Interview: Maxinne

Bringing the groove all the way from the South Coast, Maxinne speaks to us about her hunger for music production, her biggest 'pinch me' moments and what made her new upcoming track 'Dance for you' come to life. Listen Now

DJ Maxinne for Red Alert

Let’s jump straight into it. You’re releasing a brand-new single, Dance For You, which

came out on the 29th of May. What can we expect from this track? Were there any

inspirations that helped to bring them to life?

The initial idea for this track came together while I was on tour, travelling between airports. I often find that my creativity flows well when I’m constantly on the move. I was waiting at an airport gate when I came across the vocal, and from there I created the arpeggio sound. Those became two of the main elements that shaped the track.

From the beginning, I wanted it to feel like a proper club-focused record, and the mysterious theme of the vocal really helped create that late-night atmosphere and energy.

Listen now 'Dance for you' on Spotify

You’ve come a long way as an artist. Looking back, what was it that made you realise that this is the path you wanted to take?

When I started DJing, it quickly became an obsession and something I was doing every single day. I had this real hunger and curiosity to keep building and improving. Music has been embedded in me from a very young age, so pursuing it all felt like a really natural progression.

But it was when I learned how to produce music that I truly realised this was the path I wanted to commit myself to fully. I love producing and mixing music just as much as I did when I first started. At the heart of it all, it’s always been about the music for me, and that’s something that will never leave me.

When you are producing music with Red Alert, is there anything you do consistently

to create such uplifting and energetic, soulful beats, or is this something that comes in the moment to you?

For me, the music on Red Alert is always more about creating a feeling rather than sticking too closely to one specific genre. A lot of it comes naturally in the moment, but all of the tracks tend to share certain elements: the depth in the low end, the club-focused energy, and that soulful atmosphere that brings everything together. I always want the music to feel powerful in a club setting while still carrying emotion and character.

You’re from the South Coast originally. Do you find the crowds and atmosphere differ

from set to set, depending on what place you are in, whether that be the South Coast,

Ibiza or the UK?

100%. I play in the US quite a lot, and the crowds there definitely have a different energy compared to the UK, both in a good way, just different. Every place has its own atmosphere and way of connecting with the music. The UK crowd, especially, has a really strong understanding of club culture, which is something I always connect with.

Ibiza brings its own special vibe as well; it holds such a historic music culture, and you can really feel that energy and connection to dance music when you play there. Adapting to those different atmospheres is one of the things that keeps it exciting for me.

Keeping on the theme of live performances, you have an impressive track record,

having a previous residency at Eden Ibiza, as well as playing at the likes of Cafe Mambo,

CRSSD Festival, Studio 338 and Halcyon. Is there anywhere that’s really made an impact

on you and has given you a sort of ‘pinch me’ moment?

Some of my biggest “pinch me” moments have happened in completely different settings. Sometimes it’s an intimate club with a packed dancefloor, and other times it’s been at iconic venues I grew up raving at. The common thing is always the connection with the crowd. When you feel everyone completely locked into the music with you, it creates this unreal energy that’s hard to describe. Those are the moments that remind me exactly why I do this.

One key one was when I released my album, and went on tour with it, and saw people singing the songs back to me from the dancefloor.

Working with Red Alert, you also host a show on Red Alert Radio, with 5 episodes

currently available to listen to on SoundCloud. How do you find crafting a set list for a

radio show compared to crafting a set list for a live performance?

I approach them quite similarly, in the sense that I always try to take people on a journey. I like to start with strong opening tracks to set the tone for the show and finish with an uplifting vibe to close the set, while in the middle, there’s more freedom to explore and take things where I want, throwing in a few curveballs where they feel right.

The main difference with the radio show is that I can dig a bit deeper and include tracks I might not necessarily play in a club. It gives me the space to be a bit more experimental and showcase different sides of my musical taste.

You have a lot of support from some of the greats in the industry, such as Marco

Carola, Joseph Capriati, Danny Howard, and Hot Since 82, to name a few. What makes

you stand out and be heard? Perhaps it could be the deep groove you blend into your

tracks or the mesmerising vocals? What would you say personally makes your music

catch the attention of industry legends and, of course, your fans?

The tracks that have had the most support have honestly often been the ones I least expected, and sometimes the ones where the initial idea came together the quickest. A lot of them were also the ones I had the most fun making in the studio, just jamming and vibing without overthinking things.

I do like to focus heavily on groove and rhythm in my music, whilst also weaving in hooky elements throughout, and I think that’s a big part of what gives it its identity. If a track makes me get up and dance in the studio, then more often than not it translates in the same way to the dancefloor and the audience.

Written by Drew-Alexandra O'Keeffe