DJ Sam World on how he fell in love with dance music

DJ Sam World is a Middle Eastern born and Cape Town based DJ.

A couple of weeks ago he released a cover of the classic Bryan Adams song ‘Heaven’ with Matthew O’Connell.

We chatted to Sam World about this new release and how it came about.

He also talks to us about making the move from hip hop to dance music, the electronic music scene in the Middle East, quad biking with DJ Sammy, playing to twenty thousand people in Sri Lanka and what he has taken away from this past year.

You’re originally from the Middle East, where exactly in the region are you from? And what prompted you to make the move to South Africa and stay here?

Sam World: I grew up in Qatar, and I came to visit South Africa in 2007, and I fell in love with the place. I knew one day I will make a move here, and few years later Cape Town is what I call home now.

From the DJ Sam World experience what makes up the dance music scene on that side, and is there anything at all that may surprise us about electronic dance music over there?

Sam World: What makes up the dance scene in the middle east, is the amount of parties that happens every night and not only on weekends. The surprising thing is you can party until you drop every single night of the week and that comes as a shocker to most people.

How would you describe the DJ Sam World relationship with hip hop music at this point in your career? And why do you think you evolved into electronic dance music from hip hop?

Sam World: Hip hop is my first love and will always be my last, I still do a lot of hip hop sets, and the transition to electronic dance music just came naturally. I fell in love with the sound and with the idea that the DJ is the artist, unlike hip hop where the rapper/emcee is the main artist.

Your decision to do a cover of the classic ‘Heaven’ track with Matthew O’Connell is an interesting one. You mention that everyone you spoke to about the track had a memory pinned to it. What is the memory that you have pinned to it?

Sam World: Playing a gig with DJ Sammy back in 2008, and next day going for quad biking in the desert with him. What a lot of people don’t know is that he is originally an Arab from North Africa, so we both spoke in the same language, which was a nice surprise.

You referenced partying in the nineties and early naughts in relevance to this track. Where were some of your favourite night time haunts during that era and why?

Sam World: Too many parties and night clubs to mention, but the one that stands out the most was Hikaddua beach festival in Sri Lanka. The reason why is I travelled there thinking it’s a small party with few hundred people and ended up playing four days to a crowd of twenty thousand people every night.

This year is coming to a close and many enjoy reflecting on the past months and sum up the year. What have you most learned and gained this year and what do you most look forward to this holiday party season?

Sam World: Hard work will always pay off at the end, and you just need to keep pushing to where you want to be, and I know it sounds cliché but it’s the truth. Just a lot of good parties and a good times for family and friends.

Listen to HEAVEN by Sam World & Matthew O’Connell here.

DJ Sam World on how he fell in love with dance music