Miami is known for its vibrant nightlife and electronic dance music scene, and this year’s Ultra Music Festival promises to be an exciting event for music enthusiasts from all over the world. As part of the festivities, we had the opportunity to sit down with multi-BRIT Award nominated DJ/producer and Kiss FM resident Joel Corry. With his debut performance at Ultra Miami coming up, we spoke to Joel about his journey in the music industry, his thoughts on current trends in the EDM scene, and what fans can expect from his upcoming performance at Ultra. Join us as we delve into the world of Joel Corry and the electrifying Ultra Music Festival.
You’re performing at Ultra Miami for the very first time this year, how excited are you for this performance and what can fans expect from your set?
Miami is one of my favourite places in the world to play and it’s always been a dream of mine to play Ultra. I am playing on Hardwell’s Revealed Recordings Stage, so I am going to play a faster and harder set. I am excited by the challenge of adapting my set and grateful for the opportunity.
Do you have any special surprises or collaborations planned for your Ultra Miami performance or other shows during the week?
I have a new collaboration with Ron Carroll called ‘Nikes’ coming out on Friday 10th March. Ron & I are going to link up in Miami for sure. I also have been working on music with Icona Pop and look forward to seeing them in Miami.
Your latest hit single “Lionheart” has been a huge success, how did that collaboration with Tom Grennan come about?
I have been a big fan of Tom Grennan for years, he is an amazing talent and has been smashing it in the charts. We bumped into each other at a festival last summer and clicked instantly. I knew he was somebody I would want to collaborate with, so we arranged to get in the studio. Working with Tom has been so fun, and we have become good friends from the process. Doing a bungee jump together and filming the music video were big highlights!
You’ve also recently released “Yeah” in collaboration with Glockenbach and Tenchi, featuring ClockClok. Can you tell us how this partnership came along?
Glockenbach and Tenchi reached out to me with this banger ‘Yeah’. I loved it instantly and added some of my production and direction to the track. ClockClock’s vocals sounded awesome as always. Really proud of this record and excited to see it grow this summer.
You’ve been teasing your brand new track Nikes which is coming up soon! This one is highly anticipated, can you already share with us what makes the track so special?
‘Nikes’ is my collaboration with the legend Ron Carroll! I always loved Ron’s ‘Walking Down The Street’ and wanted to put my own spin on it for 2023. It’s a super fun record which has been going off in my DJ sets. I hope you all love it too!
Can you share with us a bit about your creative process when producing a new track?
There are a few different ways that I work on records. An artist and songwriter will come to my studio and we will write an idea from scratch or develop an existing idea together in the room. This is my favourite way to make music as its always so much fun being in the room with people you love working with. Alternately I will be sent ideas, acapellas and demos and if I hear something that I like then I will work on it remotely or when I am on the road touring.
How do you stay innovative and fresh in a constantly evolving industry?
Constantly being on tour and DJing around the world helps me keep my ear to the ground. I can hear what people are loving in the clubs and what is fresh in dance music. Club culture bleeds into the commercial charts so it is key to stay on top of the new sounds and records people are connecting with on the dance floor.
What do you think are the current trends in the EDM scene and where do you see it heading in the future?
Everything has become faster and grittier. I love this new direction. More commercial pop dance records are not connecting as much. Clubbier records are crossing over into the mainstream and the new breed of big dance hits feel more unique. This is an exciting challenge for me. I need to adapt my process and find records which will hit in 2023 and beyond.
What upcoming projects do you have in the works that your fans can look forward to?
I have lots of new music coming in 2023. I will release more music this year than ever before, so keep a look out! I’ll be touring America throughout the year and holding down my Las Vegas residency with the Tao Group playing at Hakkasan, Marquee and Wet Republic. I also start my Ibiza summer residency in June, so if you fancy a trip to Ibiza this summer come and see me at Ibiza Rocks on a Wednesday!
As Joel Corry prepares for his upcoming debut at Ultra Music Festival, we can’t help but feel excited for what’s to come at Ultra Miami this year. It’s clear that Joel’s passion for music and dedication to his craft have brought him to this point, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for us on stage. With hits like “Lionheart” and “BED” dominating the airwaves, it’s no wonder why Joel has become one of the most sought-after DJs in the industry. We want to thank him for taking the time to chat with us and wish him all the best for his upcoming performance. We’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what’s next from Joel Corry.
