Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Topic

German-Croatian musician Topic has emerged as one of the most influential artists of his generation. In 2014, he kickstarted his career as a producer before taking center stage. From multi-platinum albums to billions of streams worldwide, Topic has continued to redefine the industry. We caught up with Topic for an in-depth conversation about his career, his new release “Your Love (9PM)“, and what’s ahead.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Topic: I didn’t know that I had a passion for music until I was a teen and joined a project my former music teacher created where we could use music programs on computers. Because I was young, I was drawn to media. He recognized that I had some talent and encouraged me a lot. I got stuck on that and also started producing at home.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Topic: I started making music in 2008. During that time, Timbaland and Dr. Dre were my biggest influences! But then also Avicii and Swedish House Mafia—they drew me to EDM.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success throughout the years. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Topic: I would say it’s the success of “Home”. That’s the first song that helped me break into the industry. Then would be the success of “Breaking Me”, which went global. It’s been a crazy year!

PC: What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
Topic: I wish I knew that consistency really is key! If I would have been consistent from the very start, the success might even come earlier. But I like how it turned out in the end!

PC: You’ve been a part of some massive collaborations. What’s been the secret to that success? Is there a particular moment while you’re working on a new song that you realize you have a hit on your hands?
Topic: There’s no recipe for a hit! It’s really hard to know beforehand…impossible, even. With songs like “Home” or “Breaking Me”, it was just that my friends liked them more than other tracks. That might have been an indication, but at the same time, there are songs that I liked which didn’t have huge success. It’s always really interesting to see which songs carry through.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “Your Love (9PM)”. What inspired the song?
Topic: “Your Love (9PM)” is a dance classic that I’ve known and loved since I was little. ATB liked my style of productions and got in contact with me through a mutual friend. A few days later, we met up in the studio and started the production. After we were satisfied with the basic structure, we brought in A7S via video call for him to work on the track. Lyric wise, it’s a longing to feel loved by this one person, which gives you such a high, you would even want to have it over and over again, even if it hurts.

PC: What can fans expect from you in 2021?
Topic: A lot of new music as I had a lot of time to spend in the studio to be creative!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Topic: Lana Del Rey and Boris Brejcha.

PC: First album you bought?
Topic: Bushido’s Von der Skyline zum Bordstein zurück. He’s a really famous German rapper.

PC: First concert you attended?
Topic: Joe Cocker.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Topic: Avicii’s True. It really got me into dance music!

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Topic: Tough question! There are a lot, but very high up on the list are Ultra Music Festival Miami and Burning Man.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Topic: Jägermeister! [laughs]

To keep up with Topic, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Pick up or stream “Your Love (9PM)” today.

Photo Credit: David Montes Aleda