Perez Hilton – HuffPost 5.4.12

Mike Ragogna: Perez, what advice might you have for new artists?

Perez Hilton: I would say it definitely helps if you’re in Los Angeles, so move to LA. That’s one piece of advice that a lot of people may not give, but I think it’s easier trying to start if you’re in LA because that’s really where the music world has shifted to. It’s not New York any more. There’s a great music scene in Austin, but if you really want to be seen by the right people and have the right opportunities, you need to be based in Los Angeles. Then again, because of the Internet, anything is possible from anywhere. Unless you get lucky, it’s easier in LA, and I’m not saying it’s easy either. It’s not easy.

MR: Lady Gaga… you nurtured a relationship with her. How about these other acts? How personal does all this get for you?

PH: It gets very personal. I think I’m like a parent, a dad. I call myself “Papa Perez” to a lot of musicians, and they call me that. I love it because it’s more than just supporting these artists. I have relationships with a lot of them and I really care for them, and I give them advice. They ask me for feedback and input and I love that.

MR: Do you find that there are common things that they’re asking for all the time, when they ask for advice?

PH: They ask me to listen to music, to look at photos, look at music videos, everything really.