Contributing WriterRising UK producer FIFI FORTE has had a standout year, with recent sets including a debut outing at Ibiza’s newest superclub UNVRS for Jamie Jones’ at Paradise, with a slot at Paradise In The City also lined up in August. Another key component of Jones’ musical world is his label Hottrax, an imprint where FIFI also recently debuted, delivering three dynamic tracks that showcase her range, from the deep, rolling energy of her title track, ‘Carnelian’, to the funk-charged ‘Inner Funk’ and ‘Fly Away’. Following the release, we caught up with FIFI to uncover insights into the creation of the EP, her musical roots, and landing a release on one of her bucket list labels.
Hey FIFI, thanks for speaking with us today! How are you doing?
Hey guys. thank you for having me on board. Life is great right now and getting better everyday 🙂
Your latest EP ‘Carnelian’ marks your debut on Hottrax, how did this opportunity come about?
So I’d been sending Jamie music for a while, hoping to land something on the label. When I sent him Carnelian, he started testing it out, which gave me a good feeling about it. A couple months later he shortlisted it & off the back of that, I sent inner funk & fly away. and it all came together naturally as an EP.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music production and DJing?
My dad was a DJ and to this day is a massive house head so my love for the music has been there from day 1. I bought a set of decks in lockdown as a bit of fun to keep busy then absolutely fell in love with putting mixes together and experimenting with sound. Ever since my mission has been to make a career out of doing what I love and follow in my dad’s footsteps and beyond.
You recently played at Jamie Jones’ iconic Paradise opening party at UNVRS Ibiza, alongside Goosey. How do you prepare for your performances?
Yessss, that was one of my favourite sets to date! I tend not to overthink it too much beforehand. I just have my music organised and an idea of a few directions I might want to take the set in.
What’s one song that always gets the crowd hyped when you drop it?
Kidoo – Wan Sugar Lady honestly goes off every time.
What would be the perfect setting to listen to Carnelian?
The perfect setting would be somewhere with a heavy sound system like dc10, peak time in a set, when the crowd is fully locked in.
How do you see your music evolving over the next few years?
I think it’ll evolve naturally as I grow, but the focus is on refining my sound, exploring new ideas, and staying true to what feels right to me.
What’s next for you over the next few months, any exciting projects in the pipeline that you can share with us?
I’ll be playing at Paradise In The City in August and Paradise at UNVRS in September which I’m really excited about. I’m also working on new music and a few things behind the scenes so watch this space…
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