DJ Chuckie is in Miami Hong Kong this February. He talks to hkclubbing.com ahead of his upcoming gig at dragon-i.

Welcome to Hong Kong. Have you been here before? Besides playing at dragon-i, is there anything that you are looking forward to doing?
This is actually my second time here. I was pretty amazed of the high quality of the nightlife in Hong Kong. You can see it’s a real lifestyle thing by the wide choice of clubs, bars and restaurants. The last time I was here I didn’t have enough time to go and shop for gadgets. I’m a true gadget freak, so hopefully I will find some time to go shop for the latest gadgets!

2009 has been a great year for you, what were your highlights?
Last year it really happened for me in many respects. My record “Let the Bass Kick” (DirtyDutchMusic/Cr2) peaked at a #9 position in the UK charts, I did a lot of high profile gigs all over the world and I was blessed to produce some high profile remixes. The highlight for me was my own Dirty Dutch Event. I had 30,000 people partying for 9 hours straight. It’s such a crazy feeling when such a big amount of people coming to see you do your own thing. Besides that, I’m also really happy that I entered the almighty DJ MAG 100.

You recently said that David Guetta was a mentor of yours. Describe your relationship with him, and how he has contributed to your recent success.
Me and David met around 2 years ago at the Amsterdam Dance Event and apparently he liked my music and style of DJ-ing so much that he invited me to his FMIF nights and let me remix his records. I did 3 remixes for him so far and I’m always happy whenever he asks me to do one. He’s the most down to earth guy I know in the dance industry. My last gig with him in Manchester at The Warehouse Project was one of the most memorable gigs I’ve ever done!

You’ve played some at some great events this year including David Guetta’s “F**k Me I’m Famous” nights at Pacha in Ibiza. What was it like playing at one of Ibiza’s biggest nights in one of the world’s most famous clubs?
To me it is definitely the best club and club night on the island. It’s the best spot you can be as a DJ because the people come for the music and you can feel that, you can feel the love when you enter the room. It’s impossible not to deliver an energetic set in this club. To me it was real magic, though words aren’t enough to describe the experience.

You were recently voted “Best Dance Artist 2009” by TMF in your native Netherlands, beating the likes of Armin Van Buuren and Tiesto in the process. What was it like to be voted top ahead of such illustrious competition?
Man, this feels crazy! How would you feel if you defeated the #1 and #2 DJs in the world in their own country? Normally I don’t really get excited when I’m nominated for a local dance award but this was different. Armin and Tiesto are really cool guys. They paved the way for the next generation of superstar DJs… So for me just to be mentioned in the same category as these big DJs is amazing…

Your Dirty Dutch events held annually in Amsterdam are widely considered to be one of the best events held in Europe. How much do you look to get involved in each aspect of the organisation?
I try to be as involved as possible in the creation process of this event. I’m a team player and I like to share my thoughts with other artists and producers and make fun music together. Themes, ambiance and entertainment are a few things I talk about with this collective in order to make everything as good as we can. I learned that teamwork helps you reach your goal much faster. Besides that, I understand that I need enough time to concentrate on the most important part of the night, the music. A nine hour set for such a large crowd is something I take very seriously. It can take you weeks to months to get it right. A good balance between entertainment and education is the key.

Finally, what can we expect from you in 2010?
I’m blessed that I can work on my album now…If it’s not finished by the end of 2010, I will eat my own shoe, you know what…I might wear some boots because it can get real DIRTY!

Chuckie spins at dragon-i Saturday 6th Feb, 10pm till late, HK$300 on the door.

Interview by John Stephen.