DJ actor 'getting butterflies' from his music career
Andrew Trendell

12:54 13th August 2013

 

Actor turned DJ and producer Idris Elba has said that he gets 'more of a buzz' from music than he does from movies and television. Watch our video interview with Driis below.

The star of Luther, The Wire, Pacific Rim and Thor also DJs and has a music career under the moniker of Driis. Having played with some huge names in the last 10 years, he has also worked with Jay Z and Giggs as well as appearing in and directing music videos for the likes of Busta Rhymes and Mumford and Sons.

Speaking to Gigwise during after his Ibiza Rocks set, the star said that music gives him a 'different kind of buzz' to acting and he'd rather be seen as a DJ than just a 'celebrity'.

 "I still get booked for celebrity gigs," he said, "which I don't like to do any more because I'm an actor that DJs. I'd rather come in and have people know that I'm going to do a type of set.

"I'm still defining my sound, but everyone knows that I have an affiliation with DJing but I'm not sure that people know what to expect when I turn up. To be honest at this stage, I don't know what to expect because it's more fans than it is music-lovers. I've got to adjust very quickly."

When asked what he gets from DJing that he can't get from his other creative pursuits, Driis responded: "Butterflies!

"I get butterflies when I act but when you've got two turntables and 6,000 people in front of you, standing there going 'come on then', that feeling doesn't rely on the skills of an actor. It's all instinct and about knowing your music and reading the crowd. You don't get that from acting."

He continued: "The closest thing you get from that is when you're doing a play. You get on stage and that's a live audience, but every night is the same. DJing every night is different."

Below - Watch our video interview with Idris Elba backstage at Ibiza Rocks 2013

 

Idris Elba will be DJing at V Festival and Creamfields this month. For more information visit Gigwise gig tickets

Below: London Grammar, AlunaGeorge live at Ibiza Rocks 2013


Photo: Press