Dive Into a Mud-Soaked Dance Party in New Orleans on Halloween Weekend

One of the most intense moments from the Voodoo Music Festival took place Friday evening when Kayzo, also known as Hayden Capuozzo, brought his music to the Le Plur Stage.

The Voodoo Music + Arts Festival was hit with a large amount of rain leading up to the event, and the festival grounds became a muddy mess for guests.

Right after arriving to the Voodoo Music Festival, my guest and I made our way to the Media area to interview Kayzo. After connecting with his onsite manager, we were able to have a quick conversation on the 20th anniversary of Voodoo, as well as other topics.

Kayzo’s music at a distance can be looked at as EDM, but after getting to know his process a little more, I was able to see the composer behind the beats.

Hayden and I introduced ourselves and quickly got our interview underway. He would perform on the Le Plur stage a little less than an hour after our interview wrapped.

Kayzo Interview at Voodoo Music Festival

How does it feel to be apart of the 20th anniversary of the Voodoo Music + Arts Festival?

It honestly feels amazing. Voodoo is definitely one of those festivals I’ve wanted to play for a long time. Being that it’s in New Orleans, it’s around Halloween, which is my favorite holiday, and New Orleans is my favorite city. 

The fact that it’s here and on Halloween, it’s just epic because the amount of different genres of bands, and electronic is involved as well. It’s a really full and well-rounded music festival. 

You have a late night show at the Joy Theater this evening. With your festival set outside, and that show being inside; how do you build your set list?

In terms of festivals I have realized over the past few months that my set has become unknowingly 90 percent original music, which is amazing, that is what I want to do, and so at this point in time that other 5 or other 10 percent that might be someone’s music I try to find a way to curate that into my set.

Kayzo performing at Voodoo Music Festival 2018. Photo by: Katrina Barber (C3 Photo) / Voodoo Music + Arts Festival press team

Kayzo performing at Voodoo Music Festival 2018. Photo by: Katrina Barber (C3 Photo) / Voodoo Music + Arts Festival press team

For festival sets I like to move things around between different sets. But for after parties, it is completely different. I’ll definitely play my music, because people want to hear it, my actual music, but I like to play a lot of different stuff, other’s people’s music. It’s an after party, it’s fun, it gives me a chance to experiment. It’s a fun way to DJ in comparison to a festival. 

Do you have any Halloween traditions?

I’m starting to create a few, now that I’m older with my girlfriend, obviously we are craving pumpkins, but honestly, this year, I started preparing for Halloween in September, that’s how big I am on it.

This year, instead of watching scary movies for two months straight, or having pumpkin candles and just being in that vibe. I got a proper record player in early October, and my girlfriend already had a pretty good collection of records and some Halloween vinyl press, some really old school ones. My thing this year has been finding some classic horror vinyl from my favorite original prints and collecting them. 

I’ve felt a vibe of cinematography in your music. A blend of instrumental beats that work along with cinema elements. How would you describe it?

It’s definitely not full-blown electronica, but for me, my stuff comes from music that I grew up on like rock and punk. My thing is that I want to bring music that I love, like rock n’ roll into electronic music. Sometimes with that crossover comes very dramatic different elements that come with the music. 

We also went over his attention to detail with working on drum beats for hours with the drummer for Sum 41.

Kayzo brought up some of his recent projects in the works. On Halloween he released a new track that is available to test drive on Spotify below. Stay connected to his social media for updated.