There’s few bigger producers in the world of electronic music than the iconic Italian trio of MEDUZA. With ‘Piece of Your Heart’, ‘Paradise’, and ‘Lose Control’ among many other hits, the trio has made its mark in the electro house and progressive house genres. EDMHouseNetwork had the chance to catch up with MEDUZA member Mattia Vitale onboard Groove Cruise 2025 to talk everything electronic music production:
Q1: “In terms of playing Groove Cruise, how is it different from, playing Tomorrowland mainstage, or playing in an Ibiza nightclub? How does the atmosphere change how you guys kind of curate and build your set?”
Mattia: “The good thing is that every venue is different. So no matter if you’re playing in the same city, but if you play two different venues, [it] can be [a] completely different vibe. So, it’s a challenge for me as a DJ, of course. Because, every time I go on stage, I know I have like, a big folder with full of tracks to choose. And then I play some, like two, three songs at the beginning, I try to understand the mood of the crowd, and then I adjust the set based on the mood in the venue. So every time it’s different. Of course, when we play like Tomorrowland, everything needs to be in sync with lights and visuals. So I need to prepare more those sets, because every everybody needs to be ready in the team to know what they’re doing. But when we play like Groove Cruise or just like classic clubs, I can have more fun. So just like playing random sets and then just have fun.”
Q2: “[MEDUZA] Being a production crew of three with you, Luca [De Gregorio] and Simone [Giani], how does that kind of create a unique production process where you guys are pulling ideas from each other, maybe arguing a little bit, but also, you know, really building off each other? And being able to improve each other in every aspect?”
Mattia: “When we are in the studio, there’s not a specific role for everybody. Like, even, like, I know that Luca is more the nerd – the one on the machines and in the group. And Simone is more the musician, and I’m more the one working on the arrangements. But when we are in the studio, it’s just like we start from zero, we start from scratch, and then we talk about ideas, we play some chords, and then randomly, we come up with other ideas to build up the song with the songwriters too, in the studio. And if we can create that magic feeling in the studio between all of us, then everything happens really quickly. Otherwise, like you get stuck in a little bit in in the process. But it’s a normal studio process that’s uh, but the positive thing is that we all living this life. We all coming from a different background. So this helps in, just like giving different ideas and when we are in the studio, that helps, maybe to go out a little bit off the box.”
Q3: “Additionally, obviously, being an Italian producer trio, and that being a huge part of your music, how would you describe Italian EDM? And how does that influence really play into your music and make it unique?”
Mattia: “So many years ago, it was like house music was really big, especially in the south of Italy. We used to have, like, a lot. We still have big DJs like Carola or [Joseph] Capriati, that kind of house stuff. Now the north of Italy is becoming just like the center of melodic house. So there’s Tale of Us with Anyma, Mathame, Agents of Time, and a lot of melodic DJs. So we are just like slowing down a bit, a little bit of the Trance music. And they call it melodic techno. So I think there’s a new era in Italy that has always been like house music. Now it’s more melodic, and it’s a positive thing, because it’s like a generational thing. So it’s it’s really good, especially because when Italy is, it’s so small. So we are all like living close to each other, and it’s good to share moments all together, and then we see each other around the world. So it’s so good to have fun all together too, because we are Italian.”
Q4: “MEDUZA has worked with so many incredible vocalists: Goodboys, Becky Hill, now HAYLA in Another World. What is that process like? Of kind of building your track around those talented vocals that they send you, or then kind of complimenting your production with those vocals.”
Mattia: “So we have two different ways of working on that. For example, when we did Paradise with Dermot Kennedy, everything started from just like remixing one of his songs, and then remixing that we noticed that his voice was just like matching really well with our sounds. So then we asked the label to do an original with him, and then we wrote Paradise. Or in other ways, we just like, I don’t know, for HAYLA, we love HAYLA’s voice. And then we we trying to understand how she writes the top lines, and try to build up like a backing track around what’s best for her, and then we complete that in the studio together. So it all depends, like, it’s really random [at] this point.”
Q5: “Additionally, one of the most interesting things – this is the song that got me into EDM – huge fan of Piece of Your Heart. [I know] That almost got scrapped. That’s a story that I always actually think is really interesting. Talk a little bit about what that process was like and how you guys maybe kind of learned, you know, from that to just truly never give up on a song. Because now [you all have] over a billion streams on that one.”
Mattia: “Yeah, that was a funny one. Because I remember, we’d been in the studio in London for just like the entire week and we made a lot of demos that week. And at the end of the week, the ANR from the label came to the studio, so we had to play all the demos. And we played everything and he said, ‘maybe to this’ and then ‘this is a no, this is too similar to that one, this is a no, I don’t like that.’ But then we had this demo we made with the Goodboys in just like, really, 20 minutes. But we didn’t want to play that because it was really rough. And if you talk with the producers, they only always want to just like work on ideas before they just like play to the ANR. But at the end, we said, just like, ‘who cares? Like, another no won’t change our life.’ So we play that. I said to Luca, just like, play [it] who cares. And then he played that. And then we saw the AR and the managers like jumping on the sofa, and they say, ‘What is this?!’ So at that moment, we recognized there was something big in that, but we didn’t know what to expect from that song, because we were just like, doing club music, so you don’t expect a big thing. And then I remember our manager saying this: ‘this song will change your life.’ And it was true. After two months, we were viral in the US and UK and everything started from there. So it’s been it’s been funny, and it’s been great, and it’s a it’s been a great lesson. No matter if it’s just like an idea, rough idea, 10 minutes that you made in 10 minutes, five minutes or 20 minutes, just play [it.] Just play [it] to somebody else and see their reaction, so you can really understand what are you doing. That’s the best thing.”
Q6: “Just to finish off, what’s one up and coming young artist and one unreleased track that you really have been keeping an eye on right now?”
Mattia: “One upcoming producer I will say GENESI. Because for us, he’s already big, but he still needs to start touring, but I think he will be big in a couple of years. And he’s been in the studio with us since like, two, three years now, and we’re working together every day. And I think he will be like one of the biggest upcoming producers now and then. And the second one, for the track unreleased, [GENESI and us] have an unreleased track together that I’m playing in the set these days. So it’s still an ID but I think it’s gonna be a big one.”
Q7: “Actually to finish off, AC Milan or Ferrari?”
Mattia: “Oh, for me, AC Milan. I’m more football fan than F1. But for sure, for Simone is more Ferrari than AC.”
