“So I don’t really have fans, for me it’s just friends” 

Getting from A to B in any career [especially in music] is a journey with steps that needs to be followed to a loose extent but every once in a while, someone comes out of the woodwork and becomes an overnight sensation. For most people, this journey is years of work, rejection, trial and error, networking and dedication. 

Matt Thomas, better known as Asteroid, has worked hard to be where he is today, but don’t be foolish to think that work is finished. Asteroid is on a path to cross mountains by maintaining focus on the ultimate truth of talent, but understanding the value and necessity of networking, marketing, and social media.

Being open for new experiences and enjoying the ride, Asteroid is making friends around the world and becoming a household name in the process.

Hello and congrats on making your Dreamstate debut here in Vancouver. How excited are you for this performance? How has the journey been to get to this point?

So the journey has been long, but very [very] rewarding at the same time. I do say I’m not like any more unique or special than anyone else. I just worked hard and believed in it. And that’s kind of what got me where I am now, I guess just having the belief in the first place.

But yeah, the thing that I’ve been excited about most is just being associated with such an iconic brand, you know, I mean like Dreamstate is pretty much the DJ wish list gig. So it’s like your Luminosity and Transmission, it’s kind of upset with all the gigs that you really want to play as a trance artist.  

That journey is important. I think a lot of kids today who are trying to come up don’t really understand how long the process is. What would you tell them about that?

Yeah, I’ve seen this really interesting diagram of an iceberg. Like a tip is sticking out the water and it’s labeled a success; and then you have this huge massive iceberg in the sea, which is all [you know] the setbacks, the rejections, and everything else to get that point. The people of course don’t see any of that because they see success and it seems like it comes overnight.

The only advice I’ve got is just to believe in yourself and keep going.

2019 has been a very busy year for you this year so far. You have already played some very big gigs, and you have a few more on the way. What does the rest of 2019 look like and what else would you like to accomplish?

It’s an interesting one, I guess because I try my best to be 100% honest with myself and everyone. As much as I really am grateful for all the gigs in the amazing tours and visiting these countries but the most important thing for me is to be the best producer I can be, that’s where my focus is.

I guess by making sure that your material and the output is always good and then the gigs kind of come with that. But really the gigs are a fantastic bonus for me now. It’s all about music and making the best I can.

You are the A&R manager for Trancegression Recordings. Trancegression is one of the newest labels out there. What is the sound that you are looking for to shape Trancegression? How involved are you and Darren Porter in the selection of each track you choose to sign?

People probably don’t realize, or they think that it kind of just goes through me and then I passed the ones on to Darren but we’re actually heavily involved in every selection. In fact, we pass ideas back and forth between each other. If a track isn’t quite there will even offer to help the artists not just with feedback, but actually help them with the track itself just to get it to the standards that everyone’s happy. 

So what’s the sound that you guys are looking to make Transgression more? 

Okay. So it’s kind of that energetic side of the trance music. But I mean there can be so much energy even in the lower tempos. So it’s not really about a tempo thing. It’s just about the energy, and as long as the energy flows down and a great melodic structure as well. Something that we really believe in. 

Your calendar has been filling up quickly with travel and gigs. Have you been able to devote 100% of your time to music only, or do you still have a day job? How are you maintaining a work life balance? 

The answer to that question is I have no balance whatsoever or routine because not only do I have one day job. I kind of have two day jobs. If you want to call it that. I have two part-time jobs and then I’m also running the label with Darren, and then also trying to fit in some studio time for my own music, and writing music for other people. 

So when do you sleep?

I make sure I always get a good sleep. But it’s just juggling everything else in between that’s quite difficult. But you know, I’ve kind of gotten used to it over the last few months, but I’m actually starting a new day job and that’s going to give me a lot more stability. It’s four days a week but a full-time pay. It’s like 10-hour shift over four days and I’ll give me three days off every week to just concentrate on the label and my music. And also I’ve canceled a lot of my clients to go forward because i really want to concentrate on my own stuff.

You started as a raver listening to French Core and eventually finding trance. Do you ever miss just being in the audience listening to music and being a fan? Why is that?

Massively! Because now i just analyze every track, and you can’t help it. You ask any producer, you can’t help it

I call it being jaded!  Every person who becomes a DJ or a producer, are just in the crowd, being jaded, because they hear every little thing and and often it is in awe. I am never listening to a track and trying to see why this track isn’t that great. I am actually in awe of how the hell did they do that. How did they make this sound?  But it would be really nice, to just go out and never think about how they made the sounds.

What is something that you loved the most about being just a regular raver in the scene?

Connection, connection with people.

Do you feel that you lost that now?

No, it is just a different kind of connection now. The dynamic has changed because I’m more connected now to people who follow my music. And I have this thing where I really don’t like the term fans. For me if anyone makes the effort to go online and search out tracks by my name or whatever then that’s a friend to me you know. So I don’t really have fans, for me it’s just friends. 

Finally, if you could only live by one motto what would it be?

Always do whatever sets yourself on fire. Make sure that you’re happy in every situation because generally when you are everything else falls in place.