This is How French Producer and DJ Stany is About To Shake The World’ [Interview]

An Interview with a Future Icon

At first glance, it may seem like French multi-platinium producer and DJ Stany is a newcomer in the music industry however, he has been responsible for co-producing the greatest international hits of the 2010s for this past decade. Born & raised in the region of Paris, now stepping out of the background, Stany just released his groundbreaking debut single ‘Only You’ featuring Nigerian artist Rema & Atlanta rapper Offset, only shooting for the stars moving forward. From working alongside DJ Snake on tracks such as ‘Let Me Love You’ featuring Justin Bieber to getting a co-sign from mentor DJ Khaled, Stany is ready to let the world see his vision and bring the heat to the dancefloor.

First and foremost, thank you for accepting to get interviewed by New Wave. Could you tell us where you are right now?

Right now, I am at the comfort of my home in Paris.

Lovely! For our readers who aren’t familiar with your music just yet; Who is Stany?

So, I've been a DJ and producer for about 9 years now. As you can guess, I come from the region of Paris. To begin with, I was producing for a large number of artists in my home country (France), until 2015 where I started to collaborate a lot more with Dj Snake. Today, I am focused on my own projects as an artist and not long ago, we released my first single ‘Only You’ featuring Rema and Offset.

Tell me a little bit about yourself: Where in Paris did you grow up? And how was your upbringing?

My childhood was quite cool! My parents raised me well laugh What specifically pushed me towards music was my education at home. This is because my parents would not allow me to go outside and as a result, not only did it lock me in my room, but also, it pushed me to create music all the time. That’s why I'm making music today.

Was music always around as a child or is it something you grew up without?

There was always music around my house. Actually, my father was the one to turn on the record player and he’d introduce me to Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and all of the musicians he listened to. Even music based in the African continent, especially (music) from his era.

At some point, I would imagine myself working with all of these incredible artists that my father would listen to repeatedly, and think of creating hits for these legends. I believe this is what drove me to dream big and was set as my foundation in sound.

What artists were you listening to at that time and age?

My favourite artist of all time is Michael (Jackson). Surprisingly, I would listen to a lot of classical music such as Beethoven. Another artist that comes to mind is Marvin Gaye however, in the french community, I would really enjoy NTM, a rap group very popular in 93 (A district in Paris).

At what point did you decide you wanted to become a producer?

Ever since I can remember, I always wanted to produce music however, I did not know at the time how it all worked and didn’t understand the logistics. This is before youtube tutorials and having the leverage to access information.

At some point, Neptunes arrived on the music scene around 1998 and they brought something new to the table. Their way of creating seemed so convenient to me and it was them that made me want to become a producer.

Let’s go back in time - 2015; you were asked to work alongside Dj Snake on his album. What did this mean to you?

Not much really because Snake and I knew each other for a very long time. In fact, he’s one of the first people I encountered in the music industry. We’ve known each other since I was around 14 as he used to work in a record store and he would buy all of my discs. We always were part of the same entourage and we would work plenty of times together around 2000, creating sounds for numerous acts. When he asked to work alongside him, it was just like old friends reuniting again.

You were producing for the biggest names in the industry but decided to return to your home city of Paris. How so?

Mainly, when covid hit the world, I had to return home. Once again, I was locked away in my room and that’s when I realised, it was time for me to build something for myself. During that period of time, I would only create music and try to formulate tunes for myself. Shortly after, I regrouped an entire team. My time in quarantine really pushed me out of my comfort zone.

You were known and played a major part in the shadows of the music industry. When did the transition from working in the background to wanting to be the main character happen for you?

When you work for other producers and DJs, you have little power on the outcome of your contribution. This used to frustrate me a lot because I couldn’t comprehend why they would select a song over the other. Naturally, I became more and more furious because I had my own vision on how things should roll out that didn’t necessarily align with theirs (collaborators). There came a time where I just needed to express myself and show to the world my vision of music.

How did you get in contact with DJ Khaled? And how much of a mentor has he been throughout this process?

As I mentioned before, during covid, I created numerous tracks and there was a specific intro that I just knew Dj Khaled would be the perfect fit. He has this aura and presence about himself that is unmatchable! And since a member of my team knew him directly, we flew to Miami and he welcomed us with open arms. It was incredible and he loved my music and story and so, he agreed to show his support. It was super organic and even until this day, we still continue to talk to one another and work together. It’s so cool!

‘Only You’ is your debut single featuring Offset and Rema. How did it take place?

The instrumental was created at the beginning of the year and I absolutely wanted Rema on the track. He’s one of the few artists I pay close attention to and I love his voice and aesthetic. One day, somebody told me that he was in Paris and I had a friend who knew his manager well. We then agreed to meet up, played each other's music and he was down to collaborate right on the spot. The next day, we were already at the studio and the track came together.

Moving forward, I wanted a rapper to make it sound complete and it had to be someone that could bring something new into afro beat. When it comes to Offset, I just like his flow and his presence as it is versatile. At that point, I knew putting Rema and Offset together would shake the world. At the end, we all came together in person and filmed a music video together in celebration of the song. It was a moment to remember.

You have this unique way of bending genres such as house music and afrobeats. How much does it play into you Stany as a french producer and what you believe you have to offer to the world of music as the main character?

I always try to create a good mixture of genres and influences. When you listen to the synths at the beginning, it sounds like something from the 80s and even the percussion has this Nigerian influence. It’s a bit eccentric because there is the influence of pop, African music and more.

This occurs to me quite naturally because I always try to mix sounds and create something interesting. I am not making music for the sake of making music, I really want to bring something new to the table.

We saw you lately at the studio with french legend Black M, is this something we can expect in the near future?

I haven’t thought about it yet, however, there are a few things I produced for his next project. Altogether, I’ve produced tons of tracks for him and we have a lot of fun. For his next album for example, I have 2 or 3 production credits.

I’m curious. You’ve been in the studio with artists that most producers could only dream of. Is there anyone you have not worked with before and wish to get in the studio with in the near future?

That’s a very good question. I like to always work with new acts and so, there will always be a new collaborator rather than going backwards and working with the same friends. In other words, it is hard for me to answer this question because there will always be someone new.

Finally, any future plans you can share with us? Maybe another feature? A project?

Yes, I’m looking forward to releasing more singles. There are a bunch of them ready (to release) with music videos and all. Right now, I am waiting for the right time to release them to the world. I like to take my time. Also, I am planning to release my first album in 2023 while I’m continuing to produce and collaborate with artists on their projects. Most importantly, one of my goals is to perform live as a DJ starting next year. My end goal is to create sounds for video games and movies.