Elektro Exclusive: QWADJ with Whiiite

The Birth of Whiiite from Whiiite on Vimeo.

Last week, elektro had the chance to chat with one of the most interesting superheroes of EDM, Whiiite. Talking to the man behind the shadowy crusader, Chris White gave us the low down on where Whiiite came from, and what his plans are for his fascinating character. Fusing art, story, and music, Chris White is breaking new ground for how electronic music can be utilized for an artist. Check out the captivating interview with Chris White below.

How did you come up with the concept behind the graphic novel?

W: It's inspired by many things, but mostly it's a combination of all the different media and major influences I've had in my life. I was in film school before I did music studying mostly story and some visual art. I also started a party with my partner/manager Ryan Jaso at The Avalon in Hollywood called CONTROL where I handled a lot of the branding/marketing and all the graphic design. The story of Whiiite and his adventures is a combination of my ideas and the ideas of writer/film maker Aric Avelino who was actually the guy that when I was young inspired me to move into the film world... We've been friends for years.

Does the music influence the story, or the story influence the music?

W: Both. Usually how it goes is I wake up in the middle of the night with a new storyline. Roll over and write some rough ideas down. Then I give that to Aric. Aric will begin writing the script and I'll start getting some early ideas of the music together. He's based out of New York and I'm in LA, but we are in contact pretty heavily in this process and as he's writing, I'm writing. It's like scoring... but your using dance music, and you don't have visuals to look at, but once Aric sends me the final script I have an overall idea of where Im going to go. For example in the Whiiite Begins EP there's a song called "Torment" which is meant to sound like Whiiite is in a lab getting experimented on by the evil scientists of Project Hellfire. Another song called "Houdini" is meant to sound like a chase/kidnapping type song because Chris White is taken/kidnapped from the back of Avalon. He disappears... like Houdini.

How did you come across the graphic artist Paul Shipper?

W: Paul we found on the internet randomly and I had him do a couple art pieces/album art for the project. I just loved his work and how real everything looked. It reminds me of how movie posters used to be, like more of a painting. So asked him if he'd be interested in doing issue #1 of the comic. Thankfully he said Yes!

Regular DJ by day, superhero by night. What are some of Whiiite's superhuman qualities?

W: Much like Magneto can control anything Metal, Whiiite can manipulate sound as his super power. There's also something very special about his heartbeat that will be revealed in later issues.

What's the best advice you've ever gotten and who was it from?

W: Actually my Dad who unfortunately recently passed gave me some great advice when I was very young that said "Surround yourself with successful people and you yourself will be a successful person." I've always looked at that as more of an artists to artists statement then business, although I use it on that front also. But it's like if you were playing a sport you should be trying play with people who are better then you to raise your game. So I look around at artists that Im a fan of and look up to, and think how we can possibly collaborate... what we could learn from one another.

What is your favorite piece of DJ equipment? Why?

W: My headphones! Sennheiser HD 25-1. I've had this particular style model for years and couldn't live with them!

What is one thing you couldn't live without?

W: Mexican Food.

If you could pick any DJ to produce with, who would it be?

Too many to choose from, but in my very early days of production Skrillex was my neighbor and showed me a bunch of tricks in ableton and kinda got me started on the production tip. I think him, knife party, kill the noise, excision, and Tantrum Desire are all guys that have really nailed it on the mixing side of things big fan of those dudes...

Tell us one secret about you that nobody else knows?

W: I'm obsessed with Blue Raspberry Icee's... If I see the Icee machine it's an inner battle every time not to get one.

Are you superstitious? About?

W: I am actually. I have a lot of spiritual beliefs about the universe and how things that are suppose to happen work in a very organic fashion.

If you were a rapper, what would your rap name be?

We used to call Aric "The Ice Nova" cause his flow was so cold. I always thought that was dope.