Started from the bottom now he’s here! Ben Dorman aka BIJOU has released his debut album Diamond City on his very own Do Not Duplicate Recordings. It contains 15 tracks with well over 10 illustrious artists featured. In this album we see a stretch of genres all fused together with the G-House sound of BIJOU.
With over two years invested into the final product, the effort made by Dorman and his team are on full display. BIJOU has been a mainstay in pushing the G-House sound forward and is able to do so throughout the album with the help of artists such as Party Favor, Denzel Curry, Dr. Fresch and JACKNIFE. As we dive into the saga of BIJOU we learn he was once merely a street promoter passing out flyers and selling tickets. He would eventually go on to work his way into DJing where he started with playing trance and more commercial music. Over time he eventually discovered his love for the integration of house and hip hop and the creation of the BIJOU project began. He has now had several accomplishments including playing major festivals such as EDC Vegas in 2017 where he took over kineticFIELD and then went on to an Australia tour in 2018 where he followed that up with his first headlining U.S. run, the Super Phat Tour. In addition to these tours he has released with prominent labels such as Night Bass, Fool’s Gold and Prep School Recordings. With these accomplishments, what was once just a dream is now a reality as he even has a billboard up in his hometown promoting his debut album.
Diamond City is the epitome of G-House and has the capability to covert any ordinary electronic music listener into a lifelong fan of BIJOU. We had the pleasure of catching up with Ben Dorman to ask a few questions and learn about what the future of this project holds. Take a listen to the full album below while you take a scroll through the interview.
Tell us a little bit about where you come from and how you the Bijou project developed.
I come from Phoenix, Arizona aka Diamond City. I grew up in Tempe and now live in the heart of Phx. The BIJOU project started for fun just so I could plays in clubs and have fun with my friends. It slowly evolved from more commercials music to G-House in 2012 once I finally figured out how to mesh house and hip hop.
Your dad has managed local bands for years, and still manages Pistoleros. Did growing up around that influence your desire to be a part of the music industry?
It definitely influenced me as my dad was deep in the music industry for YEARS. He’s been a great role model and given me amazing advice over the years.
How did you get into G-House and decide that’s what you wanted to pursue?
I originally discovered ‘Rondo’ by my friend Torren Foot. He had meshed this cool gritty house beat with hip hop vocals and that’s the fusion I’d been trying to figure out for quite some time. I was always a fan of hip hop and house so that hybrid really did it for me, and still does.
It’s gone from me thinking there’s no way this works, to now worked with over 100 students. It’s really cool to pass on the knowledge and help people in the process.
With the current state of the world, what are some things you have done to maintain motivation?
I’ve taken on production lessons. It’s gone from me thinking there’s no way this works, to now worked with over 100 students. It’s really cool to pass on the knowledge and help people in the process
We noticed you have an interest in sports and fashion. Have you been able to dedicate any time to these since quarantine?
Sports not much since they just now got started. I’m a die hard F1 fan so it’s been great to watch Lewis Hamilton race again. Fashion wise I’ve been digging into a new concept on that end that you guys will see sometime in the future.
In a transition of DJing trance to producing G House because of your love for hip hop, who are some of the hip-hop artists that have influenced your music?
You did your research on the trance thing lol. I definitely have to give it out to West coast hip hop. Snoop, Dre, NWA, all those guys have been a massive influence on my sound.
I think the biggest challenge was narrowing it down to the final 15 songs. I have a connection to every track I produce so to take it from 60-70 songs down to 15 wasn’t an easy process.
You said the project is, “two years of blood, sweat and tears.” What were some of the biggest challenges in putting the album together?
I think the biggest challenge was narrowing it down to the final 15 songs. I have a connection to every track I produce so to take it from 60-70 songs down to 15 wasn’t an easy process.
Diamond City has some stacked features including Denzel Curry and Party Favor. How did you go about sourcing features for the project?
For this project I wanted to feature and showcase tracks with some of my best friends and favorite artists. So I narrowed it down to a list and said okay this is who I want on the album. I’d say we hit 95% of that list and I’m super happy with everyone who was a part of the process.
Living in Phoenix as I am, when everyone is able to travel again, what are your top local spots that you would recommend to those visiting?
I think anyone and everyone should take a drive up to South mountain to get that view of the entire city. It’s stunning to say the least.
What’s it like to be known for having the funniest Tour Manager in the game?
Haha shoutout to Justin he’s going to love that you’re asking me this! We have a BLAST on the road, there’s never a dull moment. He really looked out for me early on when I first started touring to make sure I was always safe and staying on point. Touring at the start can be so detrimental to your mental health and it was great to have such a good friend there to ensure I was all good, I love him to death.
Brand new music, remix album, another secret EP, maybe a bit of the fashion world. Who knows what I may do next!
What can we expect for the future of Bijou?
Brand new music, remix album, another secret EP, maybe a bit of the fashion world. Who knows what I may do next!
