Kicking off her career with the almighty Defected records, Rae has established herself as a successful DJ, Producer, Singer, Songwriter & Remixer, impressively crafting a swathe of cool house cuts and clubland hits over the years. Smashing live sets at key industry dance events and major festivals, such as ADE, WMC, Itunes & Glastonbury and landing residencies at Ibiza’s hot spots Ushuaia, Pacha & Amnesia, Rae stands out as an impressive live act with a combination of technical skills and unique vocal performance. A distinctive voice as her USB has lead to a versatile career. Raes first signing to Defected with Kings of tomorrow “Can’t Stop” created a serious buzz in the house world and she followed up on form with consistent self-penned releases. Her rework of Kosheens Hide U alongside Sandy Rivera smashed it across the genres and soon after Rae took the honor of being the first female artist to compile and mix the famous Defected In The House compilation in 2011 (with Tokyo In The House) cementing her status as a female house artist to be reckoned with. Going on to release on Sony, Toolroom, Spinnin, and Armada, Rae then returned to the Defected family with the summer anthem of 2015, Take me away with DJ SKT was signed to Atlantic Records and hit the official UK charts landing a top 20 hit. DJ Rae produces and continuously collaborates with high profile & up and coming artists, her latest release “No Limits” alongside Danism + train hit #1 on Traxsource and continues to build momentum throughout the house world. Rae has a weekly radio show on House FM, her own label Rated and she continues to tour with DJ dates across the UK, Europe, and Asia, and live performances at sold-out shows on tour with The Hacienda classical as guest vocalist.
Hi Rae, its been great to finally get the opportunity to ask you some questions as we have been following your career closely for a long time and love where you have made a name for yourself across recent years.
Starting of telling us more about yourself. Where are you from, where did you go to school?
Well thank you so much, yes I’ve been doing my thing for some time now in the house world.
I was born in the Midlands, went to school in Wolverhampton, I left early on to travel and set my sights on being an artist, spent some time in Ibiza and made my moves to get to London.
Are their any other high profile musicians from your home town?
Beverly Knight, she’s an amazing soul singer.
What are some of the places around your home town that play a big part in the local music industry?
Birmingham was always good for clubbing, that’s where my love for clubs and all the underground genres began really, it was liberating, you could be anything you wanted to be, I loved having that release and sharing a connection with the music
Are any of your family musicians too? Seems music is in your blood so its coming from somewhere.
My mum and dad brought me up on music, records playing, radio on, and my dad emphatically encouraged my Interest. We had pianos in the family so instruments were encouraged too, But just out of a general love for music.
Since you are a successful vocalist, producer, and touring DJ would be great to hear more about your studio.
What set up are you using? Speakers? Microphones? Acoustic treatment? Some go to plugins that you can work without?
I use Logic, KRK monitors, a TLA audio compressor and a Neuman mic, Its served me well through the years, I get good recordings and can get far enough with my productions at home without having to go anywhere else, but I love collaborating so I often do go to other studios, and my great friend and collaborator is an awesome mix engineer so we have a good process of team work these days.
How about your latest studio purchase? and whats the next purchase on the Christmas card list?
I have a new I-mac, that will be a nice freshen up, Im looking at a new interface, the Universal audio apollo twin…and some new speakers, maybe Adams
How do you normally plan a tune out from start to finish? How does the first ideas start and grow into a tune?
It goes so many different ways, sometimes I have a song in my mind, words and melody, other times Its a piano riff, chords, a bass groove, I just work up ideas, sometimes the whole track writes itself other times I go back and forth on it.
Your working with some amazing labels including Defected. For those out there trying to break their careers into the next level whats some great advice on making sure it lands in the right ears to be considered on such good labels?
I would say maintain you’re artistic individually but look at the market and look at where you think you could fit, where does you’re sound suit, which parties would you’re music work best at…that should lead you to the right ears. Build associations and keep a strong focus.
What’s been your favourite production to date? What makes it so special for you?
I have so much love for my recent collaboration with Danism + Train, No limits, its a beautiful, feel good timeless song, and it was a pure joy to make with these guys, and we had our first traxsource #1 together, I also love my current track under my alias project Kamereon, “Be yours” is a record I made a while ago, and when Erik and I formed Kamereon It felt like a great fit for our sound, deep, sexy, moody, its got something special about it.
https://soundcloud.com/raedjartist/we-go-deep-dj-rae
Your current top 5 Bali beach side tunes are?
No limits-Danism + Train, DJ Rae
Mountains-The Vision-Danny Krivit remix
Upilfted-Ricky Morrisson Ft Brian Lucas
You got something special-Lamelle
Be yours-Kamereon
What have you heard about Bali in recent times? The clubs and shows here?
The amazing culture?
Bali is one of my favorite places in the world. Spiritual, calming but also amazing for parties, the people come from all over the world, it feels like a haven from all the madness and stress, I love everything about it.
Your playing at one of the islands most iconic beach clubs Karma Beach – what have you heard about this amazing place?
I see it looks stunning and I cant wait, scenes, vibes, great music, I dont think I will want to leave.
What else are you planning to do while in Bali outside of the music world?
Relax, worship the sun, reflect and get inspired.