Q&A with DADA LIFE Talk: Guinness Book World Record, Pillow Fights and Their New Album: Welcome To Dada Land!

Olle Corneer and Stefan Engblom, otherwise knows as DJ-duo Dada Life, emerged from the Swedish music scene in 2010 to become a worldwide electronic music phenomenon. Dada Life’s popularity has exploded across the globe, inciting riots in Los Angeles, Austin and Miami. People took to the streets when the clubs couldn’t contain the massive crowds inciting the arrival of riot squads and police helicopters. Dada Life’s live successes also include show-stealing sets at the biggest festivals in the world including Ultra Music Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival and Coachella.

In March of 2013, Dada Life declared sovereignty for their nation of Dada Land. Fans followed suit with protests for Dada Land’s freedom in NYC, London, Sydney and Stockholm. The overwhelming online response to Dada Land’s claims of freedom prompted Dada Life’s home country of Sweden to revoke Olle & Stefan’s passports while government officials reviewed the situation. On Dada Land Independence Day 2014 one lucky fan was awarded with the first official Dada Land Passport, an honor only a few people will receive each year with Official Dada Land Citizen benefits including free VIP admission to every Dada Life show, forever.

Dada Life rang in 2013 with a massive sold-out event at the previously undisclosed Dada Land Compound in Brooklyn, NY. The Dada Land compound has now touched down worldwide including a stop in October 2013 where they officially broke the Guinness World Record for the World’s biggest pillow fight. The Dada Land Compound is set to take over North America is 2015 on their Dada Land Compound Tour.

Dada Life has enormous presence and engagement on all of their social media platforms. They’ve developed a Facebook fan base of over 1.3 Million; have more than 465,000 Twitter followers and over 50 million total views on YouTube. Their fan-filmed tour documentary “Seven Days In Dada Land” premiered at SXSW in 2013 and they debuted their epic first full live show recording of Dada Land: The Voyage in 2014.

The duo released their highly anticipated album “The Rules of Dada” to huge praise from both critics and fans. The album quickly reached #1 on the iTunes Dance charts,. Dada Life has dominated various charts with singles such as “Rolling Stones T-Shirt”, “One Smile” and “Kick Out The Epic Motherf**ker”, a double platinum selling single. On top of the success of their original tracks, Dada Life has done remixes for the likes of Madonna, Kaskade, Martin Solveig, Lady Gaga, Afrojack and Justin Bieber.

All Access Music writer had a chance to ask one half of the duo, Olle Corneer a few questions just before DADA LIFE releases their new album, Welcome To Dada Land on February 17th. Read more in their Q&A below!

 Hi Olle! Where does this interview find you today? What’s on the agenda today besides our interview?

We’re in the studio! So making music is on the agenda. Which of course is the best item on any agenda in the world!

For those not as familiar with you and your music, how did you get your start in music? Who or what was the catalyst for you?

We started Dada Life when we were bored with dance music. It was taking it self too serious and everyone was stiff. We wanted to bring happiness. And that’s what we’re aiming at everyday.

You released your latest album Welcome To Dada Land, set to drop February 17th on Universal Music. What did you learn between albums that you felt you wanted to infuse into Welcome To Dada Land?

On this album we wanted to create the experience of being in Dada Land, but being able to stay in your home or in your car. Bringing Dada Land to your head so to speak.

Can you share with me what your inspiration was for your current single, “Tonight We’re Kids Again” and explain what the story behind “Dada Death” was all about?

Inspiration is kind of obvious. It’s in the name! We just want it to sound like ice cream being thrown in your face! We have left that whole Dada Death-thing behind us. Apparently they never had the laptop and just made their version using the same program as us and trying to get attention. Now they’ve changed the lyrics so nothing we can do. Not that we really care.

Who are your musical influences?

90:s rave, punk, Little Richard and John Cage.

Do you remember the first album you bought for yourself?

I remember one of the first album I got. But not the first I bought…kind of sad!

 What was the first song you fell in love with and why?

Can’t remember! I fall in love with new songs everyday….

Who would your dream collaboration be with, living or dead?

Little Richard! One word from his mouth just kills!

Who is in your current playlist? Any artists, musicians or genres we might be surprised to find in there?

Apart from dance music, which is obvious of course: Winhilll/Losehill (a Swedish band) and Panda Bear. Stuff with a bit less energy is always nice in the headphones.

You guys have played so many incredible festivals, headlining Electric Daisy Carnival and Ultra Music Festival. One year you brought out a full marching band and in 2014 when you debuted Dada Land: The Voyage, a mini-festival in San Bernardino, CA attending by over 10,000 fans, you arrived by hot air balloon. I understand you also broke a Guinness World Record too! Please explain what was that was for and what was that like?!

We always try to have a pillow fight during our shows, and they just got bigger and bigger until we started thinking: how big do we need to make it in order to get a record? And then we did it!

What’s on tap next for Dada Life? What are you most excited about in 2015?

Right now the album! It’s got so much exclusive stuff and is also really different from what we have done before so we’re really keen on that!

Learn more about DADA LIFE, including upcoming tour dates HERE .