Werner Charmes (NL)
Although Charmes started his career as a battle/hip-hop DJ in the late 1990s, his internship at Fat Beat Records marked a turning point in his artistic development. While studying to become a producer he worked with a variety of artists, turning record samples into killer house beats. He was hooked instantly and before long he started producing his very own tracks, culminating in a signature style that occupies a middle ground between hip-hop and house music. Charmes labels it swag house: “It’s a symbiotic combination of different styles. Although I produce house music with a groovy kind of bass, I love adding hip-hop vocals and samples. By transcending musical boundaries and applying a range of tricks and techniques, my music becomes a kind of translucent. It’s hard to tell where house starts and swag ends. That sound clearly resonates with my audience and proves how superficial musical boundaries are. As an artist and storyteller, that’s the message I try to convey.”
In 2015, “Skank” marked Charmes’ big breakthrough. Released on Tiësto’s label Musical Freedom, it secured over 8 million plays. Charmes: “It was played for about half a year on BBC Radio as an ID-Track by the legendary Mistajam, so nobody knew who produced it. It created a huge buzz. When they finally announced it was mine, things went through the roof!”. But Tiësto’s support didn’t stop here: after releasing Charmes ft. Da Professor’s reggae-infused “Ready” in 2016 (> 21 million views on youtube) he continued paying his respects, introducing Charmes to millions of listeners on his Club Life radio show and presenting him as the next big thing in house music. Charmes: “Yeah, I owe a lot of gratitude to Tiësto, you can’t put a price on that. He really motivated me to work hard and push my limits in order to get where I am now.”
And life is awesome where Charmes is at today. After having gained support from a variety of world-class artists, it’s safe to assume Tiësto was right when he said Charmes was about to get BIG! Charmes: “Right now, I’m fully focused on releasing my creativity with my label In Control Recordings and following my heart. I’m hoping to do lots of tours and solo-gigs in the future, crammed with swag house tunes and dazzling visuals. I’ll always aim for the top in doing so, that’s for sure.” To comprehend just how rational that sounds, be sure to check out his latest release on Tiësto’s label “These Sounds”, which gathered over 6 million views on Youtube already!
YouTube - Werner Charmes