Contributing WriterSome tracks find their audience long before they’re officially released, and HIFI’s ‘Movin’ is a perfect example. The Jeddah-based DJ and producer has spent the summer hearing her debut production played by COCO boss SOSA at some of the biggest parties on the calendar, from Paradise, ANTS and Music On in Ibiza to his back-to-back with Joseph Capriati at Creamfields. Now finding its home on SOSA’s imprint, ‘Movin’ delivers a lively combination of rolling percussion, infectious rhythms and melodic touches, with the Saudi artist making her first move into releasing original music.
Despite this being her first official single, HIFI is no stranger to big stages. Already establishing herself within Saudi Arabia’s expanding electronic music scene, she has appeared at MDLBEAST’s Soundstorm Festival and supported Keinemusik at the UNESCO World Heritage site of AlUla, alongside gaining recognition from Vogue Arabia. With ‘Movin’ now taking her music to an international audience, the release signals a new dimension to an artist whose ambitions are growing beyond the DJ booth.
To mark the release, we caught up with HIFI to discuss the story behind ‘Movin’, watching SOSA road-test her music on some of the world’s biggest dancefloors, and her plans for what’s next…
‘Movin’ marks your first official release. What made this the right track to introduce the production side of HIFI?
‘Movin’ felt like a natural first step because it represents the kind of energy I want people to associate with HIFI. It’s very groove-driven, with strong percussion and a melody that stays with you, and that balance between rhythm and musicality is really important to me. I wanted my first release to feel like something you can move to immediately, but still have its own identity. It felt like the right introduction to the sound I’m building.
COCO boss SOSA has been playing ‘Movin’ throughout the summer at some major shows. What was it like seeing the track tested on that scale before it had even been released?
It was honestly surreal. As a producer, hearing something you’ve worked on being played in those environments before anyone has even heard the full record is such a special feeling. Seeing people react to it on a dancefloor also gave me a completely different perspective on the track. It made the release feel bigger than just putting out a track. It became a moment I could actually experience with people.
Percussion really drives the track. What were you trying to capture when you first started working on the track, and how did it develop into the finished record?
The idea was always to create something that felt physical and made you want to move. I started from the groove and percussion, then built the rest of the track around that feeling. As it developed, the melody and other elements came in naturally and gave it more character without taking away from the rhythm. I think the finished record still has that raw, immediate feeling from where it started, but with a lot more detail in the production.
You’ve already built momentum as a DJ in Saudi Arabia, and now you’re stepping into releasing your own music. What do you want this debut to set in motion for HIFI from here?
I want it to mark the beginning of HIFI as a full artist project, not just a DJ. I’ve spent a lot of time developing my identity through playing music, and now I’m focused on building my own sound through music as well. I want to keep releasing records that feel authentic to me, keep growing internationally, and ultimately create a sound and identity that people can recognise as HIFI.
HIFI ‘Movin’ is out now on COCO – buy HERE.
Follow HIFI on:
Instagram – SoundCloud
