An interview with Requiem, the rising star of Fusion

By Laurens van Beers 18 June 2015

Boray Kocoz is one of the rising stars at Fusion Records. After his signing he adopted the ultimate persona and became the conductor of the masses, in the form of a Requiem. With a production style as precise as geometric edges, nothing can be spared from destruction. But who is this new face that keeps popping up more frequently with each passing day?

We sat down with this brute force and asked him all about his exploding career, his hit tracks and of course for all the ladies; if he is single or not.

So Boray, can you tell us about how it all started for you?
I think I was about 15/16 years old when I visited a festival for the first time. My parents always told me that I could visit a festival only after I would have finished school. So that became my primary goal, to finish school! After I visited my first festival I immediately knew what I wanted. To stand behind those decks! The solidarity felt amazing and everything around it was a stimulus to start doing this.

On the 2nd of September last year Fusion made the announcement that you were their latest addition to the family. What was the response?
I was overwhelmed with positive reactions! Sure, there were also some less fun comments, but I guess you’re always going to have to deal with those from time to time. People really liked my first release, which gave me nothing but positive vibes. I think you can hear those vibes in the tracks that I made afterwards.

We sure did! I guess we can assume that you celebrated the good news in style.
I couldn’t believe my ears and even after a few days I was still like ‘No way, this can’t be true!’ After the news I might have opened a bottle of Vodka….or two… I can’t remember haha!

Haha sounds like a good way to celebrate the news. How did you actually end up at Fusion and why does it fit your style so well?
Fusion is a label that has always spoken to me. I met Lars (artist manager) and he has always kept a close eye on me. One time I sent him some stuff and from that moment on things went really fast. They saw potential in me and to this day they provide me with tips and tricks in order to finish my tracks.

Why the label fits my music? Fusion has developed a certain recognizable sound throughout the years. I love dreamy tracks that tell a certain story. It’s not just the productions that make me feel right at home, but it’s also the family feeling that we have at the label. It doesn’t matter if you’re new or already at the top. Everybody supports each other and looks out for one another. #FUSIONFAMILY

One of the first comments on your announcement was “Oh my lord he is beautiful”, so this question is for all the ladies: are you single?
Haha yes I’m single and I think I will stay single for a while too.. You never know how things go, but I’m just not looking for anything like that at the moment. I’m just living the moment!

You heard the man ladies. We’re curious, what does Boray Kocoz do besides his rising career as Requiem?
Besides working on my music I’m also working as a model, although I’ve decided to put that all aside so I can focus entirely on Requiem and Fusion. I also work part-time at the customer service of KPN.

Your tracks ‘Killa Hilla’ and ‘Collateral Damage’ have been blowing away audiences everywhere. We’ve heard you’re currently working on a brand-new Rebellion EP. What can we expect?
This will be a 2-tracker EP, consisting of my latest track ‘Rebellion’ and my track ‘The Consequence’. The tracks are a perfect fit, so I asked Fusion to release these tracks together. ‘Rebellion’ still needs some work though, so I can’t tell you the release date yet (wait just a liiiiiiitle bit longer).

We’ll try… Tracks like that have caused you to gain a fairly large amount of fans in a short period of time. What else do you think caused that?
I owe that success to my dedication and all the tips/tricks Fusion has been giving me in order to make a track successful. I’m also a very socially active guy who’s always in for a chat with everyone. I will always stay in touch with the people that support me and my music! So success is not only about the productions, but also about who you are as a person. I know I’m not there yet and there is still much to learn, so I will make sure that I’ll do everything I possibly can.

People have been asking a lot about Requiem merchandise, so how long will you keep your fans waiting?!
People have indeed been asking a lot about merchandise, so Fusion and I have been working on something very cool for the past few months. We’ve decided to release a unique snapback which will represent Requiem. You have to wait for it a little longer, but I will post a preview about it soon. I promise!

Can we also expect some collaborations in the near future?
Yes it’s definitely my intention to collaborate with other artists. I’ve already talked to several artists, but we haven’t bitten the bullet yet so I can’t tell you any names yet.

There is no denying it, you’re absolutely buffed. What’s your secret?
My secret is being dedicated about the things you do. If you really want to have a well-trained body and try your hardest, you will succeed. I’ve been training for 6-7 years and on a strict diet for the past 3 years, which is the most important thing in order to obtain a fit body.

Do you think it will get harder to maintain your body when your career will take up more time?
No I don’t think it will, because I can always find some time to work out. Of course I’m hoping to have less time in the future, but that won’t be a problem.

To end this interview we would like to ask you to answer the following dilemma: ‘Would you rather have that..’
1. all your fitness equipment is covered in butter
or
2. everything you eat during the day has to be eaten with a knife and a fork
Haha I guess I’d go for number 2, because otherwise I wouldn’t enjoy working out anymore. Those machines shouldn’t be covered in butter haha!