Nick Bertossi, a DJ hailing from Vancouver, has had an exciting ride over the past year – and it’s promising to continue into the next one. He’s had releases on labels like Kult Records, Guareber Recordings and Epride Musical Digital, and his original track, Pumpin’, was a hit on the dance floors in 2013. Known for his tribal and energetic techno but always with the crowd in mind, Nick exudes an aura of relaxed competence and groove.

Having recently DJ’d for Whistler’s Pride Festival, GayCalgary Magazine spoke with Nick about his success in the industry (his tracks were featured on 34 releases over the past year) and where he’s going next.

GC: You headlined the Furrocious Military Ball in Whistler, and we’ve seen you headline at other events we sponsor, like Pure Pride.  How did you get to where you are today?

NB: I don’t really know, to be honest. I started producing about five years ago, and I think it’s sort of correlated with getting exposure in other cities, getting my music out to other DJs and getting my name around. I think that probably contributed to it. I had a great year last year and it should be a pretty good year this year, too.

GC: Did you start producing before you started DJing?

NB: No, I started to try to produce maybe a year after I started DJing. Five years of trial and error, failure, over and over again... took me about five years before I could actually play one of my tracks in a club. It was a long process in order to do it properly. It’s more the technicalities of producing and mixing properly; learning all the plug-ins and just learning how to do it... it’s a process.

GC: What type of music do you like to play?

NB: I love DJing tech house, like after-hours tech house. But I’ll do funky house, tribal house, I love vocal house – I love all kinds of house music, but just anything so long as the crowd’s having fun.

GC: What upcoming events are you DJing at?

NB: I’m going to Seattle, I’m going to San Francisco, doing Calgary later this year... I think I’ve got some other stuff down in South America, probably in the spring. But not a whole lot set up right now.

GC: What other projects do you work on, outside of just producing and DJing?

NB: I’m working towards an alternate day job, sort of thing... but it’s a ways away.

GC: We see your husband with you just about everywhere you go. How long have you two been together?

NB: Three and a half years. He’s very supportive. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him. He’s been everything to me.

GC: It’s cute to see how affectionate you two are with one another, even on stage.

NB: Oh, we’re affectionate all the time! It’s nothing to do with being on stage or anything... we hold hands anywhere, we’re just really affectionate. That’s the way it should be.