Whethan

Photo by Daniel Mendoza / The Recording Academy

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Chicago DJ Whethan Talks New Music, Working With Longtime Faves STRFKR & More

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"I don't want to say too much, but it's definitely going to be different from everything I've put out," the Chicago DJ tells the Recording Academy at Lollapalooza 2019
Rachel Brodsky
GRAMMYs
Aug 3, 2019 - 7:48 pm

It's not every day that you play a major music festival in your hometown, but that's exactly what DJ/Producer Whethan is up to this weekend at Lollapalooza 2019.

Whethan Talks Debut Album, Early Influences

Stopping by to chat with the Recording Academy, Whethan offered a glimpse into his forthcoming debut album, which he says will be rife with exciting collabs. "I have one song dropping pretty soon coming up in a week or two," he revealed. "That's the last song I'm going to drop until the long-awaited album that I've just been grinding preciously for the last year and a half [comes out].... [It's] some of my favorite music ever. Very futuristic, alternative kind of vibes mix. I don't want to say too much, but it's definitely going to be different from everything I've put out."

In terms of said album's collaborations, Whethan definitely has a few he's psyched for. "I'm working with STRFKR, which is an awesome, indie alternative group that I've loved forever," he says. "I have Awolnation kind of things going in the works too. A lot of exciting stuff. I don't want to brag too much more. That's kind of the vibe."

The DJ also touched on how he got his start in music and the electronic figureheads he's been influenced by: "I was really into skateboarding when I was younger," he says. "And I would always watch videos and there was always music playing. I was super into some of the songs I would hear that were very electronic-leaning. I found out later that they were Skrillex and Daft Punk and all these legendary things... I was very inspired by their stuff and just ended up finding my own little path, and here I am now."

Watch Whethan's interview in full above, and stay tuned for more exclusive Lollapalooza 2019 coverage on GRAMMY.com.

Producer/Composer CloZee On Her Extensive Touring, Playing Lollapalooza & Hans Zimmer

Judah & The Lion

Photo by Daniel Mendoza / The Recording Academy

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Judah & The Lion On Choosing Hope In Tough Times: "Just Talk About It, And You'll Feel Less Alone"

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"Choosing hope and choosing a way forward is something that we all have the power to do," the Nashville trio told the Recording Academy at Lollapalooza 2019
Rachel Brodsky
GRAMMYs
Aug 7, 2019 - 11:23 am

Nashville trio Judah & The Lion, a.k.a. singer/guitarist Judah Akers, singer/mandolinist Brian Macdonald and banjoist/singer Nate Zuercher, recently released a powerful third LP called Pep Talks.

Dealing with tough themes like death and divorce, Pep Talks covers some deeply difficult subjects, but it is also the band's way of connecting with audiences, who might be going through their own hard times.

Judah & The Lion On Spreading Hope Through Music

"It's really wild what people are going through in life. People struggle, whether or not they admit it," lead singer Judah Akers tells the Recording Academy at Lollapalooza 2019. "People are going through stuff. And I think that music is such a beautiful way for us to express that. What we like to share is, 'You're not alone in this.'" 

Akers went on, describing the way fans approach him to tell him how the band's music has helped them get through some difficult times: 

"We had somebody the other day who came up to us and say, 'Your song really helped me out. I was wanting to commit suicide, and I listened to it, and I didn't want to anymore.' And I'm like, 'Oh no, dude, it's OK that you're having those thoughts, but go and talk to someone. Express the way that you feel. Somebody that you trust. If you can go to counseling, talk to a friend, talk to a sibling, someone that you love and trust.'

"Nine times out of 10, or 10 times out of 10, in my experience, that person is going to meet you with so much empathy and solidarity. And then you can just talk about it, and you feel less alone in the world. That's what we're trying to do as humans, is figure this sh*t out. Nobody's got it all together. Nobody's perfect. We're just going for it. Choosing hope and choosing a way foward is something that we all have the power to do."

Check out Judah & The Lion's interview in full above. 

Take A Look Back At Lollapalooza 2019, With Alesso, Loud Luxury, SHAED And More | On The Road

SHAED

Photo by Daniel Mendoza / The Recording Academy

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SHAED Talk Lolla 2019, Touring The World & The Meaning Of "Trampoline"

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"Rather than running from your biggest fears, what it would be like to embrace them?" SHAED's Spencer Ernst tells the Recording Academy of their hit single
Rachel Brodsky
GRAMMYs
Aug 3, 2019 - 1:05 pm

Electro-pop trio SHAED, a.k.a. Chelsea Lee and and twin brothers Max and Spencer Ernst, have come a long way from their hometown of Washington, D.C. In 2018 the band released their massively successful single "Trampoline," and they're currently touring the world and at work on new music.

Hanging with the Recording Academy after performing at Lollapalooza 2019 in Chicago, SHAED gave us a look at what they're currently up to, the meaning behind "Trampoline" and what's up next.

SHAED On The Meaning Of "Trampoline"

"Every time we play here it has the best crowd energy," Lee told us. "We played a Lollapalooza Afterparty last night with Bishop Briggs, and everyone in Chicago just brings the vibe. It's been a really nice energy for sure."

Of their hit song "Trampoline," Max broke it down for us: "The song initially was inspired by a home video of my brother and I. We were like three years old actually jumping on a trampoline, and it was filmed on VHS, and it had this really grainy kind of dreamlike quality. And that's where the first line I've been having dreams jumping on a trampoline came from."

"Then the song evolved into us exploring this idea of, rather than running from your biggest fears what it would be like to embrace them?" continued his brother Spencer. "It's just crazy because we recorded that song in our little home studio, and it's just crazy to see, like today at this festival, all these people coming out and singing the song. Yeah. Best feeling ever."

So, what's next for the band? Well, in addition to recording their debut full-length, "we also have some features that we've been working on that we can't announce, but we've got a couple songs coming out with artists that we really love, and very excited about that," Lee revealed. 

Watch the full interview with SHAED above. 

King Princess Talks Working With "Master Of Sound" Mark Ronson & Remixing Meryl Streep's 'Big Little Lies' Shriek

Jeremy Zucker Lolla 2019

Jeremy Zucker at Lolla 2019 

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

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Meet Us Behind The Scenes At Lollapalooza 2019

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Chicago's iconic Lolla fest is a marathon four-day event, and the many artists who've visited our Recording Academy tent have kept the good vibes strong all week
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Aug 3, 2019 - 9:16 am

The Recording Academy is at Lollapalooza 2019 this week, meeting up with a slew of amazing artists on the lineup. Scroll down to go on the road with us, live from Chicago's gorgeous skyscraper-lined Grant Park, as it becomes the Midwest's music mecca for the long weekend. We'll update this gallery as more artists pop in, so check back here for more excusive photos and soundbites. 

Jeremy Zucker Lolla 2019

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

Rising chill-pop singer/songwriter Jeremy Zucker was our very first guest on day one and shared his excitement for the sunny day ahead and the opportunity to play for one of his biggest crowds to date.

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

As singer/songwriter/producer King Princess walked through the press lounge, she couldn't get too far without being stopped for a photo—she was ready, in her mom's vintage '92 Lolla tee and custom painted-to-match white jeans. In addition to her epic look, we talked about her hopes for her Lolla performance, new music and more—read the full interview here.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

French producer/looping-master/multi-instrumentalist FKJ stopped by before his Thursday set to talk musical experimentation on stage and generally preferring to go with the flow whenever possible. He also shared how his breakthrough single with Masego, "Tadow," was created in one-take in the studio—read the full interview here.

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

French electronic composer/producer CloZee also stopped by to chat with us Thursday, right before she got the crowd grooving to her trippy, expansive music. She shared her excitement for her first-ever Lolla experience, some of her diverse musical influences and her love of Hans Zimmer. Find the conversation here.

RÜFÜS DU SOL Lolla 2019

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

Australian indie electronic trio RÜFÜS DU SOL made time to stop by the Recording Academy lounge during their busy and quick Chicago trip, which included two Lolla Aftershows to bookend their electric sunset show the first night of the fest, before they headed to Montreal's Osheaga Festival. They talked about their love for the Windy City, hitting up arcades on tour and their plan to work on their follow-up to Solace once they wrap up their 2019 tour in late-October.  

The revealed that the forthcoming fourth studio album, like the last three, will be recorded in a new space. Lead singer Tyrone Lindqvist told us, "We always like to relocate somewhat from the place that we wrote the previous record. So, I think that we're gonna try to write separately, just for a little bit, in our own homes… We're gonna do that for at least the next six months and then we'll probably find a place to go write again next year."

Alexander 23 at Lolla 2019

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

Fresh off his Lollapalooza debut, homegrown hero and rising indie-pop artist Alexander 23 stopped by to talk about his "surreal" experience performing the fest he used to attend as a local teen. "The last time I was here, I saw Chance [The Rapper] play the same stage I was playing, so to be on the other side of that, six or so years later, was the best day of my life," Alexander told us, grinning ear to ear.

Jackie Foster at Lolla 2019

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

Singer/songwriter Jackie Foster stopped by our lounge shortly after her first-ever festival show, beaming, shimmery and still glowing from the crowd's love. A recent graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Foster was one of six artists hand-selected by the students of the Berklee Popular Music Institute year-long course, which provides practical experience for everyone involved, as they team up to prepare those selected for a festival show.

"I am ecstatic and honestly, more so than anything, the crowd that I had, they were so into it. That obviously makes me want to be a better performer. I loved the crowd, I felt so confident and I think this just reassures everything that I've hoped as an artist that this is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life," Foster told us, smiling.

Krilly at Lolla 2019

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

Emerging Canadian rapper Killy stopped by after his big Thursday set at Lolla, sharing how he loved the energy of the crowd and their ability to mosh and get "lit" with him.

Josie Dunne at Lolla 2019

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

Bubbly Chicago-born, Nashville-based pop singer/songwriter Josie Dunne was not officially on the Lolla 2019 lineup, but she was asked to cameo for several other artists' sets and was having a great time. She shared that it was her seventh time at the big fest, but first time as a performer and was having a fabulous time so far.

Falu at Lolla 2019

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

GRAMMY nominee Falu, whose 2018 album Falu's Baazar was nominated for Best Children's Album at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, brought her "musical journey through South Asian culture" live show to the fest's lively Kidspalooza stage over the weekend. She shared her joy for bringing the album's live show to the fest, telling us; "I've never felt this excited to be performing at any festival before, it's a lifetime experience and I'm so lucky…I think a whole new world opened up for me."

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Rising electropop trio SHAED sat down with the Recording Academy to talk about living the dream as they travel the world, the meaning behind their hit song "Trampoline" and working on their debut full length album. Check out their interview here. 

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

DJ/Producer Whethan hung out to chat about what to expect on his upcoming debut album, working with longtime heroes STRFKR, playing in his hometown of Chicago and more. Check out his full interview here.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Norwegian DJ and producer Matoma also sat down with the Recording Academy to talk about his single "Bruised Not Broken," working with MNEK, when his next single is coming out and more. Check out his full interview here.

Alesso at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Swedish DJ/producer Alesso and his all-black clad posse stopped by our tent shortly after arriving in Chicago on Friday for his massive headline set at the fest. He talked about the big Lolla show, Tomorrowland, recent releses and more "hardcore dance music" that's on the way. Check out our full conversation here. 

HONNE at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

British electro-soul duo HONNE, consisting of James Hatcher and Andy Clutterbuck, sat down before their vibey Friday evening Lolla set to talk about their return to the fest, their last album, Love Me / Love Me Not, and connecting back home on the road by drinking loads of English breakfast tea. Check out our fun chat here.

Conan Gray at Lolla 2019

Photo: Ana Yglesias/Recording Academy

Rising singer/songwriter Conan Gray stopped by to talk about his Lolla debut—and first-ever festival show. The 20 year-old artist was glowing and excited for the big moment and we were grateful to share it with him.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Rising indie electro-pop star Chelsea Cutler sat down with the Recording Academy to talk about her latest album brent with friend and fellow singer/songwriter Jeremy Zucker (pictured above!). Check out our conversation here.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

DJ and producer SNAILS did his first-ever DJ collab set with his label, Slugz Music, and Gud Vibrations, a.k.a. NGHTMRE & SLANDER during their shared Friday headline set. "It's a dream coming true, it's pretty insane," the Canadian DJ said the day after the big show. Hear more about it from him here.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

AJR, made up of brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan Met, stopped by to chat with the Recording Academy before their Saturday set to share why they love playing festivals like Lolla.  

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

L.A.-based DJ/Producer Elephante stopped by to chat about everything he's been up to lately. First and foremost, he's just released a new song called "Diamond Days," which also happens to be the name of his upcoming fall tour. 

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

French DJ/Producer Madeon debuted the Good Faith Live experience at Lollapalooza. "I think it's a show that works best on a larger scale, and a festival felt like a great place to do that so I can bring an appropriately sized production," he told the Recording Academy.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Gamer-turned-singer/DJ/producer CRAY has an infectious energy both on and off stage. She brought that same glow backstage during a chat with the Recording Academy right after her Friday Lolla set, were she debuted singing live on stage. 

123 Andres at Lollapalooza

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Latin GRAMMY winners 123 Andres—their bilingual Spanish and English album Arriba Abajo won Best Children's album at the 17th Latin GRAMMY Awards—stopped by, all smiles, before they brought their upbeat, inclusive music to the Kidzapalooza stage.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

The Memphis pop-rock quartet The Band Camino stopped by before their big Lolla stage moment on Saturday to share their excitement. We also talked about other fun things, like their early musical influences, which including everything from the Eagles to The Killers to Coldplay and Taylor Swift. "This will be the biggest festival we've ever played, by far," singer Jeffrey Jordan told us. Check out the conversation here.

Evan Konrad at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Emerging Canadian singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Evan Konrad visited the Recording Academy's lounge after his Lolla stage debut to share in the excitement of the long weekend.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Tucker Pillsbury, a.k.a. singer-songwriter Role Model, stopped by to chat with the Recording Academy before his debut Lolla set, which also happened to be his first-ever festival performance. He talked about his mentality going into playing to live audiences (he doesn't like to overthink things), feeling impatient to release new music and more. You can listen to our chat here.

Loud Luxury at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

L.A.-based Canadian DJ/producer duo Loud Luxury, consisting of Andrew Fedyk and Joe Depace, got loud during their massive-energy Lolla set on Saturday. They were excited to follow up the big vibes they experienced during their Lollapalooza shows in South America earlier this year with one at its flagship fest, on Depace's birthday, nonetheless. You can hear a bit about that in our Lolla recap video.

Tessa Violet at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

The effortlessly stylish Tessa Violet came over to give us her fiercest looks and share in the excitement of Lolla 2019, before she performed some of her new music on Saturday.

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Nashville folk/pop trio Judah & The Lion, a.k.a. singer/guitarist Judah Akers, singer/mandolinist Brian Macdonald and banjoist/singer Nate Zuercher, recently released a powerful third LP called Pep Talks. The three of them sat down with us before their big Lolla show to chat about the album and Aker's deeply personal life experiences that inspired its subject matter. You can watch the interview here.

Photo: Jacklyn Krol/Recording Academy

Fresh off releasing her Una Vez Mas EP, pop singer Malu Trevejo stepped onto the Lollapalooza stage for the very first. The moment was a scary one for the 16-year-old Cuban-Spanish artist, but it was one that made her feel proud. She talked to the Recording Academy about the big moment, the album, advice for staying focused and more. Check out her full interview here. 

Coi Leray at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

New Jersey-raised rising rapper Coi Leray has mad swag at all times, especially when she visited us at Lollapalooza, with her bright orange tiger-striped look. She shared a bit of her big on-stage vibes afterwards in the press lounge, and we were grateful.

6LACK at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

We caught up with GRAMMY-nominated Atlanta alt-R&B artist 6LACK shortly before his Saturday Lolla show to talk about his return to the fest, recent collabs and when we can expect new music. We also learned more about his latest video for "Seasons" and how it felt to reunite with his fellow GRAMMY nominee Khalid. You can peep the whole interview here.

Shaq at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

NBA Hall Of Famer Shaquille O'Neil may be best known for his awe-inspiring moves on the basketball court, but now he's perfecting the art of making crowds go crazy from behind the DJ booth as DJ Diesel. We sat down with him before he got the kids dancing at his packed—and apparently very lit—Sunday DJ set. We discussed his musical evolution, love of bass music, how he crafts his sets on the fly, scratching his father's Commodores record after getting his first turntables in the '80s and more. Check out our chat here.

J.I.D. at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Rising hip-hop artist J.I.D., part of J. Cole's Dreamville Records powerhouse squad, has been on fire lately. Just minutes after making his Lollapalooza debut, the Atlanta rapper explained the mood behind his new album, DiCaprio 2. "I wanted it to be a festival-like project… So I made these songs specifically for energy, for working out, for cardio." You can enjoy the conversation here.

The Revivalists at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Eight-piece soul rockers The Revivalists went big for their fourth full-length album, last year's Take Good Care, enlisting the help of a trio of producers to let their New Orleans sound shine. Six out of eight of the bandmembers stopped by to chat before their powerful Sunday Lolla show.

"You start working with different producers and it's nice having another mindset in there where they can completely flip the idea of what you had for a song and then reinvigorate it and put new life into it," bassist George Gekas told us. Learn more in our interview here.

Yung Gravy at Lolla 2019

Photo: Daniel Mendoza/Recording Academy

Minnesota rapper Yung Gravy is continuing to grow a following for his humorous lyrics and rap beats, and just released his debut album Sensational in May. He stopped by before his Sunday Lolla set to talk about Chicago, which he calls his second home, to reminisce about his first show ever, talk about the LP, musical influences and more. Check out the convo here.

6 Reasons To Be Psyched For Lollapalooza 2019, From J Balvin's Historic Set To Dancing With Shaq

Elephante

Photo by Daniel Mendoza / The Recording Academy

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Elephante Talks New Side Project With 'How To Get Away With Murder''s Jack Falahee

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While On The Road at Lollapalooza 2019, L.A. Producer/DJ Elephante chatted with the Recording Academy about his latest single, "Diamond Days," upcoming tour, how he "keeps it fresh" and more
Rachel Brodsky
GRAMMYs
Aug 2, 2019 - 4:44 pm

L.A.-based DJ/Producer Elephante, who is playing Lollapalooza this year, stopped by to chat with the Recording Academy about everything he's been up to lately. First and foremost, he's just released a new song called "Diamond Days," which also happens to be the name of his upcoming fall tour. 

"And then I also am starting a side project, a new, completely different thing with my good friend Jack Falahee, who's an actor on How To Get Away With Murder," revealed Elephante. "We actually went to high school together. It's called 'Diplomacy,' and it's a completely new vibe."

Elephante Talks "Diamond Days"

When asked how he stays ahead of the curve, artistically, the DJ had a zen response: "It's one of those weird things where you can't try to keep it fresh," he mused. "You either do or you don't. Not to get too Yoda on it, but you just have to find things, you're inspired by and sounds and experiences and stories and just let that guide you and not get too caught up in what's popular or what's working on radio or what's getting critical acclaim.

"My entire career, every time I've tried to fit something into a formula or have a reason for doing something, it's never turned out good," he continued. "And it's always the stuff where it's like, I don't know what's happening. And I don't know where this came from or, this doesn't sound like anything I've heard before. That's the good stuff and that's the stuff that I think fans really react to and really inspire."

Watch Elephante's Lollapalooza 2019 interview with the Recording Academy in full above. 

Looping Guru FKJ Talks Improvising "Tadow" With Masego & Being "A Melting Pot"