Inside the Mind of a Progressive House Maestro: An Exclusive Interview with Ruben Karapetyan

Progressive house maestro, Ruben Karapetyan, has journeyed from his beginnings in the mid-90s to be now recognized globally, leaving a significant mark on the electronic music scene. His work with Mango Alley has helped solidify his reputation for blending compelling beats with evocative soundscapes. In this exclusive interview, Karapetyan draws us into his world, showing his musical evolution from a budding artist in the dynamic 90s to his current status as a global progressive house phenomenon.

In a candid interview, Karapetyan shares the invaluable lessons he’s learned, the inspirations behind his unique sound, and his insightful observations on the ever-evolving electronic music industry. He navigates through discussions on music politics, the growing influence of social media, and the challenges these pose. Despite these hurdles, Karapetyan’s unwavering dedication to his sound, resilience, and successful collaborations – notably with Mango Alley – have fuelled his enduring presence in the scene. His reflections on his career, unforgettable performances, and collaborative experiences offer a rare peek into the life of an artist who has carved a unique path in the progressive house genre.

What was the biggest life and career lessons you learned as a DJ starting from mid 90’s to being such a well-reputed progressive house DJ on a global scale?

Not to get sidetracked by music politics and stay true to the sound I love. Another important lesson is to work as hard as I can and try to be better every time I am on stage.

Tell me what inspired you to focus on progressive house as your primary genre?

When I first started in the 90’s my sound was Psy Trance / Progressive trance. As I got older that 138 BPM sound got a little too much for me. When I was young my goal as a DJ was to see the dance floor jumping, screaming and just going wild, but with years my taste in music and vision changed. I got more into deeper darker sound, I wanted to create a story, take the audience to a musical journey, and that style and groove was all progressive.

With decades of experience as a DJ, how have you seen the electronic music scene evolve over the years?

In our scene things are always evolving and changing. When I came back from a 14 year break from music, the first thing I noticed was how much politics there is in music now.

I remember early 90’s it was all about a few speakers and a desert location in the middle of nowhere and we had ourselves a great party with very big DJs to ones that are just starting up. Now you can’t even book a DJ you want, clubs and big events keep things under control, so if you’re playing for this club few times a year, you can’t be booked in that club, because this one will no longer work with you. 

It’s very strange how much control promoters and clubs have over DJs now and that is one of the biggest changes I have noticed over the years.

Can you share a memorable experience from one of your huge festival performances in the USA?

There are quite a few to remember, but one that comes to mind is “Together As One” New Years Eve in Los Angeles Sports Arena I think it was year 2000 or 2001 over 200,000 people rocking out to every sound that came out of those speakers, just massive production all around. That is one event I will never forget!

Share some challenges have you faced during your career, and how have you overcome them.

I was fortune enough not to come across any big challenges. I always worked hard and stayed focused on my music. The one thing that is very challenging now after returning to production / DJing is how everything now depends on social media. The focus is no longer on talent and love for the music, now it’s all about how big your social media following is. 

I noticed how many DJs are big and touring the world without any actual production / DJing talent. It seems like nowadays it’s all about marketing and if you have a good marketing team behind you and doing a good job on social sites, you will climb to the top very quickly. It was difficult to adapt to the changes at first but I understand that there is no other way around it, times have changed.

With so many collaborations released and in the works, what have you learned about working with other producers that has helped further your own career in the industry? DO you have any advice for up-and-coming producers?

There is a saying “Two heads are better than one” I mostly like to work alone, but past few collaborations worked out great. One of which I would like to mention was with my good friend and Mango Alley Label boss, Alex Mango. He wrote the foundation of the track and I added all the musical elements to it, then a few times back and forth to add final polishing touches we got “Golden Age,” due on June 29 on Mango Alley with Remix by none other than Anthony Pappa & Jamie Stevens.

As for advise, all I have to say you have to stick to what you love and with time and practice you will get better and better. Most important is not to get discouraged and don’t take rejection close to heart, it is nothing personal. More than once I have sent my music to a label and I was told this was not for them, which is OK. If one door closes another will open, keep doing your best and never stop following your heart.

Looking back on your career, is there anything you would have done differently or any advice you would give to your younger self?

One thing I regret is taking a 14 years break from music. I was a constant touring DJ and an established producer when I walked away. I always think about all the things I have missed out on over the years. So if I could go back and talk to my younger self, I would ask him not to quit and continue building on top of all I already had.

What are your thoughts on the current state of the global progressive house scene, and where do you see it heading in the future?

I am very happy to see how well progressive house is doing worldwide, that deep groovy sound is actually dominating most of the electronic movement now. Events like The Soundgarden pulling 70k people to hear that deep dark sound, DJs like Nick Warren and Hernan Cattaneo, pushing this sound around the world. I am proud to be a part of this movement and sound!

Speak of The Soundgarden, we hear you were invited by Nick Warren to do a dj set on “Nick Warren presents: “The Soundgarden” Tell us more about the project

I am very grateful to have Nick’s constant support on my music. This is going to be a 1 hour long DJ set airing first on Metrodance 95.1, then it will be available on The Soundgarden’s SoundCloud page. This was a big project, almost every track has been Remixed / Edited for this DJ set exclusively and will never be released. Also, a few unreleased tracks will be presented for the first time here. It is fair to say this was more of a studio project then a DJ set.

I would like to use this moment to thank Nick and Petra for this great opportunity!

What can fans expect from you in the upcoming months? Any new releases, projects, or performances in the works?

I have got a very busy few months ahead. I will be headlining on June 24th outdoor festival with legend Treavor Moontribe, event called Terrarkoma in California Also in August I will be mixing a 2 hour DJ set for Balance Series’ “Balance Selections”.

The release of “Golden Age” and “Interjection” with Kristina Sky coming out on Mango Alley. “Frequency Formula” will be released this summer on The Soundgarden. My collaboration with Kenan Savrun will be out soon on Univack Records. I also have originals and remixes coming out on Movement Recordings, Meanwhile, 3rd Avenue, Clubsonica, Droid9, Onedotsixtwo, Transensations. 

Final arrangements are being made to my tour in Europe and Asia, locations and dates to be announced on my social sites soon. Followed by a few shows at this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE),