Classmatic: don't make music wanting to be someone else or for someone else

Today we are happy to welcome our next guest - Classmatic!

Brazilian talent Classmatic is next up on Hot Creations with the two-track Toma Dale. Having already set dancefloors alight at the hands of label heads Jamie Jones and Lee Foss, the eagerly anticipated
release drops this April. We caught up with the talent to find out more.
Enjoy!
— Hey great to speak to you today! How are you doing and where are you talking to us from?
— The pleasure is mine guys. I'm doing great, thanks for asking! I'm talking from Florianópolis (Brazil).
— You were born and raised in Brazil, what was the music scene like there when you were growing up and how would you describe it now?
— That's right. When I started to listen to electronic music we used to hear Bob Sinclair, David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, etc. It was a more mainstream music scene back in the days mostly. I'd say that right now the underground scene is such a big scene right here and it's growing up more and more.
— Has the bustling, vibrant, energetic image we have of Brazil impacted your style and sound as a DJ and Producer?
— Yeah, 100%.
— Who have been your musical influences and idols over the years?
— I am the hip hop guy since the beginning so I can't forget these guys: N.W.A, Racionais MC's, Marcelo D2, Eminem, A Tribe Called Quest, Kanye West, Nas, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Notorious BIG, 2pac and many many more. In the electronic scene the first one who I could say was an idol for me was Deadmau5 with no doubt. The first time I watched his performance and listened to this music I was in love. Swedish House Mafia was really important for me as well. Their originality was the most important thing. The impact that they made about their music on our society as well. In the underground scene I would say: Jamie Jones, Amine Edge & DANCE and Kolombo as well.
— Your debut release on Hot Creations titled 'Toma Dale' is out in April. I hear you are a big fan of the Hot Creations imprint, what does this mean to you to be releasing through them and how did you get signed to the label?
— It means a lot for me because Hot Creations was my dream label since the beginning, so for me it's like winning a world championship to be honest. I'm also a huge fan of Jamie Jones' DJ sets and JJ's music so it was really important. I sent some demos to Jamie at the end of 2021 and then he started to play "Toma Dale" a lot. I sent a message to him via Instagram saying: "I made this track for Hot Creations. Let me know if you want to sign it!" and then he replied to me like: "Give me 1 more week for testing it out and then I'm going to email you." And then I received an email confirming he wanted "Toma Dale" and "Bape" for Hot Creations release.
— Can you tell us your inspiration behind the release? Also what was the creation process?
— Everything started when I decided I needed a track to put in my sets with congas in. I live in Brazil and wanted something to represent the Latin sound as I didn't have any tracks that incorporated this, so that's when "Toma Dale" was born. "Bape" was literally inspired by some of the tracks Jamie Jones has been playing in his sets in recent years. I wanted to create a killer groove with acid influences and also produce a slightly different breakdown to what would be expected.
— Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
— Make music for you and for your DJ sets as well. Don't make music wanting to be someone else or for someone else. That's the secret to achieving originality and authenticity.
— Do you have any hobbies outside of music? Can you tell us about them?
— Yes, I do. I love playing CS Go with my friends and also love to watch CS matches. I love to watch soccer, especially when my team is playing (Flamengo) or even the Brazil team and Champions League matches as well. I love to make barbecues with my girlfriend and my friends. I love my dog and I love to be with him all the time. But the most expensive hobby is fashion. I LOVE FASHION and sneakers. So I'm always watching videos and movies about that. I'm always searching for new clothes, new sneakers, new hats, etc.
— What else can we expect from you for the rest of the year?
— I have some great stuff coming after my Hot Creations release but all I can say right now is that a big remix is coming up during this year.