You’ve just dropped GOAL!, a track that mixes your love for music and footy. What sparked the idea to blend club beats with the energy of stadium chants?
Initially, I made this as a DJ tool to play in sets, but the response was so good I wanted to put it out ASAP! I have a penchant for simpler tracks and love a short catchy earworm. A groove, two chords and a sing-a-long hook is all you need!
Your sound pulls from all over—Latin rhythms, classic house, and more. How’d you land on this unique style, and what got you leaning into the vibe we hear in GOAL!?
Latin house is a huge inspiration for me. GOAL! actually samples an old Venezuelan song by Rico López & Armando Beltre. This is not the first time I have done a merengue influenced house track. My last single Buen Dia also samples a similar song from South America. However I wanted to go a touch more Brash and punchier with GOAL!
In GOAL!, there’s a big nod to those old-school footy chants. Can you give us the lowdown on how your footy days influenced this track?
I played football for a long time and never got good at it! However, I do remember this song kicking around (pun intended) the soccer field. I also remember the hook being used in the Bend It like Beckham film around the same time. This could be why it feels so nostalgic to me (and other millenials everywhere).
You’ve been blowing up on TikTok and smashing it on festival stages around Oz. How have those platforms and live gigs shaped your journey so far?
The most rewarding thing about Djing is that I get to try out new stuff all the time and see what works. Some demos I play out in the club once and then scrap entirely or some I end up releasing (like this one!). Social media is a bit different, but in a sense it is still a laboratory to see what works or what connects with people. I definitely find that the cold sterile quantifiable data from TikTok/Instagram is no match for the first hand response from playing something to an audience. What works in the club will always be the best litmus test for what tracks get released!
With backing from legends like Purple Disco Machine and Yolanda Be Cool, what’s been the most ripper feedback you’ve copped about your tunes?
Fatboy Slim put one of my songs in one of his mixes! It doesn’t get better than that J
Take us behind the scenes—what’s your creative process like when you’re cooking up a new track? Anything different in how you whipped up GOAL! compared to your past releases?
Producing isn’t nearly as fun as Djing. The ‘creative process’ is usually just me hunched over a laptop trying to find the perfect kick drum (doesn’t exist). GOAL! is a bit different because I had to keep playing out different versions to see what structure would work in the club. I would say this single got road-tested a lot more than my other ones. I am hoping DJs can hear that and they support it!
With your tunes landing on FIFA and Netflix’s Heartbreak High, what’s the secret sauce for making music that hits in both clubs and on screen?
My modus operandi for this project has always been to make songs for the club that will work out of the club as well. I try my hardest not just to make stuff for DJs. I make tracks that are approachable and I want them to work in as many environments as possible. I hope to get more work in video games, TV and cinema!
You’ve torn up stages at Splendour, Falls, and beyond. How does the crowd’s energy fire you up, and does that vibe feed back into your studio work?
If I play it out as a demo and it doesn’t land, I delete it. That being said, I have a lot of secret weapons in my arsenal, which will never get released. There are bootlegs, edits and original tracks that I make strictly for Djing certain festivals and clubs that I don’t feel will work outside of that context. Even if they get an incredible response they might never go live!
What’s next on the cards for you? Are there any fresh sounds or new directions you’re keen to dive into this year?
I am keen to get out as music as possible over the summer and probably a few cheeky edits also. I love when DJs send me edits and bootlegs they have made and I want to do my best to return the favour. I love those club tracks that are shared artist to artist. It is such a romantic, arcane part of the DJ/producer culture.
With a knack for blending genres and keeping it fresh, what’s the main vibe you hope punters take away from GOAL! and whatever you’re cooking up next?
I hope people love it or hate it. I wanted something polarising. The impetus for the song was to create a visceral reponse from the audience. Stop thinking and start chanting. Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé
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