HE is no stranger in the club. With more than 230,000 Instagram followers and a fan base of 2.1 million Facebook followers spanning across Asia, Europe and the American continents, disc jockey (DJ) and electro-house music producer Tujamo—Matthias Ritcher in real life—is, himself, the talk of the town.
And his name is considered “sweet” and “divine” in the wee hours on the dance floor, with bodies bouncing, feet stomping and glasses swirling to a soul-awakening party whenever he is in the room.
He had a stop over in the Philippines on March 23 at Cove Manila as part of his world tour. Previously, he visited the country on April 2, 2016 and was invited to play at the first Chroma Music Festival at the Circuit in Makati.
Until that time, the excitement doubled up for this German DJ to come back and share his music to every partygoer who’s been there.
“The first time was [in 2016]. I was headlining a show [the Chroma Music Festival] together with Timmie Trumpet, and they expected a crowd of around 5,000 people,” Tujamo told his interviewers. “They called us a few days after they (the organizers) hosted their lineup and said that [they] already had sold more than 10,000 tickets.
“In the end, we [had sold] 20,000 tickets and [welcomed] 20,000 people. It was amazing; every one went wild. We had such a good time here.”
Though Tujamo’s second visit in the country was noticeably short (compared to his stay back in Mexico a few hours before his Philippine show), not even time hindered him from enjoying great finds here, such as those local restaurants he visited not just once, but twice.
Early beginnings
A PRODUCT of a 2006 talent competition in Germany, Tujamo started mixing tracks as early as the age of 15—all by his lonesome. It was his former lover who signed him to play music in front of a crowd.
He admitted that facing people wasn’t one of his strong points. For him, it was just a recreation to while away the hours.
Out of 15 DJs who competed, it was Tujamo’s music that completely shined through.
“I was too nervous to play, but I still did it. We went to a couple of friends and, at the end of the night, I said, ‘Oh! We won the DJ contest!’” he recalled with a smile.
From being a regular guest DJ back at the club in his country to a renowned record producer, he would not be where he is if it was not because of his ex’s prodding.
“We’re friends and we’d still talk about it,” he laughed while personally remembering his musical past.
Genre influence
THE electro-house music star draws his inspiration from American DJ, record producer, rapper, singer and songwriter Thomas Wesley Pentz, more popularly known by his stage name Diplo. As he put his admiration into words, “He has so many projects, he has so many different genres as well, and he’s such a hard-working guy, so that’s [the side of him that makes him one] of my biggest inspirations.”
Nonetheless, mashing up a bit of every genre he plays is “the most fun part” on his side.
Yet, his heart is with hip-hop and old school—exactly the opposite style of his crowd-pumping set list.
When traveling, he finds it easy to unwind when listening to the songs of, as an example, Post Malone, on his phone.
Fast-selling records
IN collaboration with German DJ Plastic Funk, Tujamo’s first world hit Who was originally released in 2011 and broke through the charts at the 43rd spot during the Ultratop Chart in Belgium. Since then, it has become a massive hit at the Winter Music Conference, a weeklong electro-music conference held every March in Miami, Florida.
Following his successive musical stints with his labels Boneless in 2013 and Booty Bounce in 2015, among others, his latest collaboration One On One with London-based multi-instrumentalist, composer and writer Sorana made it the Best Trending Track at the Los 40 World Dance Music Radio Awards 2018—a big deal he has been thankful for.
“I think that’s the [most] honest, most [honoring] thing that you could get. There are people who vote for you, and that’s how [it goes]. It’s a nice way by the fans to say, ‘thank you,’ and I feel honored because making a track like this, at least, takes me about three months [to finish] the whole process. And when you get something like this back, [it] gives you so much energy [to do] another project,” he declared.
More than a day job
“IF I compare this to, let’s say, an office job, probably it’s the most different thing that you could do because, [with the former], you work from 9-to-5 and go home. That’s it.”
That is how Tujamo sees the difference in his work of art.
“It’s a 24/7 show, and I can still say [that] I enjoy every second of it…even [if it takes] us 24 hours of flying.”
Most people wouldn’t mind it but, for Tujamo, it’s the coolest thing he is currently doing.
When asked where he would be outside clubs, maybe five years from now, he sees himself in the same spot where he had begun.
“Before I started DJ[-ing], I worked with people with disabilities and handicaps. That is something I could imagine [I would] keep on doing. Those people also give you a lot of energy.”
Outside the zone
AFTER all, Tujamo gets to have his normal life when not at work, “but it’s like [just about] 5 percent.” On a personal view, he describes himself as such a “simple, normal guy” like anyone else. “I still have the same friends, and I would say I’m such a normal person.”
Beyond the usual glitz of the clubbing world, he still lives for the common and the usual. There’s no special treatment—as some apparently think—when he’s at home.
“People would always expect you to be different, but we all go to the same restroom,” he jokingly said.
As a gustatory salvation, going out with his friends on a nice restaurant and enjoying their dinner becomes special since, as he explained, he is always on the road. Plus, his mom’s Chinese-like chicken hoisin makes his stay “extra special.”
“Sometimes, she calls me and asks, ‘Do you want to have it?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah! Let’s go!’”