Tiesto like no other

Ladies and gentlemen, a DJ who needs no introduction: Tiesto - back in town tonight for his third Bangkok blast.

Hot on the heels of his fourth studio album, "Kaleidoscope", the trance DJ always surprises with house-and-electro mixes and celebrity collaborators, from Nelly Furtado and Calvin Harris to Emily Haines of Metric, Tegan and Sara, Jonsi of Sigur Ros and Kele Okereke of Bloc Party.

We had a little chat with the superstar tune-jockey at the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit the other day.

How do you keep fit when you're touring endlessly?

I eat very healthy and try to get to the gym during the day and get enough sleep. I don't go too crazy - I work 'til 3 or 4 in the morning and sleep 'til 11. Then I work on my radio shows, some interviews, listen to new tracks - I have to keep up to date on what's going on.

Do you listen to other kinds of music?

Yes, and now with the Internet you can find anything you want. I like to listen to indie rock. I did a track with Muse, and maybe we'll do another.

Describe your day off.

I go shopping or go to the beach, just like normal people.

What was it like working with so many different artists on "Kaleidoscope"?

It's got 17 tracks, and I tried to collaborate with artistic people. Most are very edgy and brought a lot to the table, but it was also difficult because they're from different music genres. I only used their vocals, though, so that made it easier.

Who was your favourite?

Nelly Furtado - we first met in Miami. Her boyfriend was really into my music but she didn't know who I was. She started to follow up and we went into the studio together and talked about it.

When did you realise you were a superstar?

When I was in a dressing room in America, I think New York in 2002: I heard the crowd chanting my name - "Ti-es-to, Ti-es-to!" - and I was, like, "Wow!" That was the first time I'd played in America, too.

You've been around a long time. How has the scene changed?

The change has been huge. When I started it was hard even to get the music - there was only vinyl. As a DJ it was easier to stand out because you had those records.

Now, with the Internet, everything is just a button away, but it's really hard to separate yourself from the rest.

In general, the music scene is bigger, and more and more people like dance music now. It's much more advanced and professional, too. Electronic is becoming a genre, like jazz and rock. It's as mainstream as jazz could be.

How did you pull off stardom in the crowd, then?

I was very lucky, but I have a pretty unique sound that I develop all the time. What I tried to do with the new album was switch everything up - my own style and my artistic field.

The way I play nowadays is very different from when I started. Indie rock has been introduced into my sound and I use a lot more vocals than before. I'm more comfortable about what I do and open to collaborating.

Will you always be the trance icon for the fans?

Yes, but trance is different. The word is kind of dirty - it relates to bad stuff. I think I have my own definition: "the sound of Tiesto".

See you at Zen

Catch Tiesto tonight at 9pm at CentralWorld's Zen Event Gallery. It costs Bt1,490, or Bt2,950 for VIP treatment.

He's also playing at Bali Hai in Pattaya tomorrow.

Find out more at www.OPWorldwide.com.