Julian Banks

We first caught wind of the buzz-building collaboration during Banks' pre-EDC set in Las Vegas at The Venetian. Since then we've discovered that the hip-hop legend and burgeoning DJ will likely release their upcoming single next month.

It's a savvy move by Snoop, broadening his audience and aligning himself with the younger generation amidst a constantly shifting musical landscape. Banks has proven his ability to take the illustrative and rhythmic signifiers of early hip-hop and infuse them into the surging soundscapes and sinister drum-rim pulses found in contemporary trap music.

His massive social media following and dedicated fanbase also indicate the public's welcome transition from fist-pumping big room electro to grittier bass music and tightly wound beats. Many of his new tracks expertly bridge this gap, reorienting traditional pop music through a seamless blend of rap production and dance melodies into radio-ready grooves.

Judging by previous releases, the song will undoubtedly become a Vegas-ready summer anthem that showcases Banks' penchant for crafting intricate, and genre-defying trap beats, and the seasoned flow of Snoop's infectious rhymes. Stay tuned for more updates!

Follow Julian Banks here:
www.instagram.com/realjulianbanks
www.facebook.com/realjulianbanks
www.twitter.com/realjulianbanks
www.soundcloud.com/realjulianbanks - Buzzfeed

It's been a busy year for Julian Banks. His debut album, Higher, went viral on SoundCloud upon its release, which led to a #1 spot on Billboard Dance Chart, and scored him a top slot at Coachella's prestigious Merv Griffin House alongside A-Trak and Bonobo. Add to that collaborations with Kanye West's producer, Craig Bauer, and Zedd's engineer, Huntley Miller, and you begin to understand the militant work ethic behind Julian's laid-back demeanor.

"It's been kind of crazy," he says reclining in a posh chair at his $2.5 million party pad in Venice Beach.

He's also an avid screenwriter with 2 scripts at the top of the Black List (a year-end roster of Hollywood's hottest unproduced screenplays). His answer to where he finds the time? "On tour I really try and carve out a few hours in the morning for music, writing, and painting. It's easy to get caught up in the madness of touring, but I need to have my personal time to stay sane."

Julian's journey started when he drove from his hometown in Ohio across the country in a beat up Toyota in search of DJ stardom. "I drove to L.A. with $100 in my pocket and a few pairs of jeans. I didn't know anybody and I soon found myself living on an air mattress in a one bedroom with five equally broke musicians. The struggle was real."

He soon started dating a casting director whose ex-husband worked at Creative Artists Agency and offered to connect the two due to their shared love of electronic music. "He actually ended up offering me a job but I told him I didn't even own a suit. He told me not to worry since suits were looked down upon in the music department. It really was this rogue department inside CAA that didn't give a fuck about normal business protocol. It's probably one of the reasons I liked it so much."

Julian soon started booking tours for the likes of Kanye West, Radiohead, and Bob Dylan, and found himself hanging out with some of the clients after hours. "Everyone in the music department was also a musician so we all had to seem like we were working while we were actually hustling and building contacts. That's how I got connected to Kanye and using Craig Bauer's studio. I would work during the day, make music on my laptop at night, and bring singers into Craig's studio on the weekend to record."

That collaboration led to his hit, "Say Goodbye," on which Julian did the production as well as rapping and singing. "I had trouble finding vocalists at first, so I had no choice but to do it myself." That kind of every-man mindset has benefited him in the explosive growth of EDM, giving him the chance to merge genres and experiment with new styles at a prolific pace. With more than 100 performances this past year, he's developed a tireless mentality that has kept the high-paying gigs pouring in. This past month alone brought Julian to Japan, Brazil, Italy, and Germany. It's safe to say he has come a long way from Ohio. - AXS

Home » Personal Features » EDM News: An Interview With DJ Julian Banks!
EDM News: An Interview With DJ Julian Banks!
Posted on July 15, 2016




We caught up with one of EDM’s rising producers, Julian Banks, after returning from a headlining show at Revelin Nightclub in Croatia.

His newest single, Say Goodbye, has gone viral on almost every music sharing platform and has been receiving plenty of love on the festival circuit.

The song was produced in the famed studio of Kanye West’s engineer, Craig Bauer. Check out the track and interview below.

DJ Mag rated the Revelin in Croatia as one of the best nightclubs in the world. What was it like playing there?

Honestly it was a dream come true playing at such a historic venue. There’s a reason why every DJ includes them on their European tours. They have one of the best sound and lighting systems, and it’s even more impressive when you realize it’s in a 16th century fortress.

We heard you played at the inaugural Coachella Merv Griffin House Party with celebs like Leonardo DiCaprio attending. What makes Coachella such a special event?

Heading up to Coachella has always been a yearly occurrence since I moved out here, and to be able to play in the desert with all my friends was surreal. There’s this palpable feeling as soon as you arrive, and you’re surrounded by tons of ravers that all have the same mindset. Everyone is there together, and it feels like a big family. A big family that sometimes does a lot of drugs.

How have you been playing so many shows internationally?

I was actually on tour with a jazz musician when I first moved out here, and I stayed in contact with a lot of the promoters. Most of them promote a mix of genres so they were able to connect me to the right people. I’m really fortunate to have them as connections since they’ve vouched for me and helped get me into really competitive venues. Plus having someone translate for you helps.

Any places that you still want to play?

I’m actually working with a friend who’s a promoter in Vienna and I’d love to get out there. It’s one of my favorite cities, and they have some of the best nightlife.

What’s next for you?

I’m releasing my next single, “Young And Free,” this month. Kanye’s engineer, Craig Bauer, has opened up his studio to me for all the vocals, which has really taken everything to another level. He also recommended the singer featured on the track, Loreta Frankonyte, who is going to be huge. I really just want to continually put out great tracks, and work with artists that inspire me. - AMB Magazine

Šetao ovih dana Amerikanac, Julian Banks, ulicama Dubrovnika, odlučio ući u Culture club Revelin i tražiti da na jednu večer postane dijelom DJ postave 75. najboljeg kluba na svijetu.

Ljudi zaduženi za program skuhali kavicu i porazgovarali s mladim Amerikancem. I onda – šok. Julianov prvi album, 'Higher', na Soundcloudu odmah nakon objavljivanja ima više od 4 milijuna pregleda. A u Dubrovnik je svratio nakon, ni manje ni više, nego nastupa na ovogodišnjem Coachella festivalu:

'Svirao sam jednosatni set, to je tamo uobičajeno, čak i sa poznatim headlinerima, nastupi traju pedesetak minuta do jednog sata. Šetajući Dubrovnikom dao sam si u zadatak da vidim Revelin o kojem sam toliko slušao od velikih Dj zvijezda. Ušao sam, ljudi su me primili i dali priliku da nastupim', rekao nam je Julian.

Julian tvrdi da Dubrovčani i ostali možda nisu niti svjesni koliko je Revelin popularan u svijetu i koliko je popravio ponudu najljepšeg grada na svijetu:

'Klub unutar zidina tvrđave, to je stvarno fantastično. Izvana uopće ne shvaćate što se događa unutra. Kad sam ušao shvatio sam, vidjevši atmosferu, lijepe plesačice i rasplesanu publiku, da sam u jednom od najboljih klubova na svijetu. Strašno mi je drago da sam dobio priliku svirati ovdje', kaže preskromni Julian, kojeg na društvenim mrežama prate stotine tisuća obožavatelja koji će sada i na ovaj način čuti dobar glas o Dubrovniku i Revelinu. - Dubrovacki

Hey guys just want to thank everyone for all the support especially those that were able to make it out to Revelin in Croatia. This track has been a long time in the making and I’m super stoked to finally release it. It features the talented vocalist Loreta Frankonyte who did an amazing job. Hope you enjoy! – Julian Banks - FUM EDM

Snoop Dogg has made his position on experimenting with music quite prominent in recent years, branching out from his well-known rap career into ventures like his reggae ego Snoop Lion, and even into DJing that came alongside a highly talked-about Boiler Room set. He dives even deeper into the electronic space — this time, on the commercial side of the spectrum — with Julian Banks, Bassjackers, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike for an infectious, “Bounce.”

The single errs more toward Snoop’s roots, featuring silky verses from the rapper that lead into a festival trap-laden drop that feels a far cry from what one thinks they’d hear from his collaborators, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. While the piece might be a bit too rough for radio play, it hits hard on the main stage and will more than likely make its rounds as an anthem throughout the coming months. - Dancing Astronaut