USA-based artist DJ G-String is devoting herself to her musical career this year. Kicking things off with her upcoming release of ‘No One Ever Said’ with Australian artist Honey B Sweet, we’re expecting the producer to become well known in the next few months. While the single is due to be released on Friday, the 27th of August, it gives us an insight into her new sound and the unique ways she’s planning to develop. The producer has had a lifelong passion for music, saving up to buy herself a set of turn-tables at 18 and learning to play the guitar at an even younger age. Pairing this passion with influences from industry legends such as Kaskade, CamelPhat and Flume, we’re transported to a unique soundscape of vocal-house that encapsulates the producer’s energy.
Pre-save ‘No One Ever Said (with Honey B Sweet)’
Eager to learn more about the rising artists and everything she’s aiming to achieve in the upcoming years? We are too. Find all you need to know in the exclusive interview below
Set the tone for us. Why the arts?
I have always been into music since I was a young child. My parents were disco babies and I dug Motown jams and disco from the start. I started playing the guitar when I was 13 after I heard alternative rock music, which drove my parents nuts. Coming from a soulful music family, screaming rock music was annoying to them. Anyway, I played the guitar and started singing. I didn’t really write my own dance music until I was in my early 20’s. I started djing around 15 shortly after being introduced to old skool and freestyle music. I was legit in love with those tunes. Then I found bad boy bill and I thought this is what I want to do. So that is how my love for the arts was born. I was heavy into sports playing basketball, was scouted in high school and probably could have been a college Basketball star but stopped it for the arts. Music is how my heart beats.
Which comes first when you’re producing – the sound or the idea?
The melody comes to me usually but then it never turns into that. I have always started my songs with an instrument and then the beat comes and lyrics. Sometimes opposite. It depends really how artistic I am feeling at that moment.
Does your material feature any collaborations?
Yes, ‘No One Ever Said’. I asked Honey B Sweet to rap on it because I really wanted a Cardi B style rap to it. Honey B Sweet is known for that type of style. I actually rapped the song and showed Honey B Sweet exactly how I wanted it to flow and she nailed it. I sang on the other parts as well. I wrote all the music and lyrics for this track.
What’s on your current playlist?
Ghettoblaster for sure. Those guys’ tracks legit light me up. They are so smooth with a flare of old school style to them. I also really like Kevin Mckay’s remixes and Richard Grey’s remixes. I also really love J.Worra and Eli Brown.
Tell us about the chemistry you have with your fans on stage.
A lot of my fans always talk about my energy and the passion they feel when I am djing. I have heard comments about my dance moves and bouncing during my sets – ha. I really love it when people dance the entire time, no boredom, or slowdowns. Just hitting it the entire time like a big-time cardio set. If I don’t feel alive while djing, how can I expect my audience to feel alive?
What techniques do you experiment with to get your original sound?
You know this is such a hard question for me. I have a challenge with trying to sound like everyone else. I think that is what sets me apart. I don’t follow the standard order of EDM. My songs are dance-pop and a mix of old euro styles. That is why I like to work with remixers because it has been a niche group that really digs my tracks and then I can expand that to the more “standard” EDM style of music when I collaborate with my core remixers I love working with such as TC5Official or P5YCH0H.
Take us through a day in the recording studio.
It usually is me late at night until about 6 am in the morning when I have some stuff to do early the next day. I go on a studio bender basically. I am usually mega alert, too much caffeine, and I just have this urge to make a track. I have a studio in my house, so getting to it is usually when I am in the zone. If I have a fire idea and it flows I can finish a track within 2 to 3 hrs. My best tracks I have basically always done on a late Friday night at like 11pm until 6am the next morning. Once I feel the track I want it 90% complete before I walk away from the studio. I work with my engineer Frankie from Tape101 in Italy for mixing and mastering.
Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, “this is what I want to do”?
There definitely was a specific moment and I ignored it for a more “stable” lifestyle. I was in my early 20’s and quit my job and just DJ’d. I, unfortunately, allowed my DJ career to take a break to focus on my band called Digging4Julie and my IT job. I always wanted to be in a band so I decided to do that for a bit, was the front lead singer and bassist. We played all over Chicagoland and had our tracks in an Indie Film. I did that and felt empty because I really wanted to do again. I came back to djing in 2019 right before Covid and that was tough. Ironically, it might have been the best time because I was able to get a lot of peoples attention compared to before. Once I got back into the DJ life, I had to consider how I was going to transition from the corporate life I had been so used to, to having more time for myself and my family life. At that time, I was a Vice President for a consulting firm and I told myself that if I was going to DJ and be a music artist, I needed to focus my time on that and have a job that I didn’t have to manage everything. So I made the switch mid 2021 and plan to eventually do only just this – making dance music, djing for tons of people full time, and enjoying what makes my heartbeat.
What do you keep close by while you’re playing a set?
My cell phone and lemon water.
Any emerging artists on your radar?
Sara Landry for sure – her techno tracks are sick
Take us through your collection of gear, tech or software that accompanies your creative expression.
I am a Numark girl. I actually have always been. I can afford all the high-end gear but I have never been a big fan of Pioneer especially with the tempo on the inner right side. I also like Serato as well. I use Reason and Pro-tools. I have never got into Ableton, I tried it long ago, but everyone says it is way better now. I like Reason for music production because I love all the unique instruments. it makes me feel like I am using physical instruments like back in the day.
How have you refined your craft since you entered the industry?
Big time. My Mixing style and music is much different than before.
Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you this year?
So far this year I have over 20 tracks total to be out before the end of 2021. They are a mix of originals, remixes, collabs. I worked really hard at the end of 2020 and in 2021. I am getting ready for a bunch of shows for 2022. I did take it easy for 2021 just because of Covid and I have a baby girl, so I didn’t really want to chance it. Maybe at the end of 2021, I will be out playing shows again but, for now, I am doing live streams along with my radio residencies.
Famous last words?
We are all human, so just be nice to each other.
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