As hard dance brand and record label Kiddfectious prepares to delve underground for a Bank Holiday hardstyle showdown, KFHQ speak to Best New Face (HDA ‘09) Kidd Kaos. Having recently achieved a double whammy of success, a Hard Dance Award followed by an Essential Mix, Kaos is no longer looked upon as an 'up and coming DJ' and has firmly established himself as a Hard Dance favourite.

1. First up, we just want to congratulate you on your Hard Dance Award success. Taking away the award for Best New Face!! How does it feel?

It feels amazing to be awarded Best New Face in the hard dance scene. It has been a busy year for me what with my university degree, the labels and my DJ'ing - and to have been voted for as best new face in the scene is a real honour to me. Thank you to everyone who voted!

2. Your mentor Alex Kidd also picked up an award for the Biggest Party Animal, you must have witnessed some sights travelling with him over the past year. What is your most memorable moment with the Kidd?

Me and Alex have travelled together on many occasions, we've had so many crazy missions and mad adventures it's hard to pick just one memorable moment! We've see our fair share of madness! If I had to pick one, it would be the late night Kiddfectious workout in the gym of the Park Plaza on New Year’s Day! With nowhere else to go and party in only seemed fair that we ransack the gym and continue partying there. The security agreed so we all piled in! Myself, Alex, Gaz (DBD) Scot & Matt Donor all on a single treadmill, this was the most unusual exercise I have ever done!

3. Conceived in 1993, the prestigious Radio One’s Essential Mix is a benchmark for DJs and producers Worldwide. You have achieved this aged just 20 years old. How did this make you feel?

To be awarded with an Essential Mix is mindblowing, I am so excited. I think I am one of the youngest artists ever to have a Radio 1 Essential Mix which is an outstanding achievement for me. I had always wanted to try and achieve an essential mix after listening to the legends over the years. I feel very humble and thankful for everyone that voted for me.

4. Artists from the likes of Frankie Knuckles to Above and Beyond to DJ Shadow have been invited to contribute an Essential Mix, but only a mere few from within hard dance. Do you feel that gaining recognition from Radio One in them inviting both you and Showtek is a sign that hard dance will gain more airplay generally?

I think over the last year hard dance has been moving into people's awareness and becoming more acceptable on the radio, before there would be very little played. Pete Tong played 'Devastating' on day time Radio 1 last Thursday! I think more and more artists and producers are making good quality music within the UK, the more good music there is, the more the genre will thrive. I think Kutski is doing an amazing job of showcasing new and different hard dance because it is really opening people’s eyes to what is out there.

5. Would you be a supporter of the underground sound being played on a more commercial scale or do you believe the underground should remain exactly that – underground?

If you don't change the intrinsic musical content, it only becomes commercial when it attracts a massive following: then it is seen as 'commercialised' because it is followed by the masses, thus making it mainstream. When raves started, they were all underground and often illegal, but people want to party and they moved the nights into clubs. This didn't make them less cool. I feel Hard dance, (especially hardstyle) is an underground sound because of the way the music innovates - it will probably always be an underground sound for me even if it is all over the radio!

6. Kiddfectious’ ‘Masters of the Underground’ will feature a selection of true and original heroes of underground hard dance, both British and European. Will you be introducing more of an underground sound into your set?

I have got a few cheeky mash-ups for the night, I am really looking forward getting behind the decks and unleashing some underground mayhem!

7. What one tune in particular screams underground authenticity to you?

Zany - Nok Joe Douwn

8. What’s the most ‘underground’ clubbing experience you’ve ever had and where was it?

It was in a back street after-hours club in Vancouver, Canada. It was near enough pitch black, when you were in you were in, if you left you did not return. It was dark and dingy and the tunes were pounding, the Canadians really know how to party!

9. If you lived underground would you be; a womble, a mole or an earthworm?

I would be mole I think, it’s a tough one!

View the official Radio 1 Hard Dance Award video which includes Kidd Kaos interview with Kutski!

What three things can you not live without?
My Mac, Monitor Speakers & Food

What one person do you admire the most in the World?
Tiesto

Favourite DJ?
DJ Alex Kidd

Favourite Producer?
Scot Project

Favourite city?
Vancouver

What would you do on a perfect day?
Get in the studio and make some beats!! :-)

Perfect party?
You don’t wanna know... HaHa!

Which actor would you like to play you in the movie of your life so far?
I think you would be hard pushed to find someone who could play me in a movie, lol I am to Kaotic!

Most treasured possession?
CDJ100 MK3's

What bores you most?
Boring people

Pet hate?
Screeching your knife or fork on a plate!

If you weren’t a DJ/producer, what would you be doing?
Building a spaceship to fly to the moon

Favourite food?
Dominos Pizza

Favourite drink?
Vodka Redbull

First record bought?
Eminem – Nobody Listens To Techno anymore, on white label

Favourite all time tune?
Yoda – Definitely (Scot Project Remix)

ESSENTIAL MIX: