He’s the fourth-best DJ in the world (nominated by DJ Mag both in 2021 and 2022). Alok Achkar Peres Petrillo, best known just as Alok, is not just “a deejay.” Nonetheless, he’s also a musician and record producer, listed – in 2017 as one of Brazil’s 30 Under 30 most influential people by Forbes Brasil.
Under his umbrella, we can count on numerous collaborations. To name a few: John Legend, Jason Derulo, Tove Lo, and Ellie Goulding. Now, Alok has joined forces with multi-platinum singer/songwriter James Arthur to release their new dance single, “Work With My Love.”
“Work With My Love” has taken the European radio waves by storm with impressive chart performances. It has reached the 21st position on the APC charts in Germany, 55th in Italy, and 80th in the UK, making it the second-highest new entry in Germany. The song has gained even more momentum with its inclusion in the Capital A List rotation. Additionally, the track has succeeded on streaming platforms across Europe, securing the 82nd spot on the Shazam Top 200 Charts and earning a place in featured playlists for Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon in Germany. In Italy, it has been featured in the ‘Dance Room’ playlist on Spotify.
Panorama.it spoke with him for an exclusive interview.
Nice to meet you, Alok. Your music is well known in Italy, but can I ask you to introduce yourself to Panorama’s readers?
I´m happy and grateful to be able to talk with Panorama’s readers. Italy is a place that always welcomes me warmly and where I have many stories. That’s where I received the platinum record at the Wind Music Awards in 2017 and also where I received honorary citizenship of San Giovanni a Piro and became Italian. So, my trajectory has many echoes with Italy. Professionally, I am a music producer with a strong interest in the most diverse sounds. Over the years, I managed to imprint a musical characteristic that allows me to work with a diverse group of genres other than electronic. At the same time, my curiosity for the new keeps me going. Today’s Alok is a different Alok from two years ago.
Let’s start with your last single with James Arthur. Work With My Love reached the #55 position in the Italian charts. Which kind of song is it for you?
“Work With My Love” is a dance track that brings the atmosphere of disco music times; that is, it is a song made for people to dance and flow with the beat. It also has a retro feel with the sample of “Lola’s Theme” by the Shapeshifters, so it evokes a certain nostalgia but updated. It’s a review of the past with a look at the present. It’s a song that I really like, and I’ve been getting great feedback from the audience every time I play it at my shows.
I’m curious about the creative process behind your music. How do you work on your songs?
The creative process has a dynamic that changes from song to song. For example, many times, I start a project, and for some reason, it takes a form that is not what I had planned. So, I let it mature, rest for a while to resume it. It happened with “All By Myself” with Ellie Goulding and Sigala; I had started production some time ago, and I only ended it last year. This purposeful “pause” gives me the possibility to revisit the work with a new eye and new perspectives. A song of mine is only released when I believe it is actually ready. I don’t have that urgency to launch just for the sake of launching. Art imposes its own rhythm, and I respect that.
Do you follow a specific routine during the day?
As illogical as it sounds, I try to find routine in my lack of routine. I’m always on the move, whether on a plane or the road, but I try to keep a certain organization so I don’t spend long periods away from my family. For example, now during Carnival, I spent three days traveling and came back home for a day. Then it was four more days before returning home. It’s a puzzle that my logistics team is used to putting together. On trips, when I get to the hotel, I like to work out to enjoy the adrenaline, as my shows are usually at night, so my adrenaline peak is during this period. Other than that, I have a balanced diet that helps me keep my breath on tour.
In 2021 and 2022, you ranked the 4th best DJ in the world. How does it feel to have reached such a high position in the music industry?
This achievement is not only mine but also from my team and fans. This fourth place in DJ Mag has a very big importance in my history, and every year, I become even more aware that alone I would not be able to walk here. It is a collective journey, and recognition is a motivation to show that we are on the right track. Electronic music is having a special moment worldwide. The festivals are all sold out, the stages and structures are becoming more and more professional, and I am proud to be part of this movement. I hope that more Brazilian artists follow their passions for working with something that we are extremely passionate about, which is music, and having the conviction of its power to transform their lives and the lives of others. That’s the great feeling!
The European public is not new to your music. Deep Down went great on the streaming platforms, and All By Myself with Ellie Goulding was constantly played on European radios.
Europe is a very important hub for world music. Last year I did my first residency in Ibiza at Hi Ibiza Club (#1 in the world), where I played during the European Summer weekly. “Deep Down” was from that time. It was my “flagship” of the season. There I saw the track’s potential, which was confirmed when we reached several charts. I believe the ease for Europeans to move around in the territory opens up an exchange that is sometimes more complicated in other continents. In Ibiza, my parties were occupied by people from all over Europe, so I could try new things and get real-time feedback on what might or might not work.
You had colossal collaborations with John Legend, Jason Derulo, and Ellie Goulding. What is the process behind a music collaboration of this level?
Sometimes I meet artists at festivals or social events, and we talk, and the idea of doing a project together comes up. It was like that with Mick Jagger, we met at a party, and we exchanged a few words, but I didn’t believe anything would come of it. Suddenly I got an email from him inviting me to do the remix of “Gotta Get a Grip” I was extremely happy. It worked, and we repeated the partnership in “Ghost Town”. Another way is via agents. I have a person who makes these connections in search of partnerships with Ellie, it was like that. We both already knew each other’s work, but our face-to-face meeting only took place with the music ready back in New York. With John Legend, we were still in a pandemic period, so our exchange was all virtual. All these musical exchanges and styles are enriching for my work.
Two years ago, you created the Instituto Alok, which manages high-impact philanthropy projects in Brazil and Africa. To date, the institute has donated more than 10 million dollars to social and environmental projects worldwide. How important is it to give back to others in need?
The project was born out of an immense void. In the midst of depression, I sought inspiration for work and found a connection with the sacred on a trip to the Yawanawá village in Acre, Brazil. While I was playing to be in the top 10, they were singing to heal people. From those experiences, I went to Africa on a mission with Fraternity Without Borders. I saw poverty up close. According to the United Nations (UN), 34% of African families live below the poverty line of US$ 1.90 per day per capita. Among them was an African I met and with whom I questioned the presence of God, and their connection with Mother Earth surprised me. I found out that God had nothing to do with it. It was the men who abandoned her. Thus, volunteer work and philanthropy entered my life for good. The new turning point happened when I was invited to partner with the Free Fire game. My character, who has the healing superpower, soon became the most popular.
Upon receiving the R$ 27.5 million, I decided to create the Institute to give more governance to the projects and the resource, which I donated in total. To carry out the task, I invited Devam Bhaskar, who took over as executive director. Today, the Institute has three assets: the first is resource management, whether in cash or product donations. The other is intelligence, curating the projects that will benefit. And, finally, Alok himself, when I use my image and social networks to enhance brand communication and partner actions. All this in a lean structure in which the idea is to gain scale through own initiatives or financing projects already structured in Brazil, India, or Africa. The creation of the Institute helped me to give meaning to life and to get out of an existential period that I was going through.
In your free time, what is the thing you love the most to do?
Of course, staying with my family. All time off work is dedicated to them. I want to follow every step, every discovery, and growth of my children.
Who is Alok right now?
Alok is now a calm guy, confident in his professional activities, and grateful for his life, family, and friends. I try to follow a lifestyle based on affection, on the things I believe and with which I am aligned. I don’t want to be hostage to fads; I go where my art allows me, where it takes me!