DJ Cassidy Knows How to Make You Dance

by Natasha Wolff | December 5, 2018 1:41 pm

With over a decade of experience DJ’ing and producing music, DJ Cassidy[1] is a phenom in the music world. From performing at President Barack Obama’s 50th birthday party and 2009 inauguration to fellow superstars Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s wedding, Cassidy’s celebrated artistry is limitless. A New York City native, Cassidy recently made the move to Los Angeles to be closer to the network of artists and writers he works with, which ranges from Robin Thicke to Jessie J.

With a reputation for his stellar DJ sets, Cassidy began producing and creating records of his own just five years ago. He released a slew of singles featuring artists such as Chromeo, Jess Glynne, Lil Yachty and more, all inspired by his love of dance music from the late 1970’s era. “All of those initial records that I released were these major, over-the-top, lush, complex orchestrations,” Cassidy says. “For my new releases, I wanted to continue to be inspired by the same source and to continue the trademark DJ Cassidy sound, but I wanted to do something a little new for me.”

DJ Cassidy

On his newest single, “Coolin’ By My Side[2],” Cassidy explored a different creative process in order to produce exactly that. “I wanted to hone in on the foundation of a record and focus on the groove. I wanted to make the groove the star of the record,” he says of the process.

Cassidy tapped singer Justine Skye to help fully execute his musical vision. After coincidentally performing at nearly a dozen events and parties over the course of 2017, Cassidy says the decision to work with Justine Skye was a no-brainer. “One thing I noticed about Justine, aside from her voice which I love, was that she was an incredible performer. I wish I could say that about every artist but it is simply not the case,” he admits. After performing together at the Surf Lodge in the Hamptons[3], Cassidy knew that she would be the one to elevate his track. “She took [the song] to the next level. She has real swag and just goes full-out no matter where she is.”

Though the song maintains Cassidy’s signature style, and evokes the spirit of the 1970’s era dance music that has long been his passion, there is a modern edge to the track that comes from his years of DJ experience. “I wanted to strip it down to its core and take more of a minimalist approach. And that approach was heavily influenced by what I see on the dance floor and what I feel as a producer who doubles as a DJ,” he says. Over the course of his expansive DJ career, Cassidy has been watching people dance and observing what songs inspire people to dance all across the globe, allowing him the knowledge and insight into what people gravitate towards. “I’ve traveled the world from city to city and I’ve seen what makes people dance and what parts of songs connect with people faster. That has empowered me,” he adds.

With an international audience, Cassidy says he’s always been driven to play music for all people, all over the world. “I never wanted to be defined by genre. I always wanted to put all kinds of music together to create a style of my own.”

From “Coolin’ By My Side” to his upcoming releases, which are slated to roll out at a faster rate than ever before, Cassidy[4] has managed to maintain his celebrated musical style while incorporating iconic voices of today with some newer as well. “We’re living in the age of discovery. I think it is almost more exciting to release music with newer artists,” he says, hinting at upcoming music.

Source URL: https://dujour.com/culture/dj-cassidy-producer-interview-coolin-by-my-side-justine-skye/