We recently talked with a duo that’s been dominating the scene for close to a decade.
Fatum. You might know them, you might remember them. Maybe some of their tracks come to mind if I mention ‘I Ran‘, ‘Coming Home‘, ‘Superfecta‘ or ‘The Tide‘. These guys have been putting out proper bangers year after year, for ten years now. With two Grammy nominations, Billboard Top 20s, over 200 releases and decades of experience, as well as remixing and collaborating for the likes of Hans Zimmer and Armin van Buuren, they are in demand for their signature melodic, Trance-infused, Techno sound.
Their latest incursion happened just a week ago, when they released ‘Make Me Wonder‘, a track composed alongside Bren Lock and Brieanna Grace, which, after years of being in the making, finally saw the light of day via Insomniac’s Interstellar Recordings.
We’ve managed to have a lovely little chat with the boys, just off the heels of their Interstellar debut. We talked about all things producing, collaborating with Bren — an old friend of theirs —, their constant sonic evolution, past members of the group, social media presence, and much more. We even addressed the whole marketing versus production debate artists are all picking sides on. So, without further to do, sit down, grab your favourite mug (fill it with your favourite drink), and read on, as we have a conversation with Daniel Davis and Bruce Karlsson, the men behind Fatum.
The Interview
(Please note, the bolded text represents a question, while the paragraph(s) following it represent Fatum’s answers.)
First off, huge congrats on the release of ‘Make Me Wonder’! In your eyes, what does this single mean for Fatum and your story?
Thank you! To be honest, this release means a lot to everyone involved. It was a real labor of love to bring this one to the finish line and a true testament to proper collaboration. The song took over two years to complete from the original idea, but it was worth the wait. We absolutely love this record!
We’re aware you’ve been friends with Bren Lock for a while now. Had you had any unfinished collaborations before working on ‘Make Me Wonder’, or is this the first time you guys sit down and work on a track together?
We had been friends with Pete (Bren Lock) for nearly 10 years, but this was our first attempt at a collaboration. It felt like we had worked together many times before, given the number of revisions we both undertook for this song. Our projects share a similar sonic realm, and our musical history has always been aligned, with both of us coming from a melodic style background and taste.
We’d love to have you walk us through the story of the song. How was it born? When was that moment in which you realized you had something special in the works?
The song began two years ago when Bruce and I initially wrote the track with a different vocalist. We pitched the first version to several labels, but there wasn’t much traction since our style was shifting from our usual Trance 2.0 sound to something darker and more melodic. We sat on the record for over a year, waiting for the right moment or inspiration to bring it to life. That’s when I decided to ask Bren Lock to listen and incorporate his ideas. Instantly, the song had new life, and its identity felt more mature and developed for the current sound both our projects were aiming for.
We sent it to Interstellar, and they loved it! We finally saw the finish line, but then the unexpected happened…
Because it took us so long to fully form the song, the original vocalist decided to pursue a different creative direction and backed out. We were back to square one.
Fortunately, Interstellar was kind enough to help us find a new vocalist and introduced us to Brieanna Grace, who completely transformed the feel of the record into what it is today. Her talent and fresh approach to the topline were beyond perfect, and we are incredibly grateful it ended up in her hands.
Which are some sources of inspiration you can recall as your “muses” for whenever you’re working on a track? Is it, for example, Nature, or past experiences? And what was the spark that ignited the idea behind ‘Make Me Wonder’?
As Fatum, we love drawing inspiration from other songs. Bruce and I have what feels like an audio Pinterest board filled with tracks and the experiences or emotions they evoke, which we then bring into our work. “Make Me Wonder” was no different. Many people listened to and helped shape this record, and through their feedback and the challenges we faced, we were motivated to refine the production and never give up.
I believe it was the initial spark of excitement that started the project, but it was our determination that kept the flame alive.
Fatum is today a duo, but it used to be different. In fact, a handful of people have been a part of Fatum’s history. Would you say the vision you had for the band back in 2014 — when you had your first releases — still holds up to this day? And, do you still hear the influence of Chad and Bill in your sound?
Not many people know that Fatum started as a group of four. While most are familiar with Bruce and me, fewer know about Chad Newbold and the late Bill Hamel.
We have always been, and still are, best friends, and every member of our group continues to influence every release we make—even to this day. Though we deeply miss Bill, his pioneering sound in early trance, progressive, and breaks continues to inspire us. And while Chad has taken on more of a behind-the-scenes role, we couldn’t create any record without his musical touch. We owe so much to these two and are incredibly grateful for the team we’ve built together.
Speaking about your sound, it has been in constant evolution. It’s always been that way. What would you say are key things an artist should do to embrace change, without losing that so-called “signature sound” they are known for?
Evolution is a fundamental part of humanity, and as creatives, being stuck in one sound and repeating the same thing over and over can be demoralizing and exhausting. We believe that while our signature sound will always evolve, the quality and attention to detail will remain constant.
It’s important to be consistent for your audience, but it’s equally important to stay true to yourself—and sometimes, being true to yourself means stepping outside of the box. We’ve allowed ourselves the freedom to always explore that.
You guys are one of the more vocal acts I’ve seen that openly talk about the role of a musician in today’s times. It’s usually a matter of debate, whether an artist should only make music and rarely acknowledge marketing, versus those acts who are social media icons first of all and then take their fame over to music. Two approaches, two results. Would you say there’s any right way to balance creativity in the studio and optimal social media presence?
Speaking for myself (Daniel), I believe social media and marketing have created opportunities for any musician to achieve their dream—whether that’s becoming famous or building a sustainable career doing what they love and being creative.
There’s a lot of resistance among musicians toward social media and marketing because it’s another skill we need to learn to grow effectively, and, to be honest, not many people know how to do it successfully.
The entire music industry, like many others, is evolving right before our eyes. Some might argue that social media has shifted the focus away from the art itself, and in some cases, that might be true.
However, I would argue that in many cases, it’s more about the art—and the artist—than ever before.
All it takes is a creative person doing what they love, learning to use a platform of their choice, and sharing their work with the world. It has never been easier to have your voice heard, your art seen, and, most importantly, to express the real human behind it all.
We are in a new era for small businesses—and for musicians, this is our chance to showcase our art to the world without waiting for others to dictate the direction of our careers.
A good chunk of our readers are actually DJs and producers in the making. Do you have any thoughts or words for those rising artists who look up to you and are somewhat struggling to stand out in a sea of producers all trying to make it in the industry?
Be encouraged! All musicians are navigating the same challenges, but there is hope, trust me!
The traditional path in the music industry is being dismantled, and a new era for independent artists is on the rise. The only way to stand out is to showcase your uniqueness, and the best way to do that is to find a social platform you enjoy, learn how to use it, and consistently put yourself out there.
This is the quickest way to grow your project, music, business, and career. And if you feel lost or need help, please follow us on Instagram at @fatummusic and reach out. We’re here to help.
Final Words
Those words you just read come from two very wise artists. I’ve been following them ever since I first heard the Sunstars remix of their ‘I Ran’ cover, and then they crossed over to Anjunabeats just at the same time I was shifting my likes to Progressive Trance. So you could say I’ve seen them evolve, apply new techniques and approaches to production and, in more recent times, also take the lead in how to become an all-round artist regarding marketing.
Thank you so much Daniel and Bruce for opening up and being quite deep about your answers. And also, big ups for offering to help the community! They may not remember, but back in 2018 I sent them a song for feedback, and they actually listened to it and gave me some notes! So I can testify this positive approach to making music has always been there. You can find them over on their Instagram. Thanks again guys! Wishing you the very best on this nth new chapter of yours, also, most likely, your nth successful chapter too.