Just as perfumers have been known to insure their noses for millions of dollars, a musician’s ears are their most prized possession. For a DJ, hearing is crucial for measuring every drop, every build-up, every blend. It’s hard to imagine the panic Alesso felt, then, when he woke up one morning to an unrelenting, high-pitched ringing in his ears at a “10 out of 10” on the volume scale.
When PAPER speaks to him, he’s fresh off playing Ultra Music festival in Miami, a feat he didn’t think was possible while his tinnitus was at its worst in December of last year. The show itself is a retina-blasting spectacle, with flames pumping frequently into the sky and a finale of ruby-red fireworks. Alesso delivers a nostalgic blend of 2010s-era progressive house and trance, bringing out vocalist Nadia Ali for his strobe-synth remix of “Pressure,” a song that was inescapable in the summer of 2011. He drops remixes of Robert Miles’ classic “Children” and blends a Four Tet collaboration with The Chemical Brothers, connecting the dots between old and new, underground and mainstream. It’s the work of a seasoned professional who can trigger highs in his audience with one swipe of a fader. When he reaches his hands above his head, a sea of people clap in sync.
Before the show, Alesso posts a video of himself hanging out backstage at Ultra 12 years ago, the main discernable difference being his lack of facial hair. “Hopefully my interview skills have improved since then,” he jokes. The Stockholm-born DJ came of age in the epicenter of the EDM explosion, earning a mentorship from Swedish House Mafia’s Sebastian Ingrosso at age 20. “Everything felt surreal,” he says about that era of his life. “It felt like I was dreaming all the time, to be honest.” He’d spent happy teenage years raving to the Swedish trio of Ingrosso, Steve Angello and Axwell, so having the co-sign felt particularly validating. Even the link-up had come about in a strangely mythical way: he met Ingrosso’s father at a café in Sweden, handing him a CD copy of music he’d produced on a laptop that he sold his scooter to buy.
“It was one hell of a journey,” Alesso says, although it forced him to accelerate his career quickly, essentially training on the job. “I was learning how to DJ while I was DJing. I knew the basics, but I didn’t get good until a couple years in, in my opinion. I barely owned equipment — I made music, and then they were like, ‘Oh, here’s a show if you want to play.’ I needed to practice, but I couldn’t afford the expensive equipment. So I would just be like, ‘I’ll just learn the more I DJ.’ And watching other people DJ too, I learned a lot.”
What followed was a snowballing of success: a spot on the DJ Mag Top 100, touring with Madonna when he was 21, a BBC Essential Mix. One of the first tracks he produced, with Ingrosso, reached No. 2 on the Beatport charts: the big room “Calling (Lose My Mind).” Over a decade on, the track is still a certified fan favorite, with a colorful synth hook that crowds chant like lyrics. When Alesso first started out, he maintains, not everyone appreciated a four-to-the-floor drumbeat. “It was not common — it was weird to like dance music. Now, I don’t think I know anyone that doesn’t listen to dance music in some shape or form.”
Alesso wears the uniform of many arena-filling DJs: slicked-back hair and monochrome outfits that frequently ripple with designer logos. Dance music stars like him are huge businesses of their own. His Instagram page is brand deal upon brand deal, bookmarked by envy-inducing scenes of Bali islands, F1 trips, film premieres and alpine snowboarding. Business is booming, with the global electronic music industry ever-growing. It’s set to hit $24.5 billion by 2032, from $12.02 billion last year. “The production is just on another level these days,” he says about watching dance music’s explosion in the mainstream from a front row seat. “Now you have LED screens that are the size of a football field. Stages like Tomorrowland, Insomniac… they’re just out of this world. It feels like you’re stepping onto another planet.”
More recently, Alesso has been releasing music in the pop music space, such as the country-inflected “I Like It” and “Words” with fellow Swede Zara Larsson. Yet last year, he launched his own label — Body Hi — as an opportunity to showcase his interest in more underground sounds. His Hypnotize EP includes the minimal, sharp-synthed “Zig Zag,” while the title track features the low rumblings of tech-house. The release concludes with a vocal sample from Corona’s iconic “Rhythm of the Night,” while another collaboration with John Alto, “Lonely Heart,” borrows from YES’s melancholy original. It’s indicative of his own broad musical tastes that span ’80s music, Jon Hopkins and Hans Zimmer. On the cards for Body Hi is a release by Australian brother trio Sentinel, and he sees the label as an opportunity to do what Ingrosso did for him back in the day. “I love going back and forth, and building a structure of when a song is going to come out, when we’re going to premiere it,” he says of his progression into label head. “People send so much music to me, and I could play it to support it, but [it’s nice] to have a home to release it.”
After a flight to Argentina late last year, Alesso suddenly found he had a ringing in his ears, which surprised him as he hadn’t just come from a show. That night, “it exploded,” he says. “Once it happens, you feel like you’ll never be the same. I’m always going to have this insane disturbance,” he says. People respond to tinnitus differently, but there is an established link between the condition and stress. Friends and tinnitus sufferers Martin Garrix and Dom Dolla “really stepped up and told me everything’s going to be fine,” he adds. “I read a quote that said, ‘If you don’t take time for your health, your body’s going to do it for you, and it will come at a very inconvenient time.’ I was doing so many shows, not really protecting my ears and doing what was right for me, mentally and physically. And then, boom, this happened.”
He cancelled shows in Australia and Saudi Arabia before axing his entire world tour, citing vague health issues at the time. It was the first break he’d taken in 14 years. One video posted to Instagram in August 2023 sees clips of him flitting from festival to festival, club stage to club stage, napping aboard a private jet with The Chainsmokers. “Taking guesses for the amount of sleep I got,” he captioned it. Post-tinnitus struggles, Alesso’s schedule has changed dramatically, reducing the number of shows. He wouldn’t class himself as fully sober, but he’s not drunk alcohol in five months, he says, in a bid to optimise his health. “Sleep is so damn important, and when you drink, you don’t get as good sleep. I’m way more focused and I do everything I can to make sure my next day is as good as it can be,” he says.
In this past, he’d been open about finding life on the road lonely, particularly in terms of having a romantic relationship. Last year, Alesso proposed to his girlfriend, the model Erin Cummins, at Lake Como in Italy. He’s tight-lipped on specific wedding plans, but he assures us he won’t be DJing at his own nuptials. “I’m gonna just enjoy the night, and dance with my wife and friends.”
This year Alesso is preparing to play a select handful of mega-stages, including EDC Las Vegas in May, a headline show at the newly reopened Brooklyn Mirage in August, and the Quasar Stage at Coachella for a three-hour set with Gorgon City.
Congrats on playing Ultra and getting back on stage. How was that experience for you?
Oh, it was incredible. And after taking a break from touring… I did some shows before this, but this was the first big one, live-streamed and all, with a lot of attention, and I premiered new music. I was a little nervous, but it went amazing. I love Miami. I love Ultra, it’s so iconic, this festival in the middle of the city.
The first Ultra you played was in 2013. What do you remember about that show?
I remember I had the most ridiculous earrings. [Laughs] I remember Swedish House Mafia was there, too. We hung out and made music, and were around each other all the time. Twelve years ago, it’s been a journey. Miami is weirdly the same, just with a lot more people now. Hopefully my interview skills have improved since then.
Those early days must have been so fun, because your career grew quite quickly. How did it feel at the time?
Everything felt surreal. I was dreaming all the time, to be honest, because making music, being around Swedish House Mafia — who I looked up to so much — to work with them and play Ultra was surreal. There wasn’t a day I didn’t wake up with a smile on my face. I was so young, but I got connected with the right people. It was one hell of a journey.
You had to grow up quite fast, I’d imagine.
Yeah, I was learning how to DJ while I was DJing. I knew the basics, but I didn’t get good until a couple years in, in my opinion. I barely owned equipment.
Was it a fake it ‘til you make it kind of thing?
No, it was more that I came really prepared. Now I still come prepared, but if there’s things I want to move around or do as quick transitions, I know how to do that. Before I would just stick to what I knew, to not mess it up and do a horrible beatmatch.
What’s the biggest thing that’s changed for you since DJing in those days?
The production is just on another level these days. Now, you have LED screens the size of a football field, and on these huge stages, it feels like you’re stepping into another planet. The scale is much more massive. And back when I started, it was not common — it was weird to like dance music. Now, I don’t think I know anyone that doesn’t listen to dance music in some shape or form.
It must have been incredible for you to be on the frontlines while EDM became this huge beast in the US.
Yes — to be a part of the scene here, when the big electronic wave came to the US, before it was very underground…to be there to play the festivals, I couldn’t believe it. A lot of people from Europe want to make it in the US, and to be able to go as a 19-year-old and play shows and festivals, it was a dream to make it over here.
What prompted you to start your own label, Body Hi?
It was time for me to start a new chapter where I can discover and support other artists, kind of like what people did for me in the beginning. People send so much music to me and I didn’t know what to do [with it]. I could play it to support it, but to find a home for it, to release it, to create an experience with this music, I felt like I needed a home for that. It’s new for me, but I have 15 years of experience, and I know what works for me and my music. I want to put out great music that is not necessarily what you hear every day.
How do you assess what a great demo is?
I go with my gut feeling. If I hear something that has potential, I’ll go, “You need to work on this.” Or sometimes an idea will have a small section that I really like, so I’m like, “Remove everything else, let’s focus on that.” Sometimes people make music that is just flawless and you can put it out right away. I love doing that. I love going back and forth, and building a structure of when the song is going to come out, when we’re going to premiere it. People are very engaged online with new music, especially music that is meant for the stage.
Do you like the social media, online aspect of being an artist these days? Interacting with fans and laying groundwork for new releases and shows?
To engage with fans is everything, and these kids — well, they’re in their twenties, the ones I signed on the label — they’re fans of what I do and it’s mutual. I love their music, they love what I do and, to create something together, it’s the best thing ever.
You’ve just released “Surrender” with Becky Hill, which has a very euphoric sound.
That’s exactly what I want to hear: euphoric. I love to make music at that tempo: 140 BPM. It’s kind of trance, but energetic music, as you can probably understand from my catalogue, and it just felt right to do that kind of record again. And Becky Hill… there’s not a single dance producer that wouldn’t love to have her on a record, because she has such a powerful voice. When you make dance [music], you need someone that can come through the mix there, because there’s a lot of stuff happening in dance music, it’s a lot of elements. It’s a pretty hectic record. You really need someone who can carry their voice through the whole song and not drown in it. You can easily drown in dance music if it’s not the right melody or vocalist, and she does it perfectly. Zara Larsson is another good example of how big vocals work so well on dance music, especially these bigger, euphoric songs.
What’s the reaction been like to the track?
Amazing. Every time you test out new music, it can be a little awkward, especially one where there’s lots of stuff happening. But people seemed to be enjoying it, and it felt great [to play].
Do the crowd reactions to some of your music ever surprise you? Like a track you think isn’t gonna get people moving does, and vice versa.
That happens for sure. It’s fun, but also scary sometimes to test out new records because you have, like, one hour on the stage, and you want to make the most of it. When you play something that’s completely new, you don’t know how it’s going to be received. Sometimes it’s a home run and sometimes it’s like, Huh, probably shouldn’t have played that.
Do you still get nervous before big shows?
I do a little bit. When it’s live-streamed, especially, because people will notice if you mess up.
Do you have any pre-show rituals before heading on stage?
It would be so cool if I did 20 push-ups, but I don’t. I just want to be alone to focus on the show, because if someone’s talking in my ear and trying to get my attention right before going on stage… I try to relax and not do anything that will spike my heart rate. I do some breathwork, and then go up on stage and take it all in. When I get nervous, I remember that everyone’s here to have a good time. You can’t really mess it up unless you go completely off and just play another genre, you know?
What about other rituals in your daily life?
My lifestyle is definitely different than it used to be. With age, you have to think about it a lot more. I’ve gone through some health difficulties the last couple of months with my ears and that made me really focus on health. I haven’t had a drink for five months, because I’m trying to optimize my health and my brain. Sleep is so damn important. Taking care of my diet, working out, being with my friends and family. I did that in the past, too, but now I turn it up a lot more.
I’m sorry to hear about your experiences with tinnitus. Was it a situation where you just woke up one day and experienced this really loud ringing?
I flew to Argentina and thought everything was fine. I got to the hotel and I was like, Whoa, why is it ringing so much? It wasn’t after a concert or after I’d been out. I tried to fall asleep and it just exploded that night.
What was it like dealing with that?
You know, it’s actually very common in the music industry and in the world. There’s no cure, so lots of people freak out about it. First things first: it’s a lot better, I can live my life now. I sleep well. I’m in a very good place, thankfully. It’s hard to know exactly how it happened, but basically it’s a combination of loud music, not wearing ear protection and stress.
I took it as a warning sign right away. I was like, I can’t do what I’ve been doing. The pace was too fast, so I slowed down. I took a couple of months off to do everything I could to feel better mentally and physically. It took months for my brain to not care as much about it. In the beginning I couldn’t even concentrate. I couldn’t talk to people. All I would think about is the ringing. But time was my friend. I cut out alcohol, sugar, worked out a lot, tried to be outside a lot, kept my mind off it. Not rocket science, really — we all know what to do in a crisis. I just tried to optimize everything I could, which meant taking a break from shows.
I’ve talked to a lot of DJ friends with the same issue. Martin Garrix and Dom Dolla really stepped up and helped me, and told me everything’s going to be fine. Because I kind of felt like, I’ll never be the same, I’m going to have this insane disturbance my whole life. My advice is to talk to someone who has gone through it and is better today.
Did you think you might have to abandon your career or do something completely different?
Oh yeah definitely, it raised big questions for me. I was like, How am I gonna make music again if I can’t sleep? How am I gonna tour?
Have fans reached out to offer support?
People have been so kind and understanding. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to share it, because it’s very personal. But then people were asking and getting worried. I was reading that people thought I was dying. So I was like, you know what, I’m just gonna share this bump in the road. The biggest support for me was my fiancée [Erin Cummins]. She really helped me a lot.
Are there any wedding plans in the works?
It’s in the pipeline, for sure. We are working on where we’re gonna do it and when it’s gonna happen. We want to make sure it’ll be in a memorable place and that people can come.
I imagine music will play a big role in the night, as well.
Yeah. I’m not going to DJ at all, I’m just gonna enjoy the night and dance with my wife and friends.
Photography: Tre Crews
Styling: Joe Van O
Grooming: Jenny Sauce
Hair (Erin): Marin Mullen
Makeup (Erin): Amelia Jackie
Set design: Liz Midlowski
Photo assistant: Natasha Peterson
Styling assistants: Mo Johnson, Joyce Esquenazi Mitrani, Maleia Miller
Production assistant: Kaiya Lang
Editor-in-chief: Justin Moran
Managing editor: Matt Wille
Editorial producer: Angelina Cantú
Music editor: Erica Campbell
Story: Felicity Martin
Cover design: Nikita Savinov
Publisher: Brian Calle