South African producer Kyle Watson has been working on music since 2007, and doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Recently, I got the opportunity to ask Kyle about his craft, working with different labels, and his new track “Break The Fall” with Atlanta based rapper, Grandma.
Hey Kyle! Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview!
All good! Thanks for having me.
You’ve been keeping busy this season! You released your collaboration with Apple Gule “I Got You”. You were also invited to do a One Mix for Apple Music. How do you balance your work whenever you find yourself working on multiple projects?
Yes it has been a crazy season for me. Actually it hasn’t felt like the momentum has dipped over the last 2 years or so, which is a good thing I guess! I find the key to balancing different things is just to be really good at time management. Set time aside for each project and try not to put too much onto your plate.
As an artist with releases on a wide variety of labels, what’s it like getting feedback and support on your projects from so many different sources?
It’s really great because it keeps you diverse and grounded. If you’re constantly signing to different labels and putting your music in front of different groups of people for critical analysis, it can only make you a better artist and widen your horizons.
You’ve mentioned in the past that Beatport was a great resource for finding music inspiration in your early years. Then in 2018, you were featured on their YouTube channel doing a studio session stream. How surreal is it now that you’re one of those sources that producers are looking to for guidance?
It’s wild, really. When I started releasing music in 2007 I never imagined that one day I’d be invited to share my knowledge on the same platform that I bought my first club records from! It’s really very humbling.
Do you still use Beatport and other music sites to find your music?
Absolutely! I do get a lot of promo material which is where I get the bulk of the music I play out. But even if I don’t buy anything off Beatport while I’m searching, it’s still important as a DJ to be aware of the charts and what people are feeling at the moment.
The House movement isn’t going away anytime soon here in the states! Is it still vibrant in South Africa?
The South African scene is a tricky one, because we don’t have the numbers or the budgets to consistently feature international talent like it is in the states. Like every country, we go through our ups and downs. But on the flipside of that, people are really passionate about their local acts and show pride when they achieve cool stuff on a global scale.
You’ve got a new track coming out soon. What can you say about “Break The Fall”?
Ah yes! I love this record, really. Grandma’s voice on it is super catchy and it just fits the production so naturally. It’s a crossover record as opposed to a straight up club record, so I’m hoping that when it drops it becomes something that people can hit repeat on wherever they are.
Festival season is right around the corner! You’re already booked for Coachella and Lightning In A Bottle. Do you have any rituals or traditions when you play a festival?
I don’t really have any, no. I get asked this question a lot so maybe it’s about time I came up with something haha!
Do you have any other big plans for 2020?
I’m planning on writing a lot of new original tracks this year and keeping the quality and relevance up. Diplo just picked up my latest EP so that’s pretty exciting, it’ll be dropping this year. I’m also hoping to tour my new show concept ‘My Machines’ in a few US cities towards the end of the year. Sit tight for details on that one!
Check out Kyle Watson & Grandma's new track, “Break The Fall” which is available now via Parametric Records.
