From your social media timeline to the biggest stages in the scene, HEYZ is making “noi.”
The Denver-based dubstep heavyweight’s online antics have caught the attention of more than 10 million social media users and the world’s biggest celebrities, but it’s his booming beats that are winning over headbangers on the dance floor.
After debuting a huge slate of IDs in his debut performance at EDC Las Vegas last weekend, where he was the first artist to play the festival’s newly redesigned Basspod stage at sundown, the producer and DJ is bringing his hard-hitting catalog on the road for an onslaught of even major festival debuts this summer: Electric Forest, Zombie Apocalypse, Beyond Wonderland Chicago, and many more.
The night after his EDC performance, the biggest of his career so far, HEYZ sat down with EDM Maniac to talk about how his humor and studio skills have combined to set him on the path to success.
EDM Maniac: We’re here at EDC, which has been a bucket list festival for you for a while. What was it like to step out onto Basspod to make your festival debut in the sunset slot?
HEYZ: It was nuts. It’s pretty surreal. I’ve been watching the livestreams forever, and then the new Basspod stage, and being the first artist to play that night slot, suck dud. I look out, and there’s I don’t even know how many people, but it was a lot. It was sweet. I loved it.
EDM Maniac: What’s one track that you think got the best reaction from the crowd?
HEYZ: I made a flip of “Word Scramble.” That one popped off, and honestly, a lot of my original IDs did real well, so that felt good. I queued up the pyro and shit for those, gave them a little extra juice. Those were sweet.
EDM Maniac: It was the first of a massive summer of major festival debuts for you. Looking ahead, how are we feeling about the upcoming summer run, and what does it mean to you to be landing on these lineups after years of hard work?
HEYZ: I got a lot of bucket list festivals this year, EDC Vegas, Electric Forest, Lost Lands, got a very good slot on that fest. Zombie Apocalypse as well. I think I’m on the main stage of that one.
Last year, we did a ton of tour stops in small sites. I was hitting Bozeman, Montana, on Thursdays and stuff. This year, we’re focusing on big festival plays. Less shows, but bigger ones. I’ve always dreamt of having the year where I get to play all these bucket list fests, and it’s happening this year, so it’s sick as hell.
EDM Maniac: Tell us a little bit about how your “Word Scramble” flip came together. The original is a big tune, but what were you looking to do to put your own spin on it?
HEYZ: I don’t even know why I flipped that song. It just came up randomly. I think I had a track idea without any vocals or anything, and I was like, ‘This would just fit really well.’ I just whipped it out in like two days, and it was crushed. I used a lot of presets and kind of messed with them from a Fracture preset back, the drums and stuff. So if you need some fire stuff, download that fracture pack. It’s really, really gas.
EDM Maniac: That track has been getting a lot of buzz online. But it’s not the first time. Your tunes have been reposted by Drake, Justin Bieber, and other celebrities outside of dance music. What’s that like to see? Have you connected with them?
HEYZ: I feel like any giant celebrities, mid-crash-out, will post HEYZ shit on their stories, and I don’t know why. It’ll be like 8AM, and I know they haven’t slept and they’re getting hammered posting my shit on their stories. Like, why is Justin Bieber posting my “pitoris” jokes late at night? It’s crazy. I think just that story alone, and it was deep in his stories, got like 5 million views. I can’t even imagine posting a story like that and getting that many views. It’s nuts.
I’ve tried to DM Drake for like four years. He hasn’t hit me back.
EDM Maniac: The jokes alongside the beats have seen you hailed as one of the funniest guys in bass music. Where do you think you get your comedic timing from?
HEYZ: I think I’ve always just been that guy. I don’t take myself too seriously. In high school, my math teacher would sit me in the hall in my own chair because I was too disruptive. I’ve just always been that dude that tries to make people laugh and shit. COVID times, I was just making a bunch of TikToks and being goofy and it just stuck. Just being an idiot, having fun helps.
EDM Maniac: As we get into the meat of festival season. What are you most stoked for this summer?
HEYZ: I was stoked as hell for yesterday. That was big. Electric Forest, super stoked for that. Dancefestopia, I have a really good slot and I love that festival. It’s just a good vibe to be at the fest. Lost Lands. It’s just back-to-back really good stuff. This was the first one of the bucket list fests, so I’m itching to play again. I want to go play right now, put my USB in someone’s deck. It was so fun.
EDM Maniac: Besides your own, what are your can’t-miss sets on this year’s EDC lineup?
HEYZ: Tonight’s nuts. It’s John Summit into fireworks, into Subtronics, into Kaskade, and Above & Beyond. Pretty stacked on the main stage. I also really like progressive house, so I’m gonna try to find some Anjuna guys or something. I want to go see the Prodigy, and then Sub Focus is on now.
Featured image courtesy: HEYZ.