Out now, Brazilian DJ and producer Öwnboss and respected songwriter SELVA teamed up for their Monstercat debut with festival heater, “RIOT”.
The release comes during Öwnboss’ busiest summer yet as his 2023 World Tour smashes the halfway point. SELVA, also known as Brian Cohen, is a platinum-certified songwriter, producer, and vocalist who has worked with huge names in the electronic circuit and is quickly becoming a go-to force in the industry for anthemic dance hits. Paired with Öwnboss’ signature bass house groove, industrial synths, and SELVA’s unifying songwriting style and own vocal interjection, “RIOT” is a dancefloor bomb headed straight for the main stage.
When this single dropped I reached out to interview both Öwnboss AND SELVA. Unfortunately Öwnboss was delayed in Israel due to airline issues, but SELVA was chomping at the bit to sit down. While we wait for Öwnboss to find his way home, I am super excited to introduce you to SELVA.
Great to connect my friend! How are you doing and please tell us, where did the name SELVA come from?
Hey Ricky , the pleasure is all mine mate!
SELVA means jungle in Portuguese. I have changed this answer a few times for interviews so it sounded cooler! (Laughs.) But the truth is that me and my former partner in the project (PeLu) wanted a name in Portuguese, as we dreamt about representing Brasil one day internationally, so we wanted a strong and short name that kind of of showed where we were from. So we landed on SELVA.
You just released “RIOT” out now on Monstercat. Tell me more about that single and your experience working with Öwnboss.
Öwnboss is a great friend of mine. Him and I have worked together in several projects within the last two years, including remixes we’ve done together (Joel Corry, Becky Hill, Kungs) and I’ve also participated as a songwriter for some of his tunes. So it was always easy to work with him. He is talented and kind and above everything: a humble guy. So we’ve waited for a while to do an original song together, and when I brought him the chorus of “RIOT”, he said, “Buddy, that’s the one.” The rest unfolded naturally, we trust each other’s abilities and choices, so we spared nothing in make the most out of this song.
Who wrote the lyrics for that single?
I did. I sent it to Öwnboss as soon as I got home with the demo, which only consisted of the vocals (my own as a placeholder) and guitars, accompanied by a 2 minute voice note explaining the context so he didn’t take the quality too seriously. He immediately reacted to it and loved it, and it seems to me he knew exactly how to use it. He has a great sense of perception when it comes to electronic music, and I trusted him on the spot with the song.
Both you and Öwnboss are from Brazil, how did you guys first meet?
We’ve known each other for years when we met in a small tour bus. We didn’t keep in touch, little did we know that we’d get along so well years later. I always admired his trajectory and over a year ago he got in touch with me because he wanted me to write him a couple of songs. Right after that we just naturally orbited around each other: We have the same sense of humor and we get along creatively really well.
Your track “I Miss U” has over 35 million Spotify streams. That is incredible, man. Tell me more about that single and your experience working with Alok.
Thanks Ricky, means a lot to hear that from you! I am very proud of that song. I met Alok years ago, he noticed SELVA when we released a song with Vintage Culture called “Why Don’t U Love”, and SELVA barely existed back then. Alok signed SELVA to his management company back then and we were always talking about doing a song together. I wrote “I Miss U” when my first son was born, and I had no intention whatsoever to release it, especially with SELVA since we were focusing in house music. I played the song to Alok and he talked us into releasing the song, and later on asked for the files because he wanted to contribute creatively to it and eventually jumped in!
It’s actually one of the few songs I sing myself and it meant a lot to me. Needless to say, it was amazing when it started getting traction until it went platinum in Brazil. Alok is a super cool dude, good guy all around, recently I wrote a song for him that is supposed to be released still in 2023!
What is your songwriting process like? Do you sit down with a yellow pad, or are lyrics just come to you in your sleep?
I think of myself as a songwriter above anything else (in the artistic realm), and like everything in life, practice is key. I like to think that I am sharpening the craft of channeling ideas, feelings, and picking up references that give me elements to make something new. So nowadays, the method of writing varies a lot for me. Sometimes its a request (the vast majority of times), sometimes I just write because I felt like writing, sometimes I write because I think I should! (Laughs.)
But yes, I tend to use pen and paper to write lyrics, this helps me (and my ADHD) (Laughs.) to think through and really mean what I am writing. When I have something I like, I usually voice note myself on WhatsApp, just so I don’t forget the melody.
“RIOT” was different. I had a “concept” and “attitude” in mind before even writing it. I actually came up with the chorus in the shower. So I rushed to the studio to lay it down in a demo just to see how it felt.
What are you listening to when you’re not working on your next banger? Who inspires you?
I listen to a loooot of things I used to in my teenage years. I do listen to a lot of different genres especially when I put on my “thinking hat”, so I am able to pick up on tendencies and be updated on what is going on. But I must say, pop-punk/emo/hardcore/nu metal is what I listen to every single day. Blink-182, Sum 41, Jimmy Eat World, Saosin, Bring Me the Horizon, Linkin Park, etc.
I learned how to write because of these bands so they mean a lot to me, plus the get me hyped up when I’m out jogging, no other genre does it for me as well as these do.
“RIOT” was your Monstercat debut. What does it mean to you to be on this label?
I’ve always heard about how Monstercat is cool and selective. I was always curious about it, and most of my releases were always through European dance music labels, so I wondered about how Monstercat approached a song they really believed in.
A dubstep artist (SPAG HEDDY) released a song I wrote called “Smile” in Monstercat a while back, but I never had released a song with them as an artist myself. I must say I am very happy with how they have been treating “RIOT” and how important the song is to them. It’s flattering to release in such a respected label and watch everything unfold nicely due to so much hard work and positive energy.
It seems like every DJ has a podcast. With all you’ve done and continue to do, have you considered producing a show?
I haven’t to be honest. I have been focusing on songwriting and co-producing with several artists. I think podcasts are amazing, I actually am a fan of several. But I have to pick my battles! (Laughs.) I must say, I would be interested in taking part of a podcast focused on music and creation.
How long does it take for a song to come together? “RIOT” for example. Is it a week, a month… A lifetime?
Sometimes a week, sometimes a year. “RIOT” wasn’t easy. We had the idea, topline, the concept all rounded up, but it wasn’t easy to find a production path that would really enhance and portray the idea like we wanted. We recorded a choir and once we swapped my temporary vocals with theirs, we had to rethink the entire thing, because the tone and energy changed drastically, and I am happy it did because we landed on a version that sounds powerful and big ! But we did go through around 8 or 9 versions.
You are sharing some great content on Instagram. It looks like you’re living your best life. Not really a question. Just keep it up, man!
Well thanks for saying that Ricky, I am a happy guy indeed. Raising my kids, doing a lot of music, working with great artists such as Öwnboss, I can’t complain! Thanks for having us and shining a light on “RIOT”, that really means a lot to us.
What’s next for SELVA?
For now, I am focusing on “RIOT” and the new versions that will soon hit all platforms. I want to give this one my best shot before thinking of anything else.
Thanks for doing this, man. That was fun! I enjoyed learning more about you and this new single. In all of the interviews I do I always give the artist the last word. Go.
Once again thanks for your time Ricky, I really appreciate it.
I hope this interview is as fun read as much as it was to answer, and if you like “RIOT”, please make sure to follow us on our socials to keep up with the coolest news we are about to bring!
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