Ray Foxx of light

Starting life as an underground track called ‘The Trumpeter’, Ray Foxx’s summer hit began wowing dancefloors with its brassy topline and Latin sch-wing. Now signed to label powerhouse Defected as ‘La Musica’, and with an added vocal from 20-year-old Lovelle, it’s gone from strength to strength being named Sara Cox’s Record of the Week, getting added to Radio 1’s In New Music We Trust List, BBC 1Xtra’s playlist and getting spun by everyone from Zane Lowe to Mistajam. We caught up with Ray to find out more of the story behind his runaway success.

Hey Ray how are you?
“Feeling amazing! I've had a brilliant year so far.”

Your latest release ‘La Musica’ (The Trumpeter) has been destroying dance floors all over this summer and has been added to the playlist on BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra. How does it feel to receive this kind of support? 
“It feels like I have done something right. My aim was to make something that people could connect with and enjoy themselves to and the BBC's support definitely goes a long way to helping me believe that I have achieved this.”

The Video for ‘La Musica’ has received around 150,000 views on YouTube and shot to number one on PlayStation’s VidZone. How important do you think it is use different media as a platform for music?
“Massively. From the invention of the mp3, to the creation of Winamp, Napster and Limewire, iTunes, MySpace and Facebook, YouTube and Soundcloud, and now things like on demand music video streaming on set top boxes and games consoles, the internet has given the audience more and more power to choose what they like to hear and to have those choices influence what the record industry and ultimately the artists produce. The internet has not only brought the world closer together but has brought the artists closer to their audience - which I see as a really good thing.”

Also ‘La Musica’ has been remixed by the likes of Guti, Chocolate Puma and Subscape. What is like to have such a strong calibre of artist’s remixing your track? 
“It’s very exciting. It is flattering that someone has connected with and taken the time to reinterpret your creation. All the remixes are brilliant and I love them! In fact there is one more on its way from Style Of Eye, which has been going down really, really well when I've played it out!”

You have remixed the likes of Hard Fi and rising star Lovelle. Have you got any more remixes in the works?
“One of the great things that has come from the success of 'The Trumpeter'/'La Musica' is the opening of doors with regards to remixing and collaboration. I'm looking forward to a lot of new exciting possibilities.”

What do you feel your influences are?
“When I was first teaching myself how to write and produce I listened to a lot of classic music – hip-hop, rap, garage, electronic music, rock - to me there are loads of albums that are almost like blue prints on how to do certain things or how to think a certain way. 'Fat Of The Land' for example, as well as being brilliant musically, is a great lesson on how to think out of the box with regards to using a sampler. Search on /yyoutube for 'Smack My Bitch Up Ableton Live Tutorial' - it's by Jim Pavloff - it's amazing when I think that it was made way before Ableton Live and real time and pitch manipulation were widely available! I get influenced by more than just music. A lot of things in other art forms like films, paintings and computer games give me ideas on how to write and produce music and things in life like relationships, politics and philosophy help me connect with people musically.”

‘La Musica’ was picked up by Defected Records, the same label as acts like the Shapeshifters and Bob Sinclar. Do you feel a sense accomplishment being on that label?
“Of course! After I finished 'The Trumpeter' Defected was the first label that came into my head as the label that would really get the concept of the track.”

What was it like playing out in Ibiza for the first time this summer?
“Incredible! I was still buzzing from the performance in the Trevor Nelson interview afterwards!”

Do you have any more releases planned for this year?
“I have a new track called 'Butterflies' which I'm really excited about and will be with you guys soon!”

Ray Foxx feat Lovelle ‘La Musica’ (The Trumpeter) is out 25th Sept on Defected Records.

Interview: James Kenyon