VASSY Causes "Trouble," and Pushes The Limits Of Pop Music
The singer talks her new single "Trouble," and paving her own path
In EDM music, VASSY is one of the most established vocalists in the genre.
"I had a point there where so many DJs were reaching out to me and asking me to do collabs with them," VASSY said. "I had some cool collabs with DJs like Showtek, Afrojack, KSHMR, and so on." In reality, that's a modest way to describe the singer's impact. Her 2014 tracks "Bad" and "Secrets" both went on to chart globally, the latter of which hit #1 in over 30 countries, while the former clocked in over a billion streams and was certified double platinum in multiple countries. As an artist, VASSY has topped the Billboard Dance charts 7 times. She has 17 platinum certifications and 8 #1 Billboard singles. "[They] were asking me to do collabs with them to create another "Bad" or another "Secrets," she said. "I was really craving to have some me time and create records that were more melodic and had more of traditional pop craftsmanship to it."
VASSY's solo career thus far has been incredibly fruitful. The singer recently hit her 8th solo #1 hit with "Concrete Heart," a charismatic mix of Vassy's smooth vocals and Disco Fries authoritative Electro House sensibilities. VASSY's latest single, "Trouble," which premieres today exclusively on Popdust, is equally as immaculate. The single's production, much like that of "Concrete Heart," was handled by Disco Fries' Danny Boselovic, and has all the makings of another chart-topper.
Tell me about your upbringing. How has that shaped your artistry?
I grew up in a Greek household in a little town up north in Australia. I knew from a young age I wanted to do music despite being kicked out of school choir and told I didn't have what it takes. I also did not have the blessing of my father's presence because we lost him, unfortunately.
How did you navigate that?
I promised him I would finish my degree in Architecture, and only then would I pursue music after I got his blessings, that was before he passed away. I started my career in Australia, got signed to Universal Music, and had a great career as a pop-indie artist but I really wanted to spread my wings so I came to America and started all over again, even though at first no one gave a sh*t about me. My background shaped my artistry in the sense that my father worked hard and his hard work ethic has shaped who I am today and how I approach life.
How have you handled fame?
I'm not caught up in the lifestyle of our business, I live a private, humble, normal life. I just love creating and making records. It's my way of expressing positive energy, to inspire people to feel good and feel motivated in life. I have mentored in detention centers at remote communities and schools to empower kids to believe in themselves despite bullies and rejections, as I too have experienced all this. I want my fans and people to see how rejections can lead to redirections and how you can be anyone from anywhere and can still make it. You don't have to be rich and famous, or perfect, and fit in a box, you just have to be authentically you, work hard, believe in yourself and you will prevail.
You're a highly accomplished and highly decorated artist. Was there a moment where you felt it all change for you?
Less than a year after "BAD" went platinum in several countries, I performed "Secrets" with Tiësto at Ultra in front of 150,000 people. [The song] had only been out for 48 hours and already hit #1 on Beatport. I think in that moment I realized that I had created 2 of the biggest dance music anthems with the biggest DJ legends in the world...in that moment, I thought wow they know all my songs inside out, these thousands of people. Not bad for an Aussie girl like me!
Tell me about the creative process behind "Trouble." It seems more pop oriented than "Concrete Heart."
I wanted to self-indulge and create records that fulfill me. At first, I was scared that the fans may not embrace it, and perhaps think it was too pop leaning to dance to? But after being embraced and supported so well on the radio and from the fans, it lead me to create "Trouble." This is a song I had written a while back with a buddy of mine and I have been looking for the right home for it for a while now. I wanted a pop-leaning dance record where the ledge drives the song through the lyrics, while you still have the dance grooves and progression. I wanted a more vocal chop melodic riff so that its more of a post-chorus drop, I like classic song writing style so from A to Z, the verse to the pre-chorus to the chorus to the bridge and so on. I like the journey it takes the listener on. I like a lot of texture that pop records have, dance records are infectious but tend to be more two-dimensional in the production. So on this record, I wanted to get people up and dancing while delivering a cool attitude and story line through the narrative of this song.
Headlining Las Vegas pride is a huge deal. How are you gonna prepare? Are you excited?
Yes, I'm always excited to perform especially for Prides, they are full of love and positive vibes! It's always so celebratory, coming together as one united through dance and music, to celebrate good vibes.
What can we expect from Vassy later this year?
More trouble! *laughs*. I got cool remixes coming and the music video, and I'm the kind of artist that likes to focus on one record at a time. I really nurture it, give it all my love before moving onto the next...I guess I'm an artist and so that's my creation in a way – like a plant.
Troublewww.youtube.com
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