Kace is only two releases into his career, yet with DJ OFF, he’s already dropped a manifesto for anyone tired of being hyper-aware of how they are perceived. Built from heavy bass, hard techno, hardstyle, ridiculous lyrics, and a refusal to stay polished for the sake of respectability, the track became a kind of exposure therapy against cringe culture. In this interview, Kace opens up about growing up around judgement, finding self-expression through loud music, using production to unlock confidence, and wanting ravers to dance like phones have ceased to exist. he’s also reflects on Gen Z perfectionism, AI-era imperfection, nihilism, sexuality, desire, Hollywood party fantasies, and why being real matters more than being flawless
DJ OFF is the kind of track that allows everyone to collectively forget about real life for a few minutes. What sparked the idea behind the track, and when did you realise it needed to be silly, heavy, and completely unashamed?
DJ OFF was made for letting loose. What sparked the idea was my fear of being perceived by others. That fear made me hold back from releasing a lot of music, so putting out an unapologetic song early on helps me not overthink my work. I also feel like my generation, Gen Z and even Gen Alpha, are too serious. We label something cringe if it doesn’t fit a box or a narrative. I am guilty of that too.
How did it feel to lose all sense of pretence and embrace chaos with the lyrics in DJ OFF?
It felt really freeing and fun. Writing outlandish lyrics over a heavy beat is healing in a way. I used to feel caged in, worried about being seen as cringe, but DJ OFF became a kind of exposure therapy for me. Letting go of pretence was exactly what I had been missing.
Was that freedom something you had been missing in your music before this release?
Definitely, even though I grew up listening to Kesha, Sophie, and Kim Petras, I still struggled to pioneer a sound or to be able to express myself freely like the artists I mentioned. Expressing yourself can be done through more serious and slow ballads, of course, but I’ve always gravitated towards upbeat music.
At only 20 years old, and still at the stage of releasing a sophomore release, you’ve got your whole creative career ahead of you. What feels most exciting about being at this raw, early stage where nothing has to be too polished or over-explained yet?
Even though being this early in a creative career isn’t easy, it is always rewarding. The most exciting thing is definitely gaining an audience slowly but surely, growing a community, and finding like-minded people.
Before producing, you said you struggled to express yourself. What was it about heavy bass, hard techno, and hardstyle that finally gave you a way to say what words could not?
I find heavy bass music very unapologetic. I grew up in a very closed-off environment where music like this was frowned upon and demonised. Getting to a point in my life where I can express myself without feeling othered is very freeing. The music says what I never could.
Loud music can make people feel powerful, feral, euphoric, or completely untouchable. What does that kind of sound unlock in you when you are creating it and when you’re the one in the crowd/wearing the headphones?
I often find myself living vicariously through loud music. On those low days when I feel self-conscious, I open my project file before I even know what I want to say. Making music brings up my mood and my confidence. I feel like I have unlocked a higher version of myself.
When you imagine people hearing DJ OFF in a crowd, what kind of moment do you want them to have?
I want people listening to DJ OFF to dance like phones do not exist. I want their energy to be just as ridiculous and outlandish as the beat and the lyrics.
A lot of young artists feel pressure to sound serious or fully formed straight away. How important is it for you to keep that playful, chaotic, still-figuring-it-out energy alive in your music?
It is extremely important. I am guilty of fearing how I am perceived or criticised, and that is something artists deal with throughout their careers, especially at the start when we do not know if our music will even be tolerated. Releasing experimental, playful music is my middle finger to that feeling.
Why do you think there’s so much pressure for artists (and everyone else) to maintain the illusion that they’ve got everything figured out?
I think social media made us believe everyone else is living a perfectly planned life. At the end of the day, it’s only human nature to want to put the best version of yourself out there.
But I feel like there is definitely a shift culturally towards less curated, more raw sounds and imagery with the rise of AI , when “perfection” is accessible, imperfections starts getting valued
What do you think DJ OFF says about who Kace is right now, and what do you hope it opens up for your next releases?
Not to come off as too deep, but DJ OFF represents my nihilism and my desire to be myself because life is too short. It says that I would rather be real than perfect. I hope DJ OFF opens the door for me to take bigger creative swings without second-guessing.
I have a ton more fun dance pop songs coming up that explore different themes of sexuality, desire, and fantasizing about partying in Hollywood.
–
Connect with Kace on all major platforms via this link.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
No Comments