It has been a long time coming, but a couple of months ago Super8 & Tab finally launched Scorchin’ Records. To kick things off, Scorchin’ released “Kingdom,” a high-on-life number from Avenia. I was so impressed with the single, I reached out for an interview. It won’t stop there, though, as Avenia is set to release “Traverse,” a collaboration with With The Winds. I am really digging his sound and I was excited to learn more. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Avenia.
Your name is Pietu Harvilahti. Where did Avenia come from and what does it mean?
I came up with the name Avenia a couple years ago when I was looking for inspiration online and saw the word “aeonian.” It stands for ethereal and everlasting so I thought it’s pretty easy to correlate with music. From that I came up with Avenia!
Tell me more about your work with Super8 & Tab and your new single “Kingdom” out now on Scorchin’ Records.
I have known the guys for quite a while now. A few years back I started working at a studio complex owned by them and they saw my potential and eventually wanted to offer me a record deal to Scorchin’ Records.
I’m a big fan of Spotify. Some of my friends use Apple Music and others prefer to actually buy a CD or vinyl. As a DJ/producer, what are your thoughts on digital solutions like Spotify?
I think there are pros and cons when it comes to Spotify and other digital streaming platforms. The good thing of course is that anyone can get their music onto these platforms but at the same time it can oversaturate the market since there’s so much music uploaded every day. For independent artists it can get very difficult to gain exposure since they have to be able to get their music to the right audiences and somehow stand out from all the competition.
As a DJ, what are your thoughts on the DJ Mag Top 100? Do you strive to make the list or do you just consider it a popularity contest?
I think the DJ Mag Top 100 isn’t that relevant anymore. Of course if you are the No. 1 DJ on there you’ll get great exposure but I find that it’s more of a popularity contest since it doesn’t actually showcase the skill of the DJ.
Martin Garrix has been at the top of that list for 2 years now. You might think he’s the best, but who is your favorite DJ?
First I want to give some credit to Martin Garrix. I think it’s so crazy that he has been able to gain that much popularity at the age of only 23. Personally my favourite DJs are Armin van Buuren and Martin.
You worked with With The Winds on “Traverse.” Tell me more about that release and what it was like working with him.
It was amazing! I’ve known him since the elementary school so working with him was really easy going since we shared the same vision for the track. He had a great idea for the song and together we made it into what it is today. We have more stuff on the way so definitely keep an eye out for that.
Wait… Armin played “Kingdom” on A State of Trance? That is awesome! Did you know he was going to play it and where were you when you heard/saw it for the first time?
Yeah, that was pretty awesome! I knew that the guys from Super8 & Tab had sent the track to him but I didn’t know if he would actually play it. I was in Malaysia on holiday when my mom called me and told me that Armin had just played it on ASOT. I immediately checked Armin’s Spotify page to see if “Kingdom” was listed on the episode.
You did a photo shoot earlier this year. Where was that? By the way, the photos look awesome. Even the one of you “casually laying on a car.”
Those photos were taken in Finland in the winter. The photographer saw the car with the frozen hood and told me to go lay on it and it turned out great!
There are a lot of great nightclubs out there. Where are some of your favorite places to see a show?
I think the best experiences in Helsinki are the summer parties since summertime is so beautiful here. As for my favourite club, The Circus might be the best place to go see a show.
When can we expect your next single?
The next single is coming later this summer.
Any plans for a tour this summer?
There aren’t any plans for a tour this summer but I’ll be releasing a lot of great tracks this year, so in the future I’ll definitely be touring.
What’s next for Avenia?
I’ll keep releasing more music through Super8 & Tab’s label Scorchin’ Records and there’s a lot of amazing things in the works which I can’t wait to share with everyone.
Thank you for doing this. Keep up the good work! In all of the interview I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.
First off I want to thank everyone who has supported me and listened to my music. I also want to thank you for the interview and wish you all a great summer. Make sure to follow me on social media so you won’t miss anything!
Connect with Avenia:
Website: https://www.aveniaofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aveniaofficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aveniaofficial
