A Conversation With Franky Wah

Hey Frankie, welcome to Dance Rebels, how are you? Please introduce yourself too, where are you from? Hey guys… thanks for having me. I’m really good thanks. I’m Franky Wah and I’m from Doncaster. 

How long have you been working in the music industry for? What inspired you to pursue this career? And what sacrifices in general have you had to make so far?Since I can remember, music has always been the most important thing in my life, but professionally it would be around 4 years. It was quite a gradual process to be honest. I’d like to say a few specific names or songs that inspired me, but I have so many musical influences it would be too hard to say. Music has always been my escape, so after listening to multiple genres in-depth for so long, I decided to start making it. That’s a good question, sacrifices, hmmm …. sleep would be the first thing. Forget a normal regime, that’s out of the window. If I have to stay in the studio until 4 in the morning to finish a track then so be it. People talk a lot about sacrifice in music but ultimately you get out of this what you put in. I don’t see any of this as sacrifice, I see it as this is what I have to do to get where I need to be. It’s as simple as that.

As a producer you’ve flirted with Techno, Tech House, House and Breaks, where do you draw you inspirations from when in the studio? What’s your current favourite plugin ATM too? I think over my years of producing a lot has changed for me. In the past in my sessions, I would go into the studio and just see what came out or just make a “banger” (haha!), but now I need something with emotion, something that gives you the feels, and a track that when you’re at a rave gives you goosebumps and creates that “moment”. For me, music always has and always will be about the journey. For plugin, ohhhh there’s so many but off the top of my head I would have to say anything u-he . 

Your most recent release entitled ‘Get Me High’ is a proper vibe! What’s your personal favourite highlight of the track? How long did the project take to complete too?The process was very simple, I came back from Sonar Festival In Barcelona having had that “moment” and I jumped in the studio and this track came out. Everything I tried seemed to worked. It didn’t take longer than three hours. I bounced it, listened in my car (which is my ritual for arrangement and mix down purposes) and make a few tweaks the following day and off it went for mastering. If only every track would be that easy haha. 

‘Get Me High’ was initially released via iVAV and now re-released via  Ministry of Sound and it’s scooped spins from various tastemakers including Tiesto, Danny Howard, Chicane, Pete Tong and many more, how does this make you feel in general? Very humbled for a start. It’s literally a dream come true and has left me speechless so many times. It’s an incredible feeling when people connect with something exactly how you envisioned it.

When you’re starting a new project from scratch in the studio, what part of the track do you usually begin with? The melody, the drop? If you could give one piece of producing advice, what would it be too? Majority of my projects start the same… ‘Get Me High’ started with an amen loop and I built everything from there. Make what you like and not what you think other people like. Too many times producers make music for a specific label that may not necessarily be what they like just be to get signed. It then gets turned down and you’re left with tracks that have no use. I can honestly say that the best tracks I have made have always been the ones where I’ve just done what I wanted.

If you could also produce a record with any artist, and release it via any label, what would your selections be, and why? Ahhhh probably the hardest question to answer. Tale Of Us spring to mind – I’m really feeling the sound they’re putting out on their Afterlife imprint. I’ve seen them play many times and love their productions also. 

If you could also produce a record with any artist, and release it via any label, what would your selections be, and why? Ahhhh probably the hardest question to answer. Tale Of Us spring to mind – I’m really feeling the sound they’re putting out on their Afterlife imprint. I’ve seen them play many times and love their productions also. 

Finally, what are your summer plans? Do you have any more releases scheduled and any sick shows you’re performing at? I have some huge releases coming up and I’m really excited to showcase this sound, it’s very original. The diary is filling up with live dates also, I have Hideout and Creamfields to look forward to, as well as Spring Break Festival in Amsterdam in a couple of weeks.