A couple of Adelaide creatives, earlier this year electronic producer M4SONIC and emerging indie pop artist Indy Stanton finally managed to get themselves in the same studio to collaborate after a number of years trying to arrange recording sessions.
An instant artistic connection was forged, both artists finding the other to have similar a work ethic not to mention a mirrored sense of humour.Then in spring they released their first collaboration, the dance-pop ballad 'Addicted To You'. "The idea for 'Addicted To You' came about the first time I ever met Nick (M4SONIC)," Indy says.
"We were sitting in the studio sort of introducing ourselves, and we spoke about how when we love something, we love it 100 per cent, there's no in between; and sometimes that's a wonderful thing and often times it's a very bad thing.
"So we kind of ran with the idea of being aware that you get 'addicted' to things and people. In the sense that, if I love someone, I will love them 100 per cent; and that can be a lot for some people.
"So we liked the idea of asking for permission to be addicted to someone. Like, 'if we do this, you need to know that I will be all in, so only be with me if you're ready for that'.
"It was a fun idea but it was also mad therapeutic – and by the end of the session we had this amazing song."
The response to 'Addicted To You'; landing at #3 on the Australian iTunes Dance Chart must've been a big confidence boost?
Indy: Oh huge confidence boost! I've never had a song chart on iTunes before, so to get to #3 was a dream come true.
M4SONIC: I second this; having never made music that was digestible to a broader audience than just the clubs, this has been a huge motivator in making more pop-friendly music.
The initial ideas for the song came together you've said only 20 minutes after you first met; that sounds wild; what were the feels like in that original session?
Indy: I was definitely nervous to make a good impression with M4SONIC as he was someone I'd been wanting to collaborate with for years.
Once we got to talking, he was just so relaxed and chilled and the song was written so organically. Definitely just showed us how well we work together to create music. It's a track I'm super proud of.
M4SONIC: That first meet-up, studio session was really brilliant in that Indy basically asked me a bunch of questions (as you do when first meet someone) and wrote an entire song inspired by my responses.
How did the collaborative partnership between you two come about and can we expect more releases in the future?
Indy: Honestly, I had like stalked him on Instagram and tried to get in touch to collaborate for about two years. And every time I reached out he was like 'yes for sure! I'm just touring right now so when I get back to Aus'.
So casual, haha. But then he finally made it back to little old Adelaide and he reached out to book in a time to collaborate and I jumped at the opportunity. In terms of new releases, we've definitely got some upcoming projects happening.
M4SONIC: Indy had released a song a few years back on our label Global League and I immediately wanted to collaborate, but wasn't in Adelaide at the time.
Years later we finally managed to meet up and now Indy is a regular at the studio, almost every second week working on her music, our collaborations and some really insanely huge international projects.
When ideas are zinging about the studio, how natural did you both feeling working with each other, being able to be your true, creative self?
Indy: This is going to sound absolutely wild, but we got to this point where we both just were on the absolute same brainwave. He'd have an idea and he'd just look at me and I'd be like 'yes great idea, let's do it'.
He was so nice and genuine from the get-go, so I got over my nerves pretty quickly and we were able to create this project.
M4SONIC: Even better, Indy and I have the funniest sessions because we take the absolute mickey out of each other when we say stupid things or make a mistake. The banter is legendary.
Indy: The behind the scenes vision you posted about the song's music video shoot looked amazing; it's a 1950s theme, right?
Yes! 1950s themed. I'm so excited for everyone to see it.
It's not everyday you get to film a music video; how much preparation goes into the actual day? Then how much waiting around is required during the shoot?
Indy: We had an amazing team working on this shoot and honestly, they worked non-stop to make sure everything was set up for the shoot day.
There's so much that goes into shooting a video, and it was so nice to have a team of people that we trusted completely. There's not too much waiting around, actually. The environment is very 'go, go, go!' At some points, someone would remind me to have some water or keep myself warm, but the entire day was pretty full on.
We're getting closer and closer to returning to the old normal, which means tours and live shows; what do you each have planned on this front?
Indy: I cannot wait for live shows to become a thing again. Definitely would love to tour.
The move away from the darker, harder EDM overtones of your previous work to the electro-pop vibes of 'Addicted To You'; was that a natural move for you?
M4SONIC: Actually strangely yes, as I've been writing this type of music since the very beginning but was too afraid to push it out under my M4SONIC moniker.
You posted to Instagram that the 'Addicted To You' project made you realise your love for storytelling through song; can you expand on that?
M4SONIC: I found myself disconnecting from most music as it became apparent to me that most club music had become very two-dimensional.
What I’ve identified and why I’m all about storytelling now, is that music is all about an emotional response – and in order to do that properly the music needs to be three-dimensional: resonate on a level that embraces, inspires and transcends the listener.
Music made in reflection to emotion is far better than music intended to ‘be a banger’. Storytelling genuinely makes that human connection.
You're co-founder of the Global League label; what new releases do you have in the pipeline we need to know about?
M4SONIC: Keep an ear out for Paul Marshman who has possibly the largest festival record (think Avicii and Swedish House Mafia days) that we've ever released. Excited that the 2012 sound is re-emerging.
We also have the next Justin Bieber; his name is Trent Vine and he has an album worth of gold ready for 2022 which will do really well abroad, especially in the States.
Indy Stanton has been stockpiling some absolute 'bops' which we're really, really excited about! Global League is also proud to debut the insanely talented Adam Noviello, a star of musical theatre who is beginning their journey as a solo recording artist.
You were originally known as a launchpad mash-up artist; the Bass Therapy Sessions videos you've posted this year showcase you're still keeping up the skills; is this element of your craft still a priority?
M4SONIC: Thank you. Yes, the launchpad will always be a priority as it's still to date my point of difference and my original passion for live electronic performances.
I intend to do lots more experimentation with music tech in 2022 and keep pushing the boundaries of what EDM is when performed 'live'.
Congrats re: the recent birth of your son; how is fatherhood shaping your creative ideas?
M4SONIC: It's been the most motivating and inspiring thing to ever happen in my life. And thank you, he's a little legend.
The devastation of COVID-19 that broke the 'legacy' music industry was a steep learning curve, but being a new father has really opened my mind to the bigger picture and being able to adapt, pivot and invent new projects, ideas and opportunities that will keep me in the game years to come. My music now will be far more purposeful and meaningful.
Indy, you have a number of other collaborative singles in the works that will be released in early 2022; can you share anything about any of those titles?
Indy: I've been super lucky to have had the opportunity to collaborate with some big names. I'm excited for everyone to hear the different projects I've worked on.
You also recently dropped the EDM banger 'Goodnight' with ShortRound, which is a completely different vibe to 'Addicted'; is it important to showcase a diverse range of genres with the projects you commit to?
Indy: Oh, it's SO different. When the opportunity came up to write and perform on a track for ShortRound, I jumped on it even though I had never written for an EDM track before. It was so fun to challenge myself and expand on the types of songs and projects that I would write lyrics and melody for.
