GQ&A: David Guetta

"I never go to sleep before 6am. Even If I want to, I can't," says David Guetta, slumped in London's St Pancras hotel after a day of promotion that began at 7am. Dressed in an elegant mixture of Dior Homme and Rick Owens, Guetta is a strange combination - part suave party DJ ("I'm French, but I have to admit, Ibiza is really the place for house music") and part geeky music technician ("The books that I read are manuals for plug-ins and software"). However, having combined the roles of DJ, super-producer and solo artist like no other, Guetta's understanding of the mechanics of successful modern pop is unparalleled. Whether working with Rihanna, Nicki Minaj or the Black Eyed Peas, his sound is instantly recognisable and utterly inescapable. Here's what happened when GQ.com met Paris' most lucrative musical export...

GQ.com: What's your top style tip for autumn?
David Guetta: Definitely Louboutin shoes - I've been wearing them for a year now. It's very new for me to have a shoe obsession. Before, I had a collection of sneakers, but even though I loved them, there wasn't a brand that would make me go "I want to buy all the pairs" - like girls do.

What's the secret to impressing French women?
Probably not to try too hard. The French are a little more laid back. But there are lots of different kinds of women so you can't give one rule.

Is the French electro scene as close knit as it appears?
Yes, we're all good friends. I used to run a club night in Le Fumoir where we would have only the coolest young acts. So there was Daft Punk playing, Cassius, DJ Gregory and Dimitri from Paris- sometimes everybody on the same night. It's crazy when you think about it because they became so huge afterwards.

Did you spend much time with Nicki Minaj working on your collaborations?
We've been in the studio together but then she also did a lot on her side, because she's quite shy actually. Strange, huh? I love "Where Them Girls At" but I was really proud of "Turn Me On" because no one imagined she could sing like this. It was a big challenge and she pulled it off big time. Was she wearing something spectacular in the studio? Yes, she's always like this. She's not acting.

What's the best cure for a hangover?
I don't really drink to be honest. I know it's quite shocking to British people. French people also drink - not as much as British people - but we do drink.

If the party's flagging, what's your go-to record?
I have a few classics like "Smack My Bitch Up", that's one that I really love. It works every time.

What kind of music did you play when you were starting out as a DJ?
It was a mix of funk and new wave. It's funny because it's what I do today, a mix of dark electronic sad sounds with happy groovy songs. I'm actually producing the music today that I was doing when I was 17.

Given the amount of travel you do, what are your travel essentials?
I travel light. But I love being on planes. I make a lot of music on planes because it's really quiet - there's no phone, there's no internet, there's no meetings - it's very inspiring for me. There's a record on the electronic album called "Glasgow": it's called that because I made it on the plane to Scotland. The first time I played it, I got totally over-excited because the people were really into it, so I took the mic and went "I will call this Glasgow!" I kept my word.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
I don't really listen to advice. I'm bad. I shouldn't say that, but it's true. Only my wife can give me advice. I listen to her religiously.

What do you make of the trend of celebrity DJs?
I'm not really concerned with it to be honest. It's a different scene, because they work in celebrity clubs so it's not the kind of club where I play. So good for them, they're having fun. We're not doing the same thing, because of course anyone can be a selector and it's totally fine, but to be a DJ is a different thing, I think.

What was the worst thing a critic has ever said about you?
The list would be long! The worst thing that was said on the internet was that I was dead. I was dead twice in the same summer. So for me it didn't really matter, but for my friends, family, it was really strange.