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DJ Oliver Heldens And DJ D-Sol (AKA Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon) On Teaming Up To Give Back On Payback Records

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"During the week I'm working my main job, which is obviously Goldman Sachs. But it's a way for me to take my mind off and get away from the day to day pressure of what I do," DJ D-Sol says.

DJ D-Sol is the stage name of David Solomon, who is known in the business world as the CEO of Goldman Sachs. But a devout music lover who, as he says above, welcomes the respite from the business world music gives him, has found a way to merge music and business with his Payback Records.

Payback is an outlet for his music and he hopes for others who respond to the label's ethos of giving back. The label got that first big boost Solomon was hoping for recently when superstar Dutch DJ Oliver Helends teamed up with Payback to release the track "Break This Habit."

Though Payback normally donates to those suffering from and dealing with addiction, the label has turned its attention in 2020 to helping those affected by the Covid pandemic. So, as Solomon explains, they teamed with No Kid Hungry to help feed families.

For both Solomon and Heldens the chance to release music and give back, and maybe inspire others to do the same, was an obvious decision. I spoke exclusively with them in their first and only joint interview about the collaboration. In fact, when Heldens joins the Zoom call a few moments after Solomon the first thing he says is, "It's nice to meet you, David." As they discuss below, in the Covid world, they have not had the chance to meet they normally would have.

Below is the first meeting and conversation between Heldens and Solomon on giving back, life in the Covid world and more.

Steve Baltin: What was the impetus for Payback Records and working with Oliver?

David Solomon: The vision for Payback Records was first to start a label so that as I was working to produce music I had an outlet to release it and set up a platform where I could do some good for music. And with Payback I always thought we'd reach a point where we could have other artists come on to the platform. [So] I was really excited when Oliver and his team were interested in collaborating on this particular song. I followed Oliver for a long time. If you're in the dance music/electronic music space Oliver is obviously a legend. And so having the opportunity to collaborate with him at Payback, so that another artist could come onto the platform and do some good for very important causes seemed like a terrific collaboration. So for starters it was Oliver and his team's interest in joining us.

Baltin: And the track you did together is tied specifically into Covid relief, correct?

Solomon: When I created Payback I was focused on supporting those in need or affected by addiction. As the pandemic hit I brought the mandate to say we'd also try to provide Covid relief, first to frontline workers. But also now, as we move forward, to try to help issues that are being amplified by this health care crisis that we're now going through. So we focused on food and feeding, supported No Kid Hungry and we're looking to find ways in this environment, as the pandemic continues to amplify a variety of problems and places where people are affected, to provide support.

Baltin: What originally inspired giving back to people dealing with addiction?

Solomon: I looked at it broadly as a big problem that I don't think is getting enough attention broadly in this country. It's a problem that affects people everywhere across the country, in red states and blue states. It affects people across a broad spectrum. So it's a big broad problem affecting communities everywhere that needs more attention.

Baltin: Obviously Covid has made it much harder for people to meet in person.

Solomon: First time we've been face to face, but what I would say is if it was a normal world, given the way we both move around the world in normal times we would have had an opportunity to be somewhere in the same place and meet. But technology allowed that collaboration.

Oliver Heldens: Yeah, like in May I was supposed to come to New York for a show at the Brooklyn Mirage. And yeah usually I play the festivals in New York, like Electric Zoo. So I'm sure we would have met this year then. Unfortunately Covid changed the plans.

Baltin: Oliver, what was it that inspired you to want to work with Payback?

Heldens: Through our management I got approached by Payback Records and I really liked the idea and their initiatives. And also, coincidentally, I was working on the song "Break This Habit," which I thought fit perfectly with that cause. So it all just came together very nicely.

Baltin: For both of you talk about the importance of giving back and using your fame and success for good.

Heldens: I'm still very young, I'm 25. I notice when people on my age in general, and younger, when you are 25 you think you know everything. But there's a lot you don't know. I definitely notice because I've broken through when I was so young, 18, 19, that many fans really look up to me. And even though I act pretty normal people who are fans of you really put you on a pedestal. So I found out pretty early that it's very important to be a good example. And also when I was younger I never imagined that I would earn so much money with my hobby with my music at this age already. So yeah I'm very happy to give back.

Solomon: What I'd add to that is for me, I'm a lot older than Oliver, I'm a lot, lot older (laughs). But I've been very fortunate, I've worked very hard for a long time professionally and I've been very, very fortunate to be in a position to support a number of causes over my professional career. My parents really believed no matter what you were doing it was very important to give back and find a way to give back, no matter how small or significant it had to be a part of what we all do. With respect to music I never expected that my hobby, and for me, unlike Oliver, it really is a hobby, would allow me to actually make money or be in a position to have people want to support the music. So as that started to happen, although at a much smaller level than someone who's had the success that Oliver's had, I felt I should be doing something with that just given the position I'm in. So that led to me deciding, as I started to get paid to DJ and produce music, that any money that came in from that was gonna go to support charities and then the idea for Payback Records came.

Baltin: I love that you refer to your career as a hobby. When did you know it would be a career?

Heldens: Early on when my career exploded with "Gecko" I definitely realized, "Oh yeah, this is actually going to become an actual career." But I'm a very thoughtful person and I like to put things into perspective. So it was actually right before "Gecko" came out I was already trying to prepare for a future where my career would be music. So I definitely embraced it being a career pretty early on. And that also has been my goal since I was young. I wanted to make it my career even though it was my hobby. I just had this tunnel vision for music and I just wanted to be able to focus on music.

Baltin: Are there role models for you in giving back?

Heldens: I'm not sure if I have concrete role models in terms of giving back, although my mom has always been very obsessed with John Lennon and the Beatles. She has this big painting of John Lennon hanging here in the house. I've always been very intrigued by someone like John Lennon,

Solomon: I've been very lucky, probably because of my visibility as a business man, in doing a little bit more than I might have previously. But I really am passionate about it, I enjoy it. I get to go to the studio on a Sunday afternoon. During the week I'm working my main job, which is obviously Goldman Sachs. But it's a way for me to take my mind off and get away from the day to day pressure of what I do.

Heldens: It's the same for me, when I'm creative I'm really happy. And then the happier I am the more creative I am. It's kind of like a positive feedback loop. And I think like many other musicians, producers, artists, writers, whatever, they can resonate with this idea that music for them is like therapy. Creating music is like therapy and it helps so many people.

Baltin: Is there a chance of a joint show in the future post-Covid of course?

Solomon: Well, once we get past Covid I'd love to be out DJing from time to time and I'd love to do a show with Oliver some time. But he's a big venue guy, so we'll see what opportunities are presented.

Heldens: Yeah, that would be great. I'm also very happy with this partnership and I hope that more artists will follow and do the same.

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