It’s now the norm that Music Connection goes cyber in May. This year, we have the Digital Resources guide at the back, deadmau5 is on the cover, and for the second year we have a roundtable discussion with some of the best up-and-coming DJs and producers on the circuit. Enjoy!
NOSTALGIX
When and how did you start DJing/producing, and when did it get serious?
In 2017, I was in university studying film production and I had fallen in love with dance music the prior year, so I decided to start DJing for fun.
I didn’t know what it was at the time and didn’t know anyone in the music industry, but I just really loved dance music so I started djing for fun in my dorm room. I spent about a year DJing and then after that I got into music production in 2018.
I would say it became serious for me pretty quickly within the first year of music production. The more that I started to learn about Ableton and how music production worked, I fell more in love with it. I feel like it got very serious for me very quickly, but I didn’t start seeing a lot of success until around 2020. That’s when things started really growing in my project and I started to receive a lot more recognition for my project.
Describe your sound…
I would describe my sound as high energy and powerful. My roots lay in the world of bass house. My sound is basically a hybrid between house music and bass music.
Tell us about your latest release…
I just released my debut album Inferno (March 27th). It is my biggest body of work yet and I am so insanely proud of the entire project. I’ve put everything that I have into this project and I feel so proud of how everything came together.
I really brought my vision to life with this album which feels so fulfilling as an artist. I also worked with artists that I absolutely love—we made some really beautiful records together and I’m so excited for everybody to listen to it.
What are some key pieces of gear that you use?
Since I tour a lot I’m always traveling on planes and in different cities, so my go-to main pieces of gear are my laptop and Ableton. I also have really great headphones that I’ve been working with for a long time when it comes to music production, so I always travel with my KRK kns 6400s. They’re definitely my go-to headphones on the road, but sometimes I’ll also just use my AirPods if I’m just writing an idea. I’m on a plane, I’ll just use noise cancellation and put on my AirPods and I’ll just put together an idea very quickly. I love being able to work with the least amount of gear possible.
What else do you have planned for the coming months?
I just released my debut album Inferno and we’ll be touring the album across North America which is something I’m very excited about.
MELTX
When and how did you start DJing/producing, and when did it get serious?
I started producing because I couldn’t find the exact sound I was hearing in my head. I was scoring my own short films, building emotion through strings, silence, and tension. Eventually I realized the club was the cinema I’d been searching for. It got serious the moment I understood I wasn’t just playing tracks—I was creating an atmosphere people wanted to drown in. When crowds started coming back specifically for me, not just the lineup, that’s when MELTX stopped being a hobby and became a mission.
Describe your sound…
Imagine a rave that feels like a fever dream: hyper-feminine, metallic, saccharine, slightly unhinged. I love contrasts—soft vocals over hardcore kicks, sweetness that bites, nostalgia that feels toxic in the best way. I make techno like a film score: dramatic, sensual, cinematic. The kind of sound that makes you feel like the main character, even if you’re sweating at 160 BPM.
Tell us about your latest release…
The latest release is me pouring gasoline on everything I’ve built so far. It’s hard dance wrapped in candy colors—playful, dangerous, addictive. I wanted it to feel like slipping into a world where beauty is armor and heartbreak becomes fuel. It’s not a track you listen to passively; it’s something you survive. The drop isn’t just impact—it’s revelation. A reminder that vulnerability can be violent and still be gorgeous.
What are some key pieces of gear that you use?
Pioneer CDJ-3000s and a Xone 92 mixer when I’m performing—they respond beautifully to aggression. Production-wise, I’m mostly in Logic Pro X. It gives me cinematic control—I can sculpt synths like a character arc, automate atmospheres the way you’d light a set. For headphones, I always use Sennheiser HD 25.
What else do you have planned for the coming months?
I’m building worlds. More singles, darker visuals, sets that feel like theatre. I’m in love with the idea of bringing high-emotion feminine energy into spaces that used to be macho and monotonous. Expect more collaborations, more storytelling, more places to get lost in. I don’t just want to tour—I want to make every city feel like they’re stepping into the CANDYCORE universe for the first time. I especially can’t wait for my debut North American tour. New York and Los Angeles have been my dream shows. I’m so grateful to be living my childhood dream.
Mary Droppinz
When and how did you start DJing/producing, and when did it get serious?
I started DJing in 2015 in SoCal and I started producing in 2019 and went to IO academy in Hollywood to learn Ableton, it got serious for me in 2021 when I first got a manager/agent.
Describe your sound...
It’s experimental and experiential… with breaks, garage, jungle, riddim, 140. My sets are journeys and selections!
Tell us about your latest release...
Just dropped a tune with my friend Neumonic—it’s called “What?” It’s out on Deadbeats—cheeky ting, I love it!
What are some key pieces of gear that you use?
Cdj 3k’s, Sennheiser hd-25’s, 900 nexus 2 mixer—my personal fav’s … software Ableton & Rekordbox—I am FL curious lol.
What else do you have planned for the coming months?
My first single of 2026 dropping on Deadbeats called “Pop.” I’ve been playing this track in my sets for a while and this newer elevated 2026 version was just perfect for the label. Full EP will be dropping, just making tons of music, I’m really having fun.
ELIIZA
When and how did you start DJing/producing, and when did it become serious?
Music has always been part of my life, it’s in the family. Over the past few years, that connection turned into a real obsession with dance music. I didn’t start out DJing, I started by producing. I became fascinated by digging for tracks, understanding how they’re built, and learning how different elements create energy in the room. From there, DJing came naturally, and I’ve built my skill set from the ground up. It became serious when I played my first live set for Teletech in my hometown, Manchester and felt the crowd respond. That moment made everything click. From then on, I committed by investing in my setup, spending more time in the studio, and focusing on developing a sound that felt true to me.
Describe your sound…
My sound blends bouncy, hypnotic rhythms with harder techno elements. I’m really drawn to movement and flow, building tension gradually, then releasing it in a way that lifts the room. There’s a strong focus on bass, groove, and energy, but always with enough space to keep people locked in rather than overwhelmed.
Tell us about your latest release or set…
My recent sets have been very much about progression and storytelling. I like starting slower and more hypnotic, letting the room settle, then gradually pushing into heavier, bouncier territory as the energy builds. I’ve been playing longer sets where I can take my time and shape the journey properly. One of my recent sets was an opening slot that evolved naturally into something much more intense by the end, that sense of control and release is where I feel most comfortable.
What are some key pieces of gear that you use?
I place a lot of value on being adaptable. I’m comfortable across different setups, whether that’s a Xone, an A9, or a V10. I’ve recently invested in a Pioneer V10, which has given me more flexibility to explore layering, longer blends, and subtle changes in energy. Investing in both my studio and DJ setup has been important in helping me develop a consistent sound.
What do you have planned for the coming months?
Right now, my focus is on production, refining my sound and releasing music I’ve been sitting on over the past year. I want to keep building momentum through stronger releases, bigger rooms, and more opportunities to connect with new crowds.
I’ve got some exciting shows coming up this year, including XXL Malta and Creamfields, with podcasts and mixes also lined up. It feels like a really natural next step.
XS BULLY
When and how did you start DJing/producing, and when did it become serious?
Music was never a plan for me—it’s always been instinctive. I started producing around the age of 13 or 14 after getting an audio interface and immediately began experimenting. Early on, I was working with more acoustic and vocal-based sounds before moving fully into electronic music as I became more involved in club culture.
It started to feel serious when I became interested in DJing and began producing music I actually wanted to play out in clubs.
Describe your sound…
My sound is constantly evolving. Latin club and rhythm-driven electronic music strongly influence how I approach groove and repetition. I’m drawn to abrasive, high-pitched synths, distortion, and tension, but always with structure.
A big part of my sound is shaped by queer club spaces and the communities I’m part of. The dancefloor—and the people in it—are central to how I make music.
Tell us about your latest release or set…
My latest release is “BELLA.K.HORSE,” a collaboration with Negraconda and SANTZZ for a Muakk compilation titled XOXO III. I had the opportunity to be part of the project alongside many talented producers from the Latin club scene.
The track came together over the summer and was finalized in December. It’s one of those tracks that ages like fine wine—sometimes giving a track space, or revisiting it after some time, allows it to evolve and gives you a completely different perspective. Shoutout to both of them—they’re brilliant artists, and this project really shows how music and scene can bring people together.
Sonically, it’s high-energy and rhythm-driven, blending distorted textures with percussive grooves rooted in a hard Latin club approach.
What are some key pieces of gear that you use?
I keep things very basic. I work entirely in-the-box using virtual instruments, often starting from sounds I find and then processing them depending on the idea I’m following in that moment.
My creative process is very impulsive and organic—I never force it. I make music with whatever I have at hand, even if it’s not my laptop.
What do you have planned for the next months?
Alongside new releases, I’m continuing to build spaces within the scene. I run a queer club event called NEXO in London, which focuses on hard Latin club sounds and artists operating outside mainstream club circuits.
On a more personal level, I’m developing new performances, productions, and DJ sets that expand the project beyond a traditional club format. Some things are already in motion, but I prefer to let them surface at the right moment. The direction is clear, even if the details aren’t—everything is deeply connected to the community and energy that surround me. I’m here for the long run.
