In this exclusive interview, DJ Dris dives into the behind-the-scenes of his latest release, ‘Work,’ featuring Natalie Graham. The track, a soulful fusion of House and Afro music, showcases DJ Dris‘s signature sound while highlighting Graham‘s enchanting vocals and creative lyricism. During our talk, DJ Dris shares insights into his collaboration with Natalie Graham, discussing the friendship and mutual respect that led to their partnership, while giving a glimpse into his creative process, detailing how the track’s instrumental came together through experimentation and a bit of serendipity.
Let’s find out more about DJ Dris’ latest release ‘Work,’ and its story and production process.
Hi, DJ Dris! Congrats on the release of ‘Work’ with Natalie Graham! How have you been?
Thank you! And as usual, I’m doing great.
We would love to hear your concept and inspiration behind this track and title, ‘Work.’
To be honest my inspiration for the track was really just a soulful fusion of House and Afro music. The lyrics I left to Natalie Graham to be as creative as she wanted. She worked with her co-writer Adrian Roye on the lyrics and the quirky concept. Then the rest is history.
You’ve worked together with Natalie Graham before, how did the collaboration with her came to be this time around?
This collab was a right moment/right time thing and the friendship we have crafted since the last release we did together “Kiss and Tell.” I have always sent her songs here and there and she has honestly been an avid supporter and friend, so when she heard the instrumental to “Work” she was on board straight away.
How would you describe ‘Work’ to a first time listener?
It’s a soulful Afro House song with enchanting lyrics that will leave you feeling sexy and in a good mood.
What about ‘Work’ would you say defines your signature Afro House sound?
Definitely the tom pattern, hi-hats and congas. That’s a running theme through my music.
What musical influences would you say may have played a part in shaping the sound of this release?
I will always say my favourite artist growing up was Nas due to his lyrical art. Donaeo on ‘Devil In A Blue Dress’ has also always been an inspiration to me. The genre of Funky House ultimately shapes my music as you hear it today and I think the lyricism side of it also shows in ‘Work’.
Could you share with us your creative process in structuring this track?
To be honest it was a beautiful accident. I literally create music most days, so this was one of those days. Trademark metronome kick then I played in a conga pattern. From there, I literally looked for a stab sound that complimented the 2. Once I had that, I looked to fill the void using other percussive sounds, i.e the rim shot and the toms. Followed this with the shakers then just needed pads that worked and that was the instrumental pretty much sorted with the use of a pluck here and there. I left the rest to Natalie and thought she did a great job when she sent through her stems.
What about this track is different from your previous releases?
This track is very soulful compared to my usual productions. I would say due to the lyrics the bounce and the feel, it ultimately comes across soulful.
Do you have plans to perform this track live with Natalie in the near future?
Definitely. It’s in the pipeline, I’ll be posting more about this on my socials soon so make sure you give me a follow : www.instagram.com/deejaydris
What more can we anticipate from DJ Dris? Got anymore collaborations in the works with Natalie or other vocalists?
Definitely, I have a lot of music coming out this year. I release a song every 2 weeks on all streaming platforms. I also have some collabs coming with emerging vocalists Roxa Damas, Olivia London and also Zack Goffe. So I’m super excited and honestly can’t wait to share our creations with everyone.
We wrap up this interview thanking DJ Dris for his time and for sharing more details about the process behind-the-scenes, his collaboration with Natalie Graham and some insight into his own production methods. While he teases some more music on the way, make sure to follow him on social media to remain updated on his new releases, projects and live shows.
Stream this single below.
