Dive into the thoughts and visions of a legend in the making, and a veteran of emotional Dance.
We’ve recently had the pleasure of speaking with Trance producer Robert Bickert, known in the industry as BiXX. A DJ, producer, mentor and entrepreneur from Alabama, he’s been making waves in the Dance world with a core Uplifting Trance sound. One which, mind you, has earned the attention, respect and signings from world-class labels such as Future Sound Of Egypt, Nocturnal Knights, and Naz Ritzan Music.
Off the heels of his latest release, ‘Alignment‘ with Northern Ireland’s finest talent Christopher Corrigan, and placing the finishing touches on his forthcoming debut album, we’ve gone all-in on BiXX’s artistry: his story with the genre, ways of production, ‘Alignment’ itself, and much, much more. So, if you’re looking to get an insight into one very heartwarming mind, you’ve found the perfect place. Sit back, and enjoy the ride.
The Interview
(Please note, the bolded text represents a question, while the paragraph(s) following it represent Robert’s answers.)
We’re aware that the Trance sound got to you quite a while ago, somewhat by surprise. Tell us about that very moment when it all clicked for you, when Trance captivated you.
The moment Trance clicked for me was when I heard ‘Shivers’ by Armin van Buuren and Susana. I loved the melody, the speed of the track, the unique lead sounds, and the balance of vocals to the music in the trance. Unlike Pop or Hip-Hop that is dominated by vocals. It was a perfect balance of sounds that created an emotional and uplifting effect in my body. As many Trance fans would, or should I say Trance addicts would agree, that Trance sound puts you in a state of trance, it’s like a drug. You want more.
You run a series every Monday on your socials, called Mentoring Monday. What motivates you to record and upload these videos, and who do you wish to help?
This is a great question. This will be a long answer because it is something I am very passionate about. When I sat down to figure out “how in the world do I build a DJ brand?“, I realized that I needed help. I contacted the local university’s Marketing Department and asked if they had an internship program. The answer was yes, so I sent them a job description for a college student, “How to Build a DJ Brand.” Two very sharp students showed up to my house, and we went through a Brand DNA process. A very detailed questionnaire to help me discover what I was passionate about and what gave me purpose. Proper branding for any company is often based on the core values of the founder. As a DJ, you are founding and creating your own brand. Throughout the process, I discovered my passion for coaching and helping people. As a former business owner, I developed a skill of how to bring out the best in people, at least those people who had a growth mindset and wanted to improve. Doing this gave me a lot of personal satisfaction and a sense of purpose.
Also, my music career is in the second half of my life, so I am quite a bit older than the average music artist. How do I turn this potential weakness into a strength? Why not do mentoring videos to pass on many of my learning and life experiences to others? It is a way to make my BiXX brand stand out and my way of helping others. Think of it as paying it forward. When you help others, you also help yourself. When you teach something, you actually learn it better and help yourself learn the lessons you preach. My mindset is all about continually learning, growing, and improving. So I hope to help those who want to be helped. I believe in helping people who help themselves. Other people who have a growth mindset that could benefit from a mentor or learning from other people’s mistakes and life experiences. If one person hears the message and it helps them, that makes me feel good.
When you’re in the studio, how does a song come about? How does the first idea of a song come to you?
I am sure if you ask 10 different creative artists, you get 10 different answers. Song titles just pop into my head throughout the day based on daily experiences. Usually something trivial that I can create a story around. Sometimes just a message. For example, I am big into having a can-do mindset. I don’t have a lot of patience for lazy excuse-makers. I love the quote from Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right”. From this quote, the words “Yes I Can” popped into my head. So how do I develop a track idea around “Yes I Can”? Come up with a melody that gets stuck in your head. Just like you want the “Yes I Can” Mindset to get stuck in your head. I have a track title list, which is now up to 75 track ideas. From here, I write a story for the track. How to musically create the story to convey the message in the title. I determine what kind of energy level and groove of the track. Bass line, kick, and mid-bass. Also, what is the unique idea of the track? Come up with a unique melody to help tell the story. For me, Trance is all about the melody. There needs to be some unique sounds to make the track stand out. I pick a reference track or two to help me further develop the track. And will this be vocal or instrumental? Once I get the plan in place, the production starts.
I have several new tracks coming out when my album is released that all started with everyday life experience ideas popping into my head. Such as ‘Appreciation’, ‘Sense of Urgency’, ‘Glass Ceiling’ (we create our own glass ceiling with self-doubt), ‘Beauty Within’ (because internal beauty never dies), ‘Your Day Will Come’, which is about never giving up and, back to ‘Sense of Urgency’, anything in life worth doing, it is necessary for you to have a sense of urgency. Either you have a sense of urgency today or a sense of regret tomorrow.
You have a new release out, ‘Alignment’ with Christopher Corrigan. We’d love to know what’s the inspiration behind it, what it means for you.
In the Trance music scene, producers are constantly asking each other if they want to do a collaboration. Imagine if you were asked to go out on a date by someone. You would not just say yes without trying to figure out what you have in common. Is there enough alignment to take it a little further? I have said yes to a couple of producers with whom I worked because of their name or because it would help my brand, but we did not have much in common, so the end result was just OK. The track — ‘Alignment’ — serves as a message that to make something truly great, you must first have alignment. Alignment of work processes, alignment of standards, alignment of values, alignment of communication, alignment of musical styles whether they be similar or complementary. So the track is just a reminder about the importance of alignment. You would be surprised about how many people get into situations and even relationships where there is very little alignment and they wonder why it was not successful. Great things happen when there is proper alignment.
How do you see yourself in a few years’ time? What do you wish will be your legacy as BiXX?
The first question is actually a difficult one for me. Unlike a young DJ/Producer just getting started, I am not on the 10 or 20-year plan. As an older artist, I am on the 1-year-at-a-time give-it-everything-I-have plan. I am on the “Am I enjoying this work and the experiences of being in the music industry?” plan. So each year, I review what I have done and what I want to do next year. I think one year at a time. When I allow myself to follow the traditional path that I see the more successful DJs following, I feel like I am compromising my authenticity and what I am passionate about. Like a journey into shark-infested waters. I keep coming back to the thought that I am in this industry to build great relationships with great people. Half the fun and half the battle is figuring out who are the great people. It is just life. The fun of networking and the human connection is what I enjoy. And I get to do it all over the world.
Currently, I am focusing on finishing my album. I technically had it finished, but after some very good feedback, I decided to add a couple more vocal tracks with big-name vocalists. I have never released an album before, so I have no idea what this will do for potential new opportunities. Also, I have so many new track ideas that turning them into musical tracks is very enjoyable. Then it becomes balancing travel time with studio time at home.
The BiXX Legacy. What do I want to leave behind? I would like people to remember me as a coach, a mentor, and a creative artist who delivered his inspirational messages through music. And my mostly uplifting style helped the listener get in touch with their emotions to get through the daily battles of life. Remember that I had an uncompromising passion to stay true to my principles. So I want the remembrance of the BiXX brand to be, “BiXX was a guy that gave us uplifting and inspirational music to help us get through tough times in life and gave us helpful ideas on how to live our best life“.
“I would like people to remember me as a coach, a mentor, and a creative artist who delivered his inspirational messages through music. And my mostly uplifting style helped the listener get in touch with their emotions to get through the daily battles of life. “
-BiXX.
Finally, what’s the most valuable piece of advice you have for the readers of this interview and would want to share?
I could answer this question in 3 parts. First, find your passion. This takes some hard work. Self-reflection is difficult, but it is the most important work of our life. Life is short so if you are not living your life in line with your passions, you are not living your best life. Second, it is never too late to reinvent yourself. Just because you have been doing something for 5 years, 10 years, 20 years or longer, it is never too late to start a new career or a new passion. Just get started. Your passion will drive you to keep learning. The law of 10,000 hours states it takes 10,000 hours of doing something to be world-class. You don’t have to be world-class, but you can do something new that gives you more fulfillment and happiness. If I can do this in the latter half of my career, you can follow your passion and make changes in your life. And the third thing is never stop growing. Always be curious. Be addicted to growth and learning. We should never stop learning. Rather than judge, be curious and ask lots of questions. This constant quest for learning and being curious will propel you to greater heights.
(End of the interview)
Final Words
It’s such a nice instance to get to talk to someone in the industry who is willing to touch on such profound topics as BiXX here just did. We’re delighted to have had him under this lens, one that doesn’t analyse the product but rather the producer. I believe you can take a thing or two from this interview and apply it to your daily life. I know I’ll do! Thank you sincerely for your time and the calibre of your answers.
We’ll be eagerly awaiting the arrival of the album, but in the meantime, you can check out BiXX’s latest single ‘Alignment’ right here. Be sure to follow him on his socials, and stay tuned to our page for the latest news and views of our beloved industry.
