just wanted to make a good summer track and when we had the VIP mix version we decided to make a club version with modern sound for our sets, this version became original. And also we made a music video for this track.
‘Reflected’ seems to cover a wide range of moods and sentiments. How do you approach conveying different emotions through your music, and which track on the album holds a special meaning for you?
My personal favorite is Angel – our collaboration with Paul Oakenfold. It means a lot to make a song with a legend who inspired you to start making music. And it works really well every time I play it live in my sets.
The final track on the album, ‘The One,’ is a collaboration with your wife. Can you share more about the personal significance of this track and the experience of working together on it?
My wife is a very musical person and we like to jam together on the piano and she sings. For her it always was just a hobby but for the album we decided to make a song and that’s how ‘The One’ came out. Maybe her vocals and pronunciation is not professional but we had a lot of fun and think we got a perfect final song for the album. We also asked our friend Julia to make a beautiful violin part for the track.
You’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the electronic music industry. What have been some of the most memorable moments from your career in terms of collaborations and live performances?
I love to play on big stages. It is always a great experience. One of the most memorable performances on FIFA Fan Fest right before the start of the official opening ceremony in front of 60 000+ people.
Your achievements, including being listed in 1001tracklists’ Top 100 Producers and DJ Mag’s Top 150, are impressive. How do you stay motivated and continue evolving as an artist after achieving such recognition?
Most of the time in my career I’ve tried to go forward to make bigger shows and sometimes stressed when I’m not achieving something that I’ve planned. But now I feel a bit more relaxed because I’ve understood that the most important thing is to enjoy making and playing the music to keep your passion alive and now I feel more happy and motivated.
1In the ever-evolving electronic music landscape, what do you see as the future trends and directions for the genre, and how do you plan to adapt and innovate in your future projects?
It looks like everything is mixing and accelerating in the electronic music landscape but It’s hard to predict what will be popular next and I’m not trying to predict it. I just want to keep doing what I love the most to create and play the music and to do that maximally natural.
