From the depths of NYC, Squired has become a name many haven’t forgotten. His smooth and relentless productions have carried him through a wormhole of exciting opportunities and movements. Tapping into a dark and spiritual realm over the years and working his hardest to harness an energy only he can possess. From star-striking melodies and impeccable sound design to carefully picked-out drums that will knock you out of your seats with every given second, he’s always going above and beyond to give his audience an experience that’ll last for years. Not to mention he’s combined forces with some of the best in the game such as Cerdin, Juelz, Adventure Club, and more!
His unpredictable flow and execution are always leaving listeners astonished and blown away. Transporting you into a hypnotic and intoxicating club space with each release. And it’s with our great honor and pleasure to celebrate his journey with his very own guest mix and interview! So prepare for an absolute rush through your minds as you embark on a sonic ride through the eye of a storm. We also talk about the artist’s beginnings as well as his hopes for the future!
First off, thank you so much for taking the time and joining us! How are you?
Absolutely, thanks for having me! I’ve been great! Been a lot to celebrate the past few weeks, and it’s been nice to finally get some time to relax and decompress after the EP and release party.
I was trying to capture that same fun & raw club energy that just makes people want to dance.
What can listeners expect when diving into this beautiful mix?
With this mix, I wanted to both showcase my new EP, FLASH which just dropped as well as many of the inspirations behind the project. I was trying to capture that same fun & raw club energy that just makes people want to dance. This mix, much like the EP, was intended for a live setting. You can also expect a few IDs from me and some of my close friends & collaborators too :)
How did the Squired project start? What are its origins?
I first began DJing and producing back in 2012, so it’s been a minute. Honestly, makes me feel so old saying that. I didn’t really start taking it seriously until 2015 though, back when I was in this duo Opvs. That was my primary creative outlet for a while, but I had always been making music for the Squired project on the side. Then in 2018, I left Opvs to focus on Squired, and from there I’d say was really where Squired started to bloom and take shape.
Living in New York City, how has the electronic music scene changed throughout your time living there? Where do you see it going in the future?
The electronic scene in NYC is definitely interesting. Before COVID in 2020, the scene here always felt big. There were a lot of promoters throwing shows in all sorts of genres, especially in the trap & bass sphere, but post-COVID a lot of those same promoters either left or went away. That’s not to say that there isn’t still a huge electronic scene here, but it certainly is not what it used to be and shows are fewer and far between. With the resurgence of trap (even though in my head trap never died lol) I feel like we are going to start seeing more and more shows like that happening here. I know some friends and I have discussed wanting to throw more events on our own instead of waiting for stuff to happen, so we’ll see what the future holds!
Congratulations on your debut EP, FLASH. What an amazing achievement for you and your journey! What was the main inspiration behind the project? Do you have a personal favorite track off it?
Thank you so much, seriously! Working on FLASH is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my music career thus far. I’m just so happy with how it all came together! Since finishing the project, I really feel like I’ve learned so much and developed as both an artist and producer. Frankly, it’s made me so much better at writing and creating on the whole.
All the records on FLASH were just simple beats and ideas I wrote for fun. At the time, I was in a place where I felt like I had forgotten how to make music, and would never be able to finish a track again. I put so much pressure on myself with this other project that I was writing, and it really started to hinder me, and ultimately left me in a state of writer’s block. With FLASH I just wanted to get back to that place where the process of producing was exciting and fun, and there wasn’t all this pressure around what I’d end up leaving with it at the end of a session. And that’s really what FLASH is all about, just harnessing that fun, club energy with each track purpose-built for a live setting.
If I had to pick a favorite off the EP, I’d probably go with “RTC’” just because I really feel like I leveled up my production on that one, and it’s probably one of the cleanest records I’ve ever produced.
I feel like I never really celebrate my achievements and always diminish them but, being able to sell out my debut EP release party with all my friends Buns, Bafu & Pixel Prince on the lineup was a dream.
You recently threw a massive EP release party to celebrate in Brooklyn! Tell us about that experience! The lineup was wild.
I still can’t believe we pulled that off. I feel like I never really celebrate my achievements and always diminish them but, being able to sell out my debut EP release party with all my friends Buns, Bafu & Pixel Prince on the lineup was a dream. It took me like the entirety of the next week to really digest what it meant. Super proud of what we made happen with that show, and what it means for the future of this project. It’s something I’ll never forget, and am forever grateful to everyone who made it possible!
What’s your favorite part of living in New York City? And does the atmosphere inspire your work today?
Yeah, NYC absolutely has a massive impact on everything I make. The energy here is unlike anywhere else in America and I don’t know if I could ever live anywhere else in the US. There is just something so exciting about the endless possibilities here and I love the chaotic energy of New York City. The summertime here is definitely peak inspiration for me! Nothing beats walking around NYC with some friends, and getting dinner & drinks outside while watching golden hour set in!
You’ve worked with some amazing artists such as Adventure Club, Cerdin, Juelz, and more! Are there any artists out there you’d love to collaborate with in the future?
Skrillex, just like every other producer lol. I’d also love to work with Wavedash, FrostTop, Montell2099 & Jukaa. There are endless artists from all genres of music that I could list out here, but these are just a few that came to mind!
Is there any underground talent you’ve been admiring recently that deserves a lot more attention?
Absolutely, 1000%. Cerdin, this dude is just one of the most incredible artists (and people) I’ve worked with! He wrote “NOREST” with me on the EP and did the cover artwork for the project. He is truly your favorite producer’s, favorite producer. Also, my friend BUNS, who opened my release party the other week. She has so much sick music coming out. She is also one of the best live DJs I’ve seen, and is similarly an incredible person!
I’ve just realized at the end of the day there is so much that just isn’t in your control and that’s just how it is. So to be able to detach and have other things in your life that give you a sense of fulfillment and joy has truly helped me so much. I used to get all my happiness from things I accomplished in my music career and that was a horrible state of mind to be in.
The industry can be such an overwhelming and toxic space with so much to take in, what do you personally do in order to just let go and step back from everything?
I used to be really bad about comparing myself to others and friends of mine, but that quote “comparison is the thief of joy” is always front of mind now. As a result, I’ve gotten so much better about not comparing myself to others. This industry can be so cutthroat and a lot of it isn’t fair, but at the end of the day, I just do my best and try to do all the things I can to make sure I never have any regrets in music. I’ve realized at the end of the day there is so much that just isn’t in your control and that’s just how it is. So to be able to detach and have other things in your life that give you a sense of fulfillment and joy has truly helped me so much. I used to derive all my happiness from things I accomplished in my music career and that was a horrible state of mind to be in.
Now that you’ve concluded such an amazing chapter with your EP, what’s next for you this year?
Well the EP chapter isn’t exactly over….there’s still a little more on the way there. In addition I’m planning on dropping more collabs, singles, and bootlegs later this year. I’m also continuing to work on my follow-up project. This one has been in the works for some years now, and was initially supposed to come out prior to FLASH before my team and I switched gears. It’s going to showcase another side of me sonically and I’m really excited for people to hear it!
Finally, I’ve got another huge announcement coming this summer, and it’s safe to that it’s one of the most insane things I’ve ever done. I’m dying to share it and I promise I will soon :)
Any final words you’d like to say to our listeners and viewers?
Just want to say thank you to FUXWITHIT for having me and for all the support on this EP! Same to everyone who has read this far in, and all those who have supported me along the way! Thank you all!!
Squired FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist
Squired – RTC
Young Miko – Lisa (Control Freak Remix)
WAVEDASH & Shadient – Get Wicked x SKEEYEE (Squired Edit)
Peekaboo – All I Need is Bass
Nitepunk – Steps On You (Peep My Style)
Adame DJ – Agressiva do VoltMix
Jengi – BEL MERCY (RICHTANNER Remix)
Posij – B-Boy Sonatta ’99
Juelz – Inferno (Squired Remix)
Squired – ID
Destiny’s Child – Lose My Breath (camoufly Remix)
Ivy Lab – Kai Tech (Cerdin Klub Tech Edit)
Yoofee – Seek & Move
Silcrow – TAKE ME DOWN
ISOxo – MOONSPELL
Baby Tate – Pedi (Gaszia Edit)
Casement – Sophie Riddim (Work Edit)
Squired – SONAR x PRINCESS SONAR (VIP Live Edit)
Skrillex, Hamdi, TAICHU – Push (Lizdek Remix)
Central Cee – Entrepeneur (borne Remix)
Godlands & Cerdin – ID
4B & Viperactive – Throw it Back
Squired & Cerdin – NOREST
Cesco – Up The Place (Gaszia Edit)
Squired – Watch Me Take It
WINK – SHAKEN
Joy Orbison – Flight FM (140 Lil Yachty Edit)
Baby Keem – Vent (Viperactive Remix) w/ Angels Crest
WAVEDASH – Stutter
Ken Carson – Fighting My Demons (SLICK EDIT)
Nitepunk & Habstrakt – Point (Nvadrz & WINK Remix)
Bladee – Sid by Side (feat. Thaiboy Digital)
Rustie – Terra Star
PinkPantheress – Just for Me (kmoe rage edit)
Squired & KLAXX – ID (w/ shypop vocals)
A.G. Cook – Show Me What (Cerdin Remix)
Ecco2k – Peroxide
Vierre Cloud – the moment
Squired – the way we used to be
Upgrade – Won’t Hold Back
The Weeknd – Out of Time (Juelz & Squired Remix)
Squired & Cerdin – GASLEAK
