Influenced by the likes of Trentemoller, Massive Attack, Radiohead and Caribou, Budakid also known as Kevin Huizing is a self-taught producer and talented drummer who has curated his own trademark sound, whilst carving his reputation as a successful artist from a young age.

Heavily supported by an array of acclaimed artists such as Solomun, Sasha, Joris Voorn and Kolsch, Budakid’s 2019 single ‘A Molton Arrow’ garnered 2.5 million streams on Spotify, and more recently released single ‘Walkman’ which received heavy BBC Radio 1 support.

Budakid has gone onto release music under iconic labels Diynamic, Exploited, Last Night On Earth, All Day I Dream and Lost & Found, whilst performing at globally renowned festivals Tomorrowland, Sonar Festival, Fusion Festival, ADE and playing animated sets at clubs such as Watergate, Katerblau and Sissyphos, firmly cementing his position as a tastemaker artist in the scene.

WWD: Hey Budakid, welcome back! Thanks for your time. Let’s get started with a little bit of your background. Who is Budakid?

Hi folks, good to get in touch again. It’s pretty hard to explain who Budakid is musically. If I have to describe the project I would call it a fusion of melodic house and cinematic electronic dance music. As Budakid I try to create sonic atmospheres that turn reality into fiction. 

WWD: How did you kickstart your career? We know you are from a very musical family. Did this help?

The kickstart came through my parents who took me to some drum lessons back in the days. I was totally obsessed by creating music and the freedom to express myself through sound. I guess this was the foundation for my career, or at least it triggered me to dive deeper into music. 

WWD: Did you always know you wanted to create music?

Yes. But the conscious realisation of this came at the beginning of my 20’s – when I actually had a full time job as a graphic designer. I missed doing music a lot and noticed that I actually had to reunite with my passion again. So I quit my job to start a study in music composition and theory at the conservatory in Tilburg. This allowed me to develop myself musically and personally.

WWD: Where do you draw your inspiration from? Does it vary every time you make a new track?

I don’t have a fixed way of composing, every track is born differently. Mostly depending on the mood I’m in myself, the circumstances in my studio. Even the weather condition is influencing the creative process. “No Strings Attached” is a good example. Created on the first sunshine of the year, waiting for the summer to start. 

The way of starting a new track is mostly crucial to me. If I catch a vibe directly within a small loop and can listen to it infinitely, I mostly know that I’m not getting bored after a few months. The loop can be percussive, a melody or some droney atmospheres. Different things can catch my attention so that I want to keep listening to it and this then pushes me to just work it out more and more.

WWD: Congrats on your EP release! It’s great! What was the main theme/feeling you had when creating it?

Thanks 🙂 The EP stands a bit out compared to the things people might be used to hear from me. 

I was experimenting with different arrangements and more detailed sound design, so the track got a bit more of an abstract touch than my previous productions. 

WWD: What are the similarities/differences in this release compared to a previous EP?

I tried to keep my signature elements in those compositions. Therefore I focused on the atmosphere, chord progressions and small quirky sounds. But I worked with these elements in a more profound way. I always try to progress soundwise, because I’m getting bored of using the same sounds over and over again. In the end, the blueprints of my tracks are mostly similar. Differences evolve out of playing around with new effects and tools. 

With this EP I tried to show people a bit more the edges of my spectrum. Avoiding certain arrangement standards and progressions.  

WWD: What has been your highlight this far in your career?

I received an email from Solomun last year who wanted to have some of my music on his label. I checked a thousand times if it was really him or just some random spam… but yeah – it really was 😇

WWD: If you could play anywhere in the World, where would that be? Why? 

Actually that wouldn’t be the world. Would love to do a set in space. If I have to restrict myself to the world, a rainforest at night would be pretty wicked I think. 

WWD: Do you have any tips for aspiring producers/DJs?

Never give up. 

Don’t be afraid to be different, because mostly this is the way that makes you unique in comparison to others. 

Listen to your own taste and don’t let other judgements influence your ideas. It’s good to ask people for feedback, but filter the right thoughts out which also work for you.  

WWD: Who are your Top 3 musical artists right now? Why?

Jon Hopkins – Always a big fan of him. Perfect balance between storytelling music and electronica. 

Aera – Totally blew me away with his latest EP on Innervisions. 

Arca – An outstanding and very unique producer. Always impressed by his arrangement and sound design. 

WWD: What else can we expect from you 2020/2021?

I have a new single coming up on Anjunadeep this month with an outstanding remix made by Joseph Ashworth. There will be a new release appearing on Lost & Found in the coming year as well. But at the moment I focus on creating new material, so let’s see where this will pop-up in 2021 🙂