Red Bull Thre3style is one of the biggest DJ competitions out there so it’s great to be working alongside them in bringing you up-to-scratch with the freshest talent circulating the globe. With just 15 minutes to play whatever they like, DJs are asked to mix at least three genres of music to show off a combination of technical prowess and musical know-how. It doesn’t matter if you’re mixing Skrillex with Kate Bush, so long as the DJ can make them work, bring the party vibes and thrill a dance-floor then that’s what really counts.
Now in its fourth year, Red Bull have upped the ante with challenges taking place in more than 20 different countries around the globe. From a series of qualifiers and a national final, champions from each country go on to compete for the ultimate global prize at a grand final. You can check out the variety of mixes exclusively on Mixcloud here:
Follow Red Bull Thre3style on Mixcloud
Follow Trentino on Mixcloud
This years final takes place in Toronto, Canada, and as DJs continue to be selected from around the world we thought it would be a good idea to hook up with 2013 US winner Trentino to talk a little about his Red Bull Thre3style journey…
Congratulations on being crowned the Red Bull Thre3style 2013 US Champ! For those who don’t know, this comp is as much about getting the crowd going as it is about a DJ’s technical ability, so what can you tell us about your winning mix and how did it go down with the crowd?
It’s taken several years for everyone to figure out what makes a great Thre3style set. The most important thing is the transitions; you have to do tone play and word play. You also need to have some disses to your competition. Also, you don’t have to be the best turntablist or controllerist there is, but you do need a decent amount of technical skill, although that alone will not win the competition.
Your winning mix showcased a real ability to mix and cross-genres at ease. How would you describe your style of DJing?
What I did for Thre3style has little to do with my normal sets. Every routine and transition in my winning set was built from the ground up specifically for Thre3style. My normal sets are primarily electronic music, although my style is far more active than your average electronic DJ, including my live sets where I play a full drum kit alongside the turntables.
What can you tell us about the journey of winning the comp, has winning this competition opened up more opportunities for you as a DJ?
Absolutely, it certainly exposed me to a lot of new people, and pushed a lot of people that already knew about me to actually reach out and work with me. The main goal now is to keep people excited about my live performances while introducing them to my original music as well. Hence the forthcoming music video for “Take Me Higher” with Alina Renae, which is also a recap of the Thre3style US Finals.
Have you got any ideas about what kind of set you’ll be playing at the Red Bull World Championships? How do you go about preparing for this kind of stage?
I haven’t done any preparation for the world finals yet, I’ve been using the last couple months to capitalize on my success so far and catch up on everything I neglected while preparing for the first three rounds, mainly production.
What do you have lined-up for the rest of 2013?
Lots of original music, much of it collaborations with other great producers, lots of songs with singer/songwriter Alina Renae, who is amazing and well on her way to success as well. More routine videos for all the turntablism and controllerism fans. Also plenty of traveling, I’m booking gigs all over the world, so watch out for when I’m near you.
Thanks Trentino and good luck in the final! Here’s a reminder of his winning mix which was recorded live at the 2013 Red Bull ThreeStyle U.S. National Final.
Mixcloud Mix #1 ft. brand new single: Trentino & Alina Renae “Take Me Higher” by Trentino on Mixcloud