March 24, 2025 • 11 mins
Celebrating ANOTHER #1 on the dance charts, Steve Aoki joined us on the 350th episode of America's Dance 30 to talk all things "I'm Going Out"! He shared how the interpolation of a Diana Ross & Nile Rodgers classic came together w him, Sam Feldt, XANDRA, & Zak Abel, and if there was a lot of back-and-forth with so many artists involved.
Steve also shared some of his traveling hacks, talked about getting married, and shared the name of his biggest upcoming release ever; his baby boy! We also chatted about his caking accuracy, and if he's ever missed a target!!
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
Steve also shared some of his traveling hacks, talked about getting married, and shared the name of his biggest upcoming release ever; his baby boy! We also chatted about his caking accuracy, and if he's ever missed a target!!
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Steve, Oh what's up? Thank you so much for
doing this.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
You think I'm okay? Do you think I need a
change or I.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Mean, that's totally up to you. I could take my
shirt off if you want. Dance counting down the biggest
dance songs in the country. This is America's Dance thirty. Steve,
(00:31):
as always, I know you're running around like a head
with its chicken cutoff, So I really appreciate your time
with us. It is an honor having you on the
three hundred and fiftieth episode of America's Dance thirty. Thank
you for your time. Steve Aoki, Welcome back to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Thank you, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Now. Reaching three hundred and fifty shows for me is
a huge milestone. You know, you've done so much in
your career end your life. Do you have any milestones
that you are still trying to achieve?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
You know, I never even thought about it until I
got nominated, but that would be a goal, is.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
To get a Grammy.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I got nominated twice, and I was like, once you
get nominated, you're like, oh you haven't you you have
an actual chance. You know, before I was even nominated,
I was like there's like no like way I would,
but that would be that pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
That would be like a big, big goal.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Well, let's hope next time we chat you've got five
Grammys to your name. You know, I gotta tell you,
I felt absolutely horrible when you posted a video back
in January, and I'll tell you why. First of all,
congratulations on your biggest release ever, your upcoming baby boy.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah, it is definitely the biggest one. It's the most
exciting one.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
You know, it's it's taken for me to get here,
and I'm so excited about my little boy coming into
the world. And yeah, it's it's amazing. I'm really happy
about that.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
That is so incredible. Well, we've known each other a
long time and we've chatted pretty much about everything. But
when you posted the video of the epic baby gender
cake reveal, I got to tell you. When I saw it,
I was like, wait a second, is Steve dating somebody?
(02:30):
And then I saw that you got married in November.
I felt so horrible that I didn't know.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, I got married last year and actually July, and
then you know, me and my wife are trying for
to for our first and she's like almost about four
months now and it'll be an August baby, So I
guess it'll be a Leo.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
All the Leo's out there.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
You know, I got to learn about you guys, because
it's gonna be my little boy. I'm gonna name a Rocky,
my father's name, and it's actually for my siblings. My
sister had a boy, but he's a He's like a Bailey,
which is like her husband's last name. But this will
(03:16):
be the first Aoki in my siblings. Wow, he'll be
Rocky Aoki.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
That is that is amazing. Well, congratulations to you guys, Lochaiam,
I'm so happy for you. And congratulations on another number
one with I'm Going Out. Yeah, that is so amazing. Now,
how did this interpolation come together? Of a Diana Ross
(03:44):
and Nile Rogers classic.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
So I was working on this track and I was
like almost there, and I was like, you know, I
think adding Sam and I bringing on Sam onto this
one made sense because he just he knows like this
sound like that I was going for was more in
the world of Sam.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Sam felt. I was like, let's do a collab.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Let's work on the production with me on this, and
we brought Xandra in and Nile, you know, that's that's
like his track, so you know, bringing him in and
Zach able to sing it was like kind of like
the cherry on Top kind of flipping, you know, from
a female voice to a male voice. So just kind
of changing it up a little bit more, uh, giving
(04:30):
it more of like a summary feel to it. And yeah,
and then we just all jumped on this track together
and and and nailed it. So I'm really happy about
this one. It's funny because, like you know, some of
the tracks that I released, I.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Don't I don't know.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
You just don't know what's what's going to be the
number one record or going to be the record that
that like just takes off. And I kind of love that,
you know, like it just I never this will beumber one,
and here we are is number one.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
So that's pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Well, congratulations on it. You guys all nailed it. As
you know, I always love finding out how many different
versions there are of a song, from when you start
working on it, all the tweaking that goes on to
(05:22):
when you finally put it out, when you're working with
so many people, is there a lot of back and
forth in the song.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Yes, there is.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Especially like I mean, if I could play you the
earliest versions of the song, you would be it's just
so different, you know, And I kept changing it, changing it,
and then I'm like, you know what I'm gonna I'm
wanna go for more of a summary vibe song. And
then and then you know, when Sam came in and
(05:54):
you know, Xandra came in and Laurent, who I work
with a lot in production, and it was that we
were able to find that that sweet spot and the
Nile Rogers, you know, giving it his thumbs up approval
on it, and you know, making sure it was you
know it's going to be, you know, a good track.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
That was really important.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
And Zach, you know, he's just like he just is
so good at he has his voice just cuts through
and uh yeah. So I love that Zach was on
it and he really he really like turned it up.
So I'm really happy about this one.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Well, congratulations on it going number one. Now we're chatting
before you're about to leave for Tomorrowland and your European tour.
My most important question for you is how do you
pack for that?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
It's true because I usually can travel with just carry
on if it's like up to a two week run.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
With just carry on for two weeks carry.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
On with just carry on.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I usually can do it, but for this one, because
I'm going into cold areas and I'm gonna go snowboarding,
I have to again. I'm bringing my snowboard. I'm bringing
my snowboard clothes. So I'm like, Okay, if I'm gonna
bring a big bag, I'm just gonna it's easy because
I'm super efficient.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
I this is exactly what I'm wear.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
I'm you know, some some some like pants I wear
I wear for like just my shows, you know, and
I have like my travel clothes, and I'm pretty like,
you know, like I'm pretty conservative with what I'm wearing there.
So I'm just like, I don't need to have a
huge wardrobe. I can just bring like two pants that
I will travel with and hope I don't spill stains
(07:39):
on there, because.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
That's gonna be it.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I hate having clothes I'm bringing that not even wearing.
You know, I'm really really probably I could teach people
how to be travel efficient.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
I was about to say, next time we're in person
and we have time to chat, you're gonna have to
give me the notebook because I took my first ever
train to Amsterdam and I was stressing out af trying
to pack for it, and that was only for a week.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Yeah, because like for me, it's like shirts are small,
you can roll them up. It's like the bulky clothes.
I try not to bring bulky clothes. And if it's bulky,
then you only want to bring like one or maybe
two because it eats up so much space. Right, And
then like it's like you know, you have the didas
like kind of track pants. Those are super super light,
(08:29):
so you can roll them up and they like take
up no room. And and here's the other travel hack
as for DJs. So in my rider, I have socks
and underwear.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
So that could be just replaced for you.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, yeah, so I don't I bring a few just
in case if they don't they don't actually supply that
because some some places like you know, your sock's under.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Your one, I'm gonna start putting that in my rider.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
It's actually quite easier request because like socks and numbers,
like it's like ten dollars, it's like twenty bucks, right,
so it actually alleviates my space, you know, and I
can just wear something new and worry about. So I
share that with my DJ friends and Mike. You should
put socks on awe and you're a writer, request for the
promoter to get that, you know, and it saves you space.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Thank you so much for sharing your travel hacks with us. Now,
before I let you go, I saw the video you
posted of your nine cakings in Houston, including one where
you arked it over people to reach somebody in the back,
and you still nailed them. Have you ever missed anybody
(09:37):
with a caking?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yeah, of course, of course I missed. But you know,
over time, you just I'm just good with depth of field.
If it's a very it's it's gotta be a specific weight,
you know. You know Steph Curry can can like shoot
his threes because he knows the size of the ball.
Now if you give Steph like like a ball that's
like twenty pounds, he like, you never know what's going
(10:00):
to happen. So for me, I know my weight of
my cake. And that's why in the cake writer there's
a cake writer as.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Well, and it's a long cake writer.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
You know, there's a specific weight to it, specific size
to it, and if it does, if it fits that uh,
you know our regulations of what cakes should be. It
shows I mean I can, I could headshot target anyone
it's cake. Yeah, I'm like a A plus A plus
on that. But if it's a wrong size and weight,
I mean I've missed a plenty of you know, just
(10:32):
a lot.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
We don't need to see those videos. Well, Steve Aoki,
congratulations on everything not only going on in your life,
but congratulations on another number one. Steve Aoki, thank you
for your time with us on America's Dance thirty America's
Dancer counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
America's Dance thirty
Hey, Steve, Oh what's up? Thank you so much for
doing this.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
You think I'm okay? Do you think I need a
change or I.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Mean, that's totally up to you. I could take my
shirt off if you want. Dance counting down the biggest
dance songs in the country. This is America's Dance thirty. Steve,
(00:31):
as always, I know you're running around like a head
with its chicken cutoff, So I really appreciate your time
with us. It is an honor having you on the
three hundred and fiftieth episode of America's Dance thirty. Thank
you for your time. Steve Aoki, Welcome back to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Thank you, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Now. Reaching three hundred and fifty shows for me is
a huge milestone. You know, you've done so much in
your career end your life. Do you have any milestones
that you are still trying to achieve?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
You know, I never even thought about it until I
got nominated, but that would be a goal, is.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
To get a Grammy.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I got nominated twice, and I was like, once you
get nominated, you're like, oh you haven't you you have
an actual chance. You know, before I was even nominated,
I was like there's like no like way I would,
but that would be that pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
That would be like a big, big goal.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Well, let's hope next time we chat you've got five
Grammys to your name. You know, I gotta tell you,
I felt absolutely horrible when you posted a video back
in January, and I'll tell you why. First of all,
congratulations on your biggest release ever, your upcoming baby boy.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah, it is definitely the biggest one. It's the most
exciting one.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
You know, it's it's taken for me to get here,
and I'm so excited about my little boy coming into
the world. And yeah, it's it's amazing. I'm really happy
about that.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
That is so incredible. Well, we've known each other a
long time and we've chatted pretty much about everything. But
when you posted the video of the epic baby gender
cake reveal, I got to tell you. When I saw it,
I was like, wait a second, is Steve dating somebody?
(02:30):
And then I saw that you got married in November.
I felt so horrible that I didn't know.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, I got married last year and actually July, and
then you know, me and my wife are trying for
to for our first and she's like almost about four
months now and it'll be an August baby, So I
guess it'll be a Leo.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
All the Leo's out there.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
You know, I got to learn about you guys, because
it's gonna be my little boy. I'm gonna name a Rocky,
my father's name, and it's actually for my siblings. My
sister had a boy, but he's a He's like a Bailey,
which is like her husband's last name. But this will
(03:16):
be the first Aoki in my siblings. Wow, he'll be
Rocky Aoki.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
That is that is amazing. Well, congratulations to you guys, Lochaiam,
I'm so happy for you. And congratulations on another number
one with I'm Going Out. Yeah, that is so amazing. Now,
how did this interpolation come together? Of a Diana Ross
(03:44):
and Nile Rogers classic.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
So I was working on this track and I was
like almost there, and I was like, you know, I
think adding Sam and I bringing on Sam onto this
one made sense because he just he knows like this
sound like that I was going for was more in
the world of Sam.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Sam felt. I was like, let's do a collab.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Let's work on the production with me on this, and
we brought Xandra in and Nile, you know, that's that's
like his track, so you know, bringing him in and
Zach able to sing it was like kind of like
the cherry on Top kind of flipping, you know, from
a female voice to a male voice. So just kind
of changing it up a little bit more, uh, giving
(04:30):
it more of like a summary feel to it. And yeah,
and then we just all jumped on this track together
and and and nailed it. So I'm really happy about
this one. It's funny because, like you know, some of
the tracks that I released, I.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Don't I don't know.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
You just don't know what's what's going to be the
number one record or going to be the record that
that like just takes off. And I kind of love that,
you know, like it just I never this will beumber one,
and here we are is number one.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
So that's pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Well, congratulations on it. You guys all nailed it. As
you know, I always love finding out how many different
versions there are of a song, from when you start
working on it, all the tweaking that goes on to
(05:22):
when you finally put it out, when you're working with
so many people, is there a lot of back and
forth in the song.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Yes, there is.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Especially like I mean, if I could play you the
earliest versions of the song, you would be it's just
so different, you know, And I kept changing it, changing it,
and then I'm like, you know what I'm gonna I'm
wanna go for more of a summary vibe song. And
then and then you know, when Sam came in and
(05:54):
you know, Xandra came in and Laurent, who I work
with a lot in production, and it was that we
were able to find that that sweet spot and the
Nile Rogers, you know, giving it his thumbs up approval
on it, and you know, making sure it was you
know it's going to be, you know, a good track.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
That was really important.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
And Zach, you know, he's just like he just is
so good at he has his voice just cuts through
and uh yeah. So I love that Zach was on
it and he really he really like turned it up.
So I'm really happy about this one.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Well, congratulations on it going number one. Now we're chatting
before you're about to leave for Tomorrowland and your European tour.
My most important question for you is how do you
pack for that?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
It's true because I usually can travel with just carry
on if it's like up to a two week run.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
With just carry on for two weeks carry.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
On with just carry on.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I usually can do it, but for this one, because
I'm going into cold areas and I'm gonna go snowboarding,
I have to again. I'm bringing my snowboard. I'm bringing
my snowboard clothes. So I'm like, Okay, if I'm gonna
bring a big bag, I'm just gonna it's easy because
I'm super efficient.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
I this is exactly what I'm wear.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
I'm you know, some some some like pants I wear
I wear for like just my shows, you know, and
I have like my travel clothes, and I'm pretty like,
you know, like I'm pretty conservative with what I'm wearing there.
So I'm just like, I don't need to have a
huge wardrobe. I can just bring like two pants that
I will travel with and hope I don't spill stains
(07:39):
on there, because.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
That's gonna be it.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I hate having clothes I'm bringing that not even wearing.
You know, I'm really really probably I could teach people
how to be travel efficient.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
I was about to say, next time we're in person
and we have time to chat, you're gonna have to
give me the notebook because I took my first ever
train to Amsterdam and I was stressing out af trying
to pack for it, and that was only for a week.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Yeah, because like for me, it's like shirts are small,
you can roll them up. It's like the bulky clothes.
I try not to bring bulky clothes. And if it's bulky,
then you only want to bring like one or maybe
two because it eats up so much space. Right, And
then like it's like you know, you have the didas
like kind of track pants. Those are super super light,
(08:29):
so you can roll them up and they like take
up no room. And and here's the other travel hack
as for DJs. So in my rider, I have socks
and underwear.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
So that could be just replaced for you.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, yeah, so I don't I bring a few just
in case if they don't they don't actually supply that
because some some places like you know, your sock's under.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Your one, I'm gonna start putting that in my rider.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
It's actually quite easier request because like socks and numbers,
like it's like ten dollars, it's like twenty bucks, right,
so it actually alleviates my space, you know, and I
can just wear something new and worry about. So I
share that with my DJ friends and Mike. You should
put socks on awe and you're a writer, request for the
promoter to get that, you know, and it saves you space.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Thank you so much for sharing your travel hacks with us. Now,
before I let you go, I saw the video you
posted of your nine cakings in Houston, including one where
you arked it over people to reach somebody in the back,
and you still nailed them. Have you ever missed anybody
(09:37):
with a caking?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yeah, of course, of course I missed. But you know,
over time, you just I'm just good with depth of field.
If it's a very it's it's gotta be a specific weight,
you know. You know Steph Curry can can like shoot
his threes because he knows the size of the ball.
Now if you give Steph like like a ball that's
like twenty pounds, he like, you never know what's going
(10:00):
to happen. So for me, I know my weight of
my cake. And that's why in the cake writer there's
a cake writer as.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Well, and it's a long cake writer.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
You know, there's a specific weight to it, specific size
to it, and if it does, if it fits that uh,
you know our regulations of what cakes should be. It
shows I mean I can, I could headshot target anyone
it's cake. Yeah, I'm like a A plus A plus
on that. But if it's a wrong size and weight,
I mean I've missed a plenty of you know, just
(10:32):
a lot.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
We don't need to see those videos. Well, Steve Aoki,
congratulations on everything not only going on in your life,
but congratulations on another number one. Steve Aoki, thank you
for your time with us on America's Dance thirty America's
Dancer counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
America's Dance thirty
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