NEW YORK — For a legendary artist whose accolades include Academy Awards and Grammys, maestro Giorgio Moroder says he finally feels like a true performer — now that he's a live DJ.
Moroder says performing as a DJ for an audience is "absolutely incredible."
"I always wanted to be a performer but never had a chance because my voice is not good enough, but now suddenly as a DJ I feel like an artist," the 74-year-old said in an interview Monday. "And lately, I played to 30,000 people."
He added with a smile: "Sometimes I kind of feel like I'm Michael Jackson."
His career includes collaborations with Donna Summer that yielded the hits "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls." He's one of the pioneers of disco and electronic music, and has also worked on music for films such as "Flashdance" and "Scarface."
Moroder was featured on Daft Punk's Grammy-winning album, "Random Access Memories," and he's readying a solo album after a nearly three-decade break.
Last week he released the Kylie Minogue-assisted disco number, "Right Here, Right Now," and the song "74 Is the New 24" was released in November.
"When I was deejaying I see all those young people, 18, 20, the oldest like 30. So I knew I was 73, but I felt like I was 23, and now I'm 24," he said.
The Italian musician says he's a fan of contemporary DJs, from David Guetta to Tiesto and Avicii — acts that have dominated the music scene.
"I love them," he said. "I still love dance music. It's basically the only music I'm listening (to)."
Moroder says his new album will likely be released in April. It features collaborations with Sia, Charli XCX and Mikky Ekko. He's also finishing a song with Britney Spears.
"She recorded in Los Angeles and she asked me if I could be there, but I think I was on a plane to Europe," he said. "But I'm going back to work with her in the studio because I added a little bridge to the song so she has to sing it again."
