Interview with Don Diablo

Image via Dimension Media

We sat down with Don Diablo before his performance at Bootshaus to ask him a few questions face to face. What started as a quick conversation revealed an artist at a pivotal moment in his career.

Don Diablo isn't just redefining electronic music through HEXAGON, his label and creative ecosystem. He's constantly pushing into new territory across fine art, fashion, and visual culture. In 2025, he launched CONTROL ALT DΞLΞTΞ, a bold alter ego born from drum and bass and experimental club culture, marking his latest creative reset. Interview with Don Diablo

In this exclusive interview, Don talks about returning to Bootshaus with a new sound and new vision, playing the venue's unique 360-stage setup, and what's driving his creative evolution. He opens up about finding authenticity in his work, the philosophy that changed everything for him, and what comes next.

This is what Don shared with us before taking over the stage.

1. How does it feel to be back playing at Bootshaus once again?

I’m back once again and I’m excited. I’ve been working on a new sound and a new vision, which I’m rolling out over the summer, so I’m really excited to bring it here. It made performing exciting for me again. I was very selective about doing shows over the last two years, which is why I played a little less. I wanted to reinvent myself and find what truly excites me. So yeah, I was very selective about which shows I’d play.

Even last week, I played at Free Your Mind Festival with Reiner Zonneveld and Paul Kalkbrenner, to name a few. That gives me a good audience, and a good audience means a little more freedom to do what I really want to do.

2. Nice! So, what would you say is one plug-in that you personally are really loving right now? Really just like, “that’s the vibe for me right now”?

You know, it’s actually a very simple plug-in. It’s very practical. It’s called Metric AB. Essentially, you load it into your master chain so you can A/B your track against something you really like. It’s a great reference tool.

Sometimes when you’re making a record or working on a mix, you become blind to it. I think it’s amazing. I love it. You can load another track into your project, but you never really know if it’s a true reflection of what you’re hearing. Metric AB makes that process much easier.

It’s been around for years, but having that ability to quickly compare and level-match tracks is something I really appreciate. Then you can suddenly think, “Oh, I can do this.”

The best moment is when you’re switching between A and B and your track actually sounds better than something you really admire. That’s a moment where you think, “Okay, okay, I’m ready to go.” Usually, you’re running around in circles wondering if it’s good enough.

I mean, there are thousands of plug-ins out there and everyone uses them differently. Obviously, Serum 2 has stepped up the game again. Honestly, that’s essentially all you need. Serum 2. Keep it simple.

3. Would you say there are any parts of the industry, now that you’re at this level, that you’re maybe struggling with a little bit or still learning? Just anything at all, really?

I think, in general, it’s how dance music is divided and how genres are boxed in. Most promoters don’t actually listen to what you do. It’s more about who you’re associated with and what you’ve done in the past.

I’m breaking through that barrier now, but it’s weird how perception is everything. A lot of people aren’t even making their own music, but they’re making the right moves. They’re taking all the shortcuts and still getting opportunities that maybe others should be getting.

That can be frustrating, and I’ve experienced that myself. My goal has always been music. I think I’m addicted to making music. For the last four years, I’ve been in the studio six days a week, sometimes 18 hours a day, trying to make the best beat ever.

Then I came to the conclusion that nobody really does that. It’s not what you do, it’s who you are.

That’s what people buy tickets for. It’s not about the last record you made. It’s about who you are, your song selection, and your energy.

Once you understand that, life becomes a little lighter. Otherwise, you’re searching for a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow that isn’t there. You end up chasing something that doesn’t exist, and that’s a life filled with pain. That’s what the last four years have been like for me.

4. So sorry to hear that! Right here at Bootshaus, you’re playing a very special stage. You’re playing a unique 360-stage setup from a DJ’s perspective. How does that feel? Is it more engaging for the crowd? Do you feel like you get a different perspective?

It’s definitely different from what I’ve done here before. The first time I played here, it was pretty basic. The second time, I was the only guy doing two nights in a row because it sold out so quickly. Last time, we moved the DJ booth to a different position in the room, and now we’re right in the middle.

The thing is, I don’t like repeating things. It might turn out well, it might turn out badly. You only know once you walk onto the stage. But I like taking risks and challenging myself.

Maybe 360 shows work better with more aggressive music, but what this setup allows me to do is get closer to the people. They can actually see what I’m doing. When you’re tucked away in a corner, you’re just a guy with half a body visible and everyone is wondering, “What is he doing?” It’s like watching someone work in an office.

I think this brings you closer to the audience.

And honestly, I hope there won’t be any mosh pits. I just want people to dance. I know it’s a Bootshaus thing, but for me it can become a very male-dominated dance floor, with people crashing into each other. Let’s just jump. That’s all. You don’t need to rage. You don’t need to fist bump.

5. It’s a bit of a negative thing at the minute, isn’t it? People mosh-pitting and everything. It’s a bit of a health and safety issue too.

It’s nice at festivals where you have lots of space, but on a dance floor? No.

6. I agree. It’s also no secret that you’re very involved in creative projects. You’ve got your fashion, you do a lot of art-related work. Is there any other creative field you’ve started getting involved in, or something you’d like to be part of in the future?

I just designed the Formula One trophy with Delvaux Blue.

My goal is really to merge these different worlds because I think they’ve always existed separately: the DJ, the producer, and the fine art creator.

For the last several months, I’ve been working on something that will be released in about six months. We’re finally creating a visual show that truly revolves around Hexagon. That includes the visuals, the social media content, and the music videos.

I still get a huge kick out of hearing other DJs play my records. For example, when John Summit played one of my tracks at EDC, I didn’t take that for granted. That’s something that keeps me humble.

I think it’s important to support other people’s music too.

7. Obviously, you’ve got your main label, Hexagon. Within that, you’ve also got sub-labels like Gen Hex and Hexhibition. Can you tell us a little about why you decided to diversify the label with these different subgenre-focused imprints?

First of all, because I wanted to release more music without putting too much pressure on Hexagon.

Hexhibition is a bit more underground-oriented. The records are longer and more club-focused. Hexagon is still club music, but it’s usually a little more experimental. Hexhibition is really about solid club records.

Gen Hex exists to push new talent. Sometimes we’ll release music from artists who aren’t necessarily new, but the record feels fresh and maybe a little too weird for Hexagon. We still want to give it a chance, even if we’re not sure whether it’s going to take off. We take the risk because we believe in it.

Some records are simply too good not to release. We want to give people an opportunity, even if they have only 100 followers on Instagram and 25 followers on SoundCloud.

I know what it’s like as a producer trying to get a release and hearing things like, “Oh, you only have 1,200 monthly listeners on Spotify.”

I just care about the quality. Even if a track only has 3,000 streams, those 3,000 listeners could become your next fans.

8. Big question right now: how do you personally feel about AI?

First of all, I think AI is an accumulation of humanity’s collective knowledge and resources.

People are scared of it, but at the end of the day, we created it. It’s an accumulation of who we are and what we’ve done.

It can save us a lot of time and make us more creative. Some people might argue that it removes the human element because there are no real singers or guitar players involved. But I actually think it can make music more personal.

In some cases, I can create a song entirely by myself. I write the lyrics, create a persona, decide what voice fits the song best, and then have that persona sing the record. I can do that without interference from anyone else.

For me as a creator, that’s the purest form of expression. I think it actually makes things more human.

A lot of people think it makes things less human, but as an artist, I focus on the positives. I’m still making music. I’m still writing the lyrics.

In the last few months alone, I’ve written 20 to 30 songs, and it’s improved my songwriting skills. I’ve been able to create these personas that translate my message into exactly the kind of record I want to make.

9. That’s a great answer and it pretty much answers my next question. My last one would be: is there any little snippet you could potentially give fans about your forthcoming album? New collaborations, new genres, anything?

There’s one record that I genuinely think is the best record I’ve ever made. I’ve been in love with it for two years.

It’s with a major American rapper and vocalist who showed up in the middle of the night. We ended up sitting together in the studio talking about art, music, fashion, and shrooms, and eventually we made this record together.

That experience was actually one of the reasons I moved to Los Angeles. I’d always been terrified of studio sessions because I felt like I had to create some kind of magic out of nowhere.

Then I was in the studio with Nick from Empire of the Sun, and we were just talking. We were exactly the same kind of person. We shared the same insecurities about sessions. That’s when I realised I needed to be in LA so I could spend more time creating with people like that.

Some of the most personal records on the album come directly from my own experiences. The first one was the Wiz Khalifa record. I’ve never really had many people remix my music. Kevin de Vries was one of the first. We built an amazing bond. I love that guy. We’re like brothers. There might be something special coming from that relationship on Hexagon in the near future.

For me, it’s about building bridges and finding the right creative companions.

The first track is one I’m singing on myself. There’s another track that includes voice notes I recorded. My father passed away, and I used to send him voice notes. I still call his phone after shows. Some of those recordings ended up in the song.

It’s a very personal record.

There are songs where I talk about my life over the last four years, which have been completely different from everything that came before. I think the fans know me well enough to recognise that I’m a different person now, but in a positive way.

It’s been a dark period, but through that darkness I found the light. I’m more motivated than ever. Now I’m ready for takeover season.

We’re recording all the sets, I want to put out a lot more content, and I felt like I owed it to my fans to raise the bar and become a better artist. I’ve been working on my craft because, at the end of the day, art is your passion, but it’s also your profession.