Exclusive interview: New Dance Music Friday with Sophie Francis

We proudly present the New Dance Music Friday feature, your weekly update on all newly released dance tracks, brought together on one amazing playlist. Featured this week (among many others): Sophie Francis! She's releasing her new single 'Stay Up' today, and talks about the creation of it in this exclusive interview.

Hey, you just released your new single 'Stay Up‘. How did you create this?
"Long story!! haha The original song was different. Initially this was another song called 'Unbreakable', written almost two years ago in a writing camp in Amsterdam. I wasn’t involved on writing the lyrics, but it was one of my fav songs to produce because the summery vibe with the piano cords and guitars. I worked together with James Ericsson in the production, we made a very melodic drop matching the song. It was great. Later on we didn’t manage to clear the rights of the song, so I decided to enter in a writing session together with The Companions and we wrote a new song inspired in the current one. Then 'Stay Up' came to life :) We also wrote new melodies and recorded a new guitar part with a session musician in the studio, adapted the drop. And here is 'Stay Up'!!"

What does this record say about your musical evolution as an artist?
"I think this record shows my evolution in the melodies. The production now has more melodic drops and the use of melodic whistles, guitar riffs recorded with a session musician, bouncy synth stabs…I am learning a lot while co-working in the production with James Ericsson, and I also like to get involved in the writing of the lyrics, in this case 'Stay Up' was written together with the Dutch writers duo The Companions."

The track is featured on Spinnin’s New Dance Music Friday playlist. How important is streaming to you?
"Streaming is the coolest thing that could ever happen to music. Because it makes the music directly available and reachable for everyone, and helps people to discover new artists and songs. And it helps artists to release their music easier, and to reach a lot of people to be discovered and to increase exposure and potential fans or music consumers. It's really good and important!!"

Which tracks released this week should definitely be added to New Dance Music Friday?

Marshmello - 'Rooftop'

Hardwell & Wildstylez feat. Kifi - 'Shine A Light'

Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Dyna - 'Badman'

Big Pineapple - 'Another Chance' (Don Diablo edit) 

Kris Kross Amsterdam, The Boy Next Door ft Conor Maynard - 'Whenever' 

[Please note this playlist will change a week after this post]

Listen to New Dance Music Friday on Apple Music and Deezer