When it comes to the music industry, the competition is unfathomably high. Every artist wants success, in whatever form that may be, and will work at whatever pace to achieve it. While everyone’s journey varies, there’s something to be said for artists who wish to give back and help others capitalize on their potential. Alex Milgrom, better known by his stage name of X-Vertigo, encompasses just that. In his career he’s received love from some of the biggest names in the biz, like Nicky Romero and Tiesto, and also put out chart-topping originals that have been heard all around the globe. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s even created his own label, X-Vertigo Attack! (XVA) that has signed and released music from Matt Nash, Sandro Silva, and many others. I had the opportunity to interview the talented and brilliant man on his career thus far and also his passion to help up and coming producers start a lasting career, enjoy!
Tell us about the start of your DJ-ing career in Hollywood.
“I started performing in clubs like Avalon, Vanguard, Cinespace and a few more. EDM wasn’t big then, it was mostly opener format, so I’d play the side rooms. Eventually I decided to focus on production and create my sound, so I stopped DJ-ing for a few years.”
I also heard you had a reputation for throwing house parties. Was
there ever one that got really out of control?
“When I was 16, we threw massive house parties both in Los Angeles and Isla Vista (Santa Barbara), and there are some funny stories from each event, but one of the parties got ridiculously out of hand, we had nearly 1500 people in my backyard and another 2000 trying to get in, we actually had
to call the cops ourselves. It took a few LAPD choppers, smoke bombs and a few dozen cops to break up the party. I was terrified, it looked like a riot,I thought I was going to jail. It was absolute chaos!”
Starting and managing a label is no easy feat. What led you to start your own label?
“I started my own label mainly because I didn’t necessarily share the same vision or sound as everyone else and I thought they were other guys with different sounds and different vision that had no house to feature their
music. My label allows me and many producers to feature their music with the world and it’s been a great outlet for a lot of producers including myself.“
How do you help the artists you sign to develop and grow on your label?
“I always tend to follow up with everyone to see if they have new tracks, give tips whenever I can and always try to take it a day at a time. I also have a lot of DJ friends, so we managed to get new artists support from major DJs.”
What do you think has allowed you to create and hold such a solid fan-base despite the competition and saturation of EDM?
“I think it is mainly due to the fact that I stay away from the generic music or brands that are out there. My sets are completely different than anyone around so is my sound and content. In fact one of my singles was rejected by multiple labels, because it was so different, but when I
released it through XVA, it reached top 20. It’s simple, fans want good music!”
Tell us about this new concept you have about connecting new producers?
“A few weeks ago I had a meeting with my team and we thought of bringing a new concept in which producers could share drops or breakdowns that they had made and then we would pick whichever were cool and then connect
collaborations. We’re very open to combining sounds and ideas I think that’s what keeps things interesting nowadays rather than being solo all the time. All the details for this will be on X-VERTIGOATTACK.com.”
What’s your vision for the future of XVA Records?
“We’re looking to keep bringing amazing music and grow a team across the globe in which we have different residents from everywhere hosting XVA nights. We have a very strong list of artists that are doing well in their own respective countries and we want to maintain a relationship with these
guys to bring in something powerful a few years down the road along with the distribution of music and charting.”
If you’re a producer and looking for a great opportunity to work with some of the best talent in the industry, this is for you. This isn’t your typical contest as it doesn’t rely on votes, likes, or popularity, but pure skills. Alex is truly more than a producer or performer; he’s a genuine guy with a heart to help others achieve the same dream he shares. Head over to X-vertigoattack.com to read up more on X-Vertigo and this new project!
