With a great eye for a melody and fantastic attention to detail, we were keen to speak to producer and DJ MMXJ about his most recent piece of work “Lights”, which features vocals from Lucy Neville.
Great work on the latest single, we really dig it! Did you have fun making it?
Thanks so much, I’m glad you guys dig it! It was a blast making the track. I especially enjoyed collaborating with Gareth Fernandez on lyrics and Lucy Neville on vocals.
How did you and Lucy Neville meet, and why did you decide to make a track together?
I had the instrumental for “Lights” completed a few months back and was looking for vocals for the track. I reached out to Ditto Music (a company that assists me with distribution) to see if they had any recommendations for singers. My friend who works there mentioned they were working with an incredibly talented singer by the name of Lucy Neville, and recommended I had a listen to her music.
Upon first listen of Lucy’s song “On My Own”, I completely fell in love with her vocals. The character of her voice simply blew me away; it’s rich, smooth and melancholic all at the same time. I felt that it would fit the theme of “Lights” perfectly and I immediately got my friend at Ditto to put us in touch.
Where did you get the inspiration for “Lights”?
The inspiration for “Lights” came from having the person I love live so far away. We don’t talk that often anymore and I needed to find a way to tell her how I felt. So, I did what most hopeless romantics would do and I composed a song about it. Haha, that’s the honest truth.
Out of all of the music you’ve released so far, which track are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of my track “Young Hearts” that features the vocals of Gareth Fernandez. I feel it’s a song that can inspire people to dream beyond the confines of their limitations, and that’s what I make music for… to inspire people.
How would you describe your overall sound?
Richly melodic, uplifting honesty.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
That’s a really, really tough one. If I had to pick one from my current playlist, “Heaven” by Alex Adair!
What is next for you, musically? Do you have plans to make another album?
I plan to take a few months in the new year to produce and write music. I feel I’ve grown a lot as a producer since I’ve released my first album “Into The Wild” and as I’m constantly exploring new sounds of music, I’m excited to see where this journey takes me.
https://soundcloud.com/mmxjofficial/lights