Magic (Is In Portugal)! Aussie DJ CC:DISCO shares the story behind new label Miami Daddy, and how her home shaped it’s curation.
It’s not hard to understand CC:DISCO’s love for Portugal. A quick look at her IG page will tell you what you need to know. In what she has stated as ‘the best thing she has ever done’, moving there has allowed her to focus and sharpen her skills as an artist.
Whether it’s memorable moments on the dance floors of clubs such as Lisbon’s Lux and Boa Vida or the serenity of the Portuguese bush, inspiration is never far behind for CC. Relocating to the city of light was born from her desire to take her DJ career more seriously, a move which seems to be paying off considering she has spent pretty much all of last year on tour.
Despite the new sights and experiences travel brings, including a good stretch back on home soil in Australia, the influence of Portugal is what’s currently driving CC. Her new record Magic (Is In The Tempo) – featuring dreamy vocals from Canadian artist Jennifer Loveless – is six minutes of sun-soaked, sonic bliss that instantly transports you to the sandy beaches of its birthplace. The Midnight Mix breaks things down even more, stripping back the drums for extended ambient moments.
Overall, the single is a euphoric and exotic spin on the classic house sound that CC is known and loved for and gives a good taste of where she currently resides artistically. In her interview with //SNCMAG, CC:DISCO talks about her desire to take her time with her music, touring, and more…
Why did you decide to start your own label?
Why not? (Ha!) I wanted a space to release my music without any time pressure. It also gives me the space to release whatever or whoever I want.
Where did the name come from?
One summer’s day on Costa Da Caparica – the Portuguese equivalent to Miami – a male friend walked onto the beach wearing all white linen pants, rolled, and an open shirt. It was there the nickname was born.
I can’t wait for the merch; I will wear it to death.
Can people expect your usual sound from the Miami Daddy releases, or are you willing to explore other things?
It will always be soulful music focused on groove, but that can be of any genre. As a DJ and radio broadcaster, my taste is as wide as the Atlantic Ocean, so Miami Daddy Records won’t be limited to just one sound. Also, I think people have such broad tastes these days. Its always great to be open to different sounds. AS LONG AS SHE GOT GROOVE!
Let’s talk about the label’s inaugural release, Magic (Is In The Tempo). What’s the story behind the record?
So, I wrote this song in the bush in Portugal. I was supposed to take some time off, but I made this song instead, haha! I was in the Douro Valley, and it really suited the landscape. I remember making it in the front yard of the house, looking around the mountains outside with my midi controller being like; damn, this sounds nice and kinda emo. I loved it.
Next came Jenn, who in one take did exactly what I wanted. Then we added some Balearic guitar from Marco to top it off. Honestly, it was so nice to make the midnight mix. I always dream about making music that people can listen to on the beach or pool because that is where music moves me the most.
You have just finished a tour. How was the experience in comparison to what you have done before?
I was touring for pretty much all of 2023, but a special part was the Australia Chez Moi tour run. I’ve been wanting to play more places that are not traditional on the touring map and play smaller venues. I love Australia, and I’ve played so much there, but I wanted to do something non-traditional. We put this huge emphasis on headline slots and tours, but sometimes it’s just nice to play with no labels, etc.
It’s amazing to see so many places get down to soulful music and connect with each other no matter where in the world you are. It was a great experience.
If you could have anyone on the label as a guest release, who would it be?
RON TRENT and BASHKKA would be my current dream team to work on a release with 🙂
What’s next for CC:DISCO and Miami Daddy?
This year I will be hard at work releasing a bunch of my own tunes on Miami Daddy and remixes to Magic (Is In The Tempo) will be released very soon. Also coming this year will be some dub mixes I’ve done for other acts. I’ve always been obsessed with disco dub mix and can’t wait for the next one I’ve done to be released and it’s with Naarm (melbourne) based band which I love, so its a perfect combo. Aside from production I will be back on the road again playing all the festivals and clubs I love around the world.
