Based in Hamburg, Germany, DJ duo WITH U; longtime friends Philip and Marlon; have built their sound around rhythm, emotion and a genuine connection with the dancefloor. Emerging from the Afro House scene, the duo has developed a dynamic style that blends Afro House and Melodic House with increasingly diverse influences, including Indie Dance.
Their journey began with a shared passion for music and more than a decade of experience developing their back-to-back chemistry. Their debut release, ‘Karibu’, quickly found an international audience and has since surpassed 85 million Spotify streams, while the duo now reaches more than 2.3 million monthly listeners.
Beyond the numbers, WITH U have continued to build their identity through live experiences. Their debut live set at HÖR Berlin was followed by performances across Europe and beyond, including Formula 1 Singapore, Voyage Lisbon, Bootshaus Cologne, Kraftwerk Zürich and COSY BOX Delhi. They were also recognized by Shazam as one of its 50 promising artists for 2025.
With their latest release, ‘Do You Mean’, the duo continues to explore the space between club energy and everyday listening, while upcoming releases promise to reveal an even more dancefloor-focused side of their sound.
We caught up with WITH U to discuss their Hamburg roots, evolving sound, the importance of human connection, the changing electronic music landscape, AI, and what comes next.
Many artists today move across and blend genres rather than fitting neatly into a single category. How would you personally define or label your sound, and what genres, subgenres, or underground scenes have most influenced and shaped your evolution as an artist?
We would definitely describe our sound as very diverse and dynamic. Right now, we love incorporating Indie Dance elements and blending them smoothly with our signature Afro and Melodic House sound. Our upcoming releases will definitely reflect that as well.
Throughout our evolution, we’ve been deeply shaped by incredible artists who push boundaries. Solomun, coming from our home city, has been a huge inspiration, alongside heavyweights like Keinemusik, Black Coffee, Âme and Kollektiv Turmstrasse.
We are constantly experimenting and evolving, and we see our sound as an ongoing journey rather than something fixed in a single category.
How did the environment you grew up in shape you as an artist, and in what ways does it still influence your creative identity today?
Growing up in a big city like Hamburg, with such a rich music scene and strong electronic roots, had a massive impact on us. Seeing local icons like Solomun rise from the same hometown showed us early on what was possible and fueled our passion for house music.
That environment taught us to stay open-minded and versatile with genres. Today, that local energy and spirit still heavily shape our creative identity – it keeps us grounded, inspires our track selection, and drives us to continuously push our sound forward.
Can you share a brief, compelling narrative or inspiration behind your new release?
Every track has its own journey, but for ‘Do You Mean’, the inspiration came straight from the dancefloor and everyday life. We wanted to create something you can listen to anytime – a track that brings heavy energy to the dancefloor, but is just as vibey when you’re rolling down the windows in your car.
The magic really happened in the studio while working on the instrumental. Benji, the vocalist on the song, happened to be in the studio with us, heard the beat, and walked straight up to the microphone.
The lyrics came together completely spontaneously, capturing what he was feeling right there in the present moment. That organic, in-time-moment energy is what makes this release so special to us.
Do you prefer producing music in a studio setting, or are you more comfortable creating on the road or during touring?
We definitely prefer both!
We love creating music that comes naturally out of the moment – whether we’re on a plane, touring in India, or simply locked in the studio. However, when you’re on tour, you get so many fresh, new impressions and a special energy that you can sometimes channel directly into your music.
Both settings feed off each other for us.
Have you performed at any major music festivals or large-scale venues? If so, which one would you consider the most significant milestone in your career so far?
We’ve been fortunate to share our music in some incredible places, but a massive milestone for us was definitely Zamna India. The energy on the dancefloor was completely crazy, and the crowd radiated so much pure love for the music.
Another unforgettable highlight was playing right under the famous bridge in Lisbon in front of 4,000 people, as well as the Red Bull afterparty in Singapore.
Those moments show us how music truly connects people across the globe, and they keep pushing us forward.
Do you feel more connected to the energy of major festival stages or the raw intimacy of underground warehouse parties and DIY spaces, or do you find inspiration equally in both worlds?
We honestly love both, but they offer completely different experiences.
The scale and energy of major festival stages are immense and unforgettable. However, at bigger festivals, you sometimes miss that direct, intimate connection with the crowd. That raw closeness and deep exchange of energy is something you usually feel much better at local parties and underground spaces.
Both worlds balance each other out for us – one gives us scale, the other gives us pure soul.
What role does rebellion or counterculture play in your music?
For us, rebellion isn’t about going against things just for the sake of it; it’s about staying true to our artistic vision rather than chasing commercial trends.
We definitely got very lucky with our first release, ‘Karibu’, which ended up being played all over the world and on radio stations everywhere. But honestly, that was never our primary goal.
We want to create music that takes people on a journey and conveys real emotions. Trying to force a “radio hit” has never been what drives us.
Whether we’re blending Indie Dance, Afro and Melodic House or playing live, that freedom to create pure, meaningful expressions is at the core of our identity.
How would you evaluate the current state of the global EDM scene in terms of its overall health and creative direction?
We see the current global scene in a really exciting place, especially creatively. Musically, we are in a phase of strong growth and openness – genres are blending more than ever, and people are eager for fresh, unique sounds.
At the same time, the scene faces challenges. Everything has become very fast-paced, and underground clubs or independent spaces are fighting harder to survive in many cities.
One thing we actually find a bit unfortunate is how fast-paced the scene has become because of social media. Today, you can have a massive track, and everyone listens to the song, but people often stop digging deeper. They consume the audio clip, but they don’t always engage with the artist behind it or the story of how it was created.
For us, electronic music has always been about a deeper connection – understanding who is behind the decks, sharing a journey, and building a real bond with the community.
Overall, though, the creative energy and passion outweigh the hurdles, and we focus on lasting musical experiences rather than just fast, short-lived hype.
Do you see AI as a threat to musicians, a helpful collaborator, or something else?
We see AI as something that is definitely changing the landscape, but for us, music is ultimately about human emotion, personal stories, and genuine connection – things an algorithm can’t truly replicate.
We don’t rely on AI to create our sound because the soul of our music comes from real moments, like Benji improvising lyrics in the studio or the unique energy of playing live under a bridge in Lisbon.
To stay relevant, our approach is to double down on what makes us human: our own experiences, real collaboration, and building authentic bonds with our listeners.
Technology can change how music is distributed or produced, but a genuine human story will always stand out.
What’s one piece of advice you would offer to an aspiring DJ or producer looking to break into the music scene today?
Our biggest piece of advice would be: don’t try to chase what’s what’s currently trending just to fit in. Focus on finding your own unique sound and stay patient.
The music industry moves super fast, and it’s easy to get lost in trying to please everyone. Build genuine connections, trust your gut, and put your true emotion into the music.
When you create from a real place, people will feel it on the dancefloor, and that authenticity is what ultimately lasts.
What is the official title of your latest or upcoming single, EP, or album?
‘Do You Mean’ – WITH U, released on 3 July 2026.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the next phase of your artistic journey, both creatively and personally?
What excited us the most is the freedom to keep experimenting and seeing where our sound takes us.
Creatively, we want to push the boundaries of blending genres even further and collaborate with more amazing vocalists and artists from around the world.
Personally, it’s about growing alongside our community, traveling to new places we’ve never played before, and experiencing those unforgettable moments on the dancefloor.
We’re just excited to keep sharing our journey and enjoying every step of the ride.
Are there any upcoming festivals, tours, collaborations, headline shows, or major projects listeners should keep an eye out for over the coming months?
We definitely have some exciting things on the horizon!
Our upcoming releases are going to be very dancefloor and club-oriented. With these tracks, we want to show a different side of ourselves that people might not have heard from us yet, and they will heavily reflect our live sound.
Without giving away too much, we have some special upcoming releases and exciting collaborations in the pipeline. On top of that, we’re planning new tour dates and shows around the world.
Personally, it’s about growing alongside our community and experiencing those unforgettable moments on the dancefloor. The best way to stay updated is to follow our socials – we love sharing the journey with our community.
Listen to WITH U on PLAYY. Music
Listen to the exclusive mix with WITH U HERE!
