KAY WILDER FACTS

Name: Herman-Jan Wildervank
Date of Birth: 26.10.1983
Hometown: Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
Current Location: Groningen, The Netherlands
Awards/Nominations: - Nomination Best Frysian DJ – Nomination Overall Frysian Pop Music Award
Labels: SPX Digital / Mondo Records (UK) / Sunset to Sunrise Recordings (NL)
Releases:
- Kay Wilder feat. Ecoustic – XY – 2007
– CD: Watching The Sunset – mixed by Kay Wilder – 2008
- Setrise vs Kay Wilder – Poetry Clash – 2010 – SPX Digital / Mondo Recordings
- Kay Wilder – Bringin’ People Together (Dancetour Anthem 2010) – 2010 – T.B.R.

WHAT ABOUT KAY WILDER?

It’s Monday morning, finally spring has arrived as we drive our way up to the northern parts of the Netherlands, Groningen to be exactly. Because this is were one of Holland’s newest eye-catchers in the world of Progressive House & Trance music: Kay Wilder, holds his studio. Kay holds his roots in the Northern parts of the Netherlands. He grew up in the town of Leeuwarden and the Island of Ameland, two important places were his passion for music got fired up. Since six years he lives in Groningen, a lively city famous for the Martini tower, many students and a unique nightlife.

The fast rising Dutch deejay and producer Kay Wilder climbed his way up into some of Hollands biggest parties and finest line-ups around. With his sound Kay already got the privilege to be the supporting act for his role models Junkie XL and Marco V. Out of the box thinking, their ear for quality and just doing their own thing are the most important key-features these three artist have in common.

We stop at an appartment block and work our way up to the fourth floor, the highest floor of the building. The first thing that is noticed is the beautiful sight across town straith from the studio room. On the wall, next to the Degree in Life Sciences and a great symbolic  ‘golden record’ of the Watching the Sunset CD we find an impressive sight of poster and flyers of past events were Kay performed such as Club Noa (Hollands nr1. Club), his yearly Kay Wilder Solo night, beachclub The Sunset, Royals, Huize Maas, the High Contrast Night 2010, In Charge with Marco V, Dancetour, Dencity, Freeze Festival and Above & Beyond. This last one is the party were it all started, as a supporting act during the Mark Norman vs Mojado Album Tour to be exactly back in 2005.

In the studio the scattering of drumsticks on the floor reveal Kay’s past. Kay had his main musical education in drums within the Pasveer percussion & drum group. Touring throughout Europe. Playing sold-out gigs. Performed with global artist like Simon Phillips (The Who, Toto) and Mory Kanté. Having won the award for Best European Drums Group every single year as well as several World Champignonship titles, his musical addiction is on. That’s also the main reason Kay Wilder distinguishes himself from other DJ´s, by his refining knowledge of music and his drive for perfectionism, which is noticed in his accurate sets and the sensation of his music. Already praised for giving his own direction in the trance-music by crossing bridges and always delivering quality. As a confirmation for his contribution to the Frysian Dance scene, Kay got nominated for “Best Frysian DJ” and the “Overall Frysian Pop Award” in wich he follows the footsteps of other Frysian dance artists like Mark Norman and dj Joop.

As our conversation continues Kay puts a cd in his Pioneers and tells us more about his view on dance music. The live aspect of music in combination with electronic dance keeps on fascinating Kay. As seen in the highly experimental live performance Kay did for the opening of the World Trade Center in 2007. In which he produced for a special collaboration which combines live percussion, drum and brass bands all together. Also great live collaborations with the beautiful appearance of vocalist Denise Rivera are being picked by the greater organisations. And later we discovered we are actually listening to the first mix for the new Denise Rivera cd, which Kay’s is mixing. This one will be released at the end of 2010 Kay reveals.

In 2008 Kay released his first “Watching The Sunset” compilation cd, of which the follow up is expected later on in 2010. For Kay’s latest single-release he got teamed up with youngster Setrise. Their new production called “Poetry Clash” is released on SPX Digital / Mondo records on the 23rd of January 2010 and received massive support from dj’s like JOOP, Lange, Mark Sherry, Talla 2XLC, Scot Project, Andy Moor, Tritonal, got voted nr. 1 in Ernesto & Bastian’s Tip Top 3 and received a massive 9/10 score by http://www.musicritics.com. Remixes of Poetry Clash are provided by no one less than Dutch trance master Ron van den Beuken, Julius Beat (Col), John Gibbons (Ir) and Steve Birch (UK). At the moment Kay is working on new material to be released in 2010, amongst them the new official Dancetour Anthem ” Bringing People Together” which will be released in the future but already being played at all the Dancetour events nationwide.

DJ wise the year 2010 starts of as an exciting year so far with a new deejay-residency at Hollands number one Club Noa and being a part of the official High Contrast label Night in the Netherlands. In February Kay started his first Europe Tour. Of which the kick-off was held at the Feel Trance event in Aachen (Germany). Followed by performances at Prague (Czech) and the famous club Amnesia, at the west-coast of Ireland. Which concludes that Kay Wilder is indeed one of Hollands newest and most upcoming deejays in the scene. Only thing left for us to say: Keep your eyes and ears open about this new starr to be!