If creativity could be bottled and sold, Victor Calderonee
would be wealthy beyond comprehension. The multi-talented
master of musical manipulation has helped redefine the role
of the American DJ in recent years, and, in the process, has
amassed an impressive array of artistic accomplishments. Equally
adept both in the studio and in front of live audiences, Victor
is a veritable virtuoso who has inspired, enthralled and entertained
legions of sonic savvy devotees around the world. His expertise
and imagination transcend conventional expectations allowing
him to effortlessly bridge the gap between multiple genres
of music and generations of listeners.
Introduced to New York nightlife at the impressionable age
of 15 by his older brother Cesar, Victor quickly developed
an intense passion for dance music that would form the foundation
for the Brooklyn native’s remarkable career. His first
taste of success came less than a decade later when Sire Records’
Seymour Stein signed Program Two, Victor’s techno production
partnership, to a record deal in 1991. The relationship fizzled
after just one album, though, prompting Victor to reevaluate
his musical future.
After a self-imposed hiatus during which Victor explored
non-musical business ventures, he found his way back to the
beat in 1996 when Athena, the woman who would eventually become
his wife, encouraged him to return to the studio to create
his first solo record, “Give It Up.” This signature
hard-house anthem and its explosive follow-up, “Beat
Me Harder,” both topped the Billboard dance charts,
unleashing the meteoric Calderone phenomenon. Further inspired
by New York’s then-thriving club scene, Victor landed
gigs spinning at high-profile parties on Fire Island and at
legendary NYC nightclubs Limelight and Life, eventually leading
to career-defining residencies at both Roxy in New York and
Liquid in Miami. Then, just when he thought things couldn’t
get any better, Madonna called in 1998 and asked, “So,
do you want to remix my first single? Intrigued by Victor’s
innovative musical vision and sophisticated style, Madonna
bestowed upon him the ultimate compliment – the opportunity
to remix, “Frozen,” the lead single from her acclaimed
“Ray of Light” album. “She, as an artist,
understands better than anybody the need to just let people
do their thing, and that’s the way she’s worked
with me,” Victor proudly explains. “She just sends
me the vocal and she doesn’t give me any guidelines.
She just tells me to do my thing.” Victor has since
remixed nine other records for Madonna and has established
an unprecedented professional and personal rapport with the
Grammy-award winning artist.
Standing out among the many highlights of his extraordinary
career is Victor’s experience working with Sting. Acting
on Madonna’s recommendation that he ask Victor to remix
“Desert Rose,” the second single from his 1999
“Brand New Day” album, the British rocker not
only called Victor to remix the record (something he had never
done before with his music), but even went into the studio
with him to re-record the vocals to match the remixed song’s
new dance-oriented rhythm. The song spent an impressive 80
weeks on the Billboard dance charts including nine consecutive
weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart.
“Victor Calderonee is highly energetic and his musical
contribution helped introduce ‘Desert Rose’ to
an entirely new audience. I look forward to working with him
again.”
Few DJs or producers have achieved the level of success
that Victor has so diligently earned, and membership in this
elite club definitely has its privileges. Spared from the
stress of pounding the pavement in search of work and the
proverbial first big break, Victor now enjoys the luxury of
carefully choosing each new project from a multitude of exciting
offers. This rare creative freedom has also encouraged him
to create more of his own original material. Following the
success of 1999’s “Do It Properly,” a joint
venture with Grammy-winning remixer Peter Rauhofer, featuring
C&C Music Factory vocalist Deborah Cooper, Victor once
again enlisted Cooper’s dynamic talents in 2001 to record
the #1 Billboard mega-hit “Are You Satisfied,”
a record he both co-wrote and produced.
While it is nearly impossible to capture the essence of a
live performance on a 74-minute CD, compilations do allow
DJs to portray the music of the moment in a practical format
that can reach even the most remote listeners. As part of
a multi-record deal with Tommy Boy Music, Victor released
his first beatmix CD, “E=VC2,” in 1999. Volume
2 followed in 2001 with sales and popularity of both compilations
far exceeding all expectations. A third installment is forthcoming
that promises to be darker and more progressive than its predecessors.
Victor’s studio work may have jump-started his career,
but it’s his live performances that truly showcase his
boundless energy and mastery of the turntables. “DJing
is a major release for me; it’s something I need in
my life,” he insists. “It goes hand-in-hand with
the production work and the studio work. If you’re going
to be producing dance music, you’ve got to be out there
playing it and be in the clubs, so it’s very important
to me.”
Victor also understands and appreciates the importance of
continually evolving as an artist. While he still enjoys remixing
and playing select mainstream records, audiences will notice
a distinct difference during his future live sets. Relying
less on the diva house vocal anthems that dominated many of
his past performances, Victor has reinvented his musical style
and will now treat listeners to an edgier and more progressive
sound. He will also focus on producing more original underground
tracks to compliment his latest transformation.
Shortly after leaving his three-and-a-half year residency
at Roxy in May of 2001 to explore other creative avenues,
Victor staged his most ambitious spectacular to date. Dubbed
“Caligula: A Roman Orgy” and presented during
Gay Pride Weekend in New York City, this massive dance party
was held at the Hammerstein Ballroom and featured, among others,
performances by Cyndi Lauper, Deborah Cooper and a 50-piece
orchestra that played Brainbug’s “Nightmare”
and Tim Rex’s “Relentless” live for 5,000
appreciative fans. Caligula boldly raised the bar for future
events and will now be held annually the last weekend of June.
Victor expanded his rÈsumÈ in 2001 with bimonthly
residencies at Stereo in Montreal, Canada and Tribal Sessions
in Manchester, England. He also traveled overseas for performances
at TLV in Tel Aviv, Israel, Cuvo Paradiso in Mykonos, Greece
and L’Enser in Paris, France. He has also arranged the
music for the past several Dolce & Gabbana runway fashion
shows in Milan, Italy. At home in the United States, Victor
spins monthly at Crobar in Miami’s South Beach, occasionally
travels for special events around the country and is patiently
waiting for the right opportunity to resume a residency in
New York City.
Despite his many professional accomplishments, Victor still
has some dreams to fulfill, particularly his desire to work
on motion picture soundtracks. He is also currently working
in the studio with a female vocalist he recently discovered
to help develop her burgeoning career while further exploring
the down-tempo side of electronic music. Victor’s Sensory
Mix of Madonna’s “Don’t Tell Me” and
his Calderone & Quayle Dark Side Mix of “What It
Feels Like For A Girl,” both experiments in ambient
electronica, garnered critical acclaim and impressed Madonna
so much that she featured his version of the latter song on
her Drowned World Tour.
Because his talent is so prominent, it is easy to forget
that Victor Calderonee’s career achievements are also
the result of his true spirit of determination, as well as
his dedication to perfection and persistence in an ultra-competitive
industry. His many years of hard work and monumental success
are only overshadowed by his sincerity, modesty, unwavering
commitment to his craft and fierce devotion to his countless
fans. A profoundly influential and inspirational talent, Victor
has entertained millions of people, generously donated to
charitable causes and earned the utmost respect of his peers,
all while boldly pushing the universal limits of originality
and ingenuity.
During an earlier interview, Victor summed up his prolific
career perfectly when he modestly proclaimed, “If it
wasn’t for the audience and the fans, I wouldn’t
exist, so I wouldn’t have any right coming off to anybody
like I’m anything special. I’m very grateful for
all the support and everything that’s been going on
in my life. It’s been amazing and I’m very happy.”
Artist's Web Links
| Tech House & Techno
Compilations :: Victor Calderone
