Houkes: ‘You have to break patterns if you really want to stand out’

We spoke with Houkes, a DJ and producer from the interior of São Paulo state who has spent nearly a decade in electronic music, about artistic identity, tech house, the industry's pressure to perform by the numbers and what comes next.

You've been releasing music for almost a decade. Looking back at Houkes in 2017, what has changed most in how you produce, perform and understand your career?

Houkes: A lot has changed. In 2017 I was much more focused on producing and releasing music, partly because it was all new to me. Now I understand that being an artist goes far beyond that. I see the project more broadly: the music, the visual identity, the shows and, above all, the development of an identity.

I've matured considerably as a producer too. I'm more selective and in less of a hurry to release a track. I'd rather keep working until it truly represents where I am. As a DJ, I've also learned what works on the floor and, more importantly, how to connect with the audience.

Your career began in the interior of São Paulo state, especially around Campinas. How important was that scene to your development, and what does it offer that people focused on the capital may miss?

Houkes: It was fundamental. Campinas and the surrounding area were hugely important in my development as an artist. This is where I started playing, meeting people, going to parties and truly understanding what it means to be part of the scene.

There are many talented people working for electronic music outside the capital, but they don't always get the same visibility as São Paulo city. At the same time, artists and audiences are very close, which makes the scene feel genuine. There is a lot happening in the underground of the 019 area code that deserves to be discovered.

You've moved through house, tech house and heavier productions. Is there now a sound you consider distinctly ‘Houkes’, or do you prefer to keep the project open to new directions?

Houkes: I think there is a Houkes identity now. I may not be able to define it with one word or genre, but I recognise certain elements when I listen to my productions. I always try to keep a foundation that gives the sound an identity.

Tech house is where I am now and where I express myself best, particularly through groove, bass and dancefloor energy. But I don't like being tied to a formula. I need to keep experimenting; artists have to evolve with the music.

Early in your career you cited Brazilian producers as key influences; later you also drew heavily on the European scene. How do you balance those influences without losing a Brazilian identity in such a global genre?

Houkes: The best way is not to force a Brazilian identity. I'm Brazilian, I live here, and that naturally comes through in my music, my thinking and even the way I play.

European influences matter to me because I follow that scene closely and it has long shaped trends in electronic music. But taking inspiration isn't copying. I try to transform what inspires me within my own language. I believe identity comes from that mix.

You've lived through several phases of Brazilian tech house. Has the genre evolved artistically, or has the search for formulas, trends and quick results made part of the scene more predictable?

Houkes: A bit of both. Tech house has grown enormously, which is great: more artists, producers and listeners. But when a style gets that big, some people start following a formula simply because it works.

Sometimes you hear several tracks and their structures or elements sound very similar. The challenge is to keep up with what's happening without losing your personality. Trends matter, but they can't outweigh an artist's identity. You have to break patterns if you really want to stand out.

‘You have to break patterns if you really want to stand out.’

You've released on various labels, appeared on compilations such as LouLou Records' ADE sampler and had tracks played by other DJs. What makes a label genuinely valuable to an artist's career today?

Houkes: I don't look only at the label's name anymore. Of course it matters to release on a recognised label, but what matters most to me is whether there is a real connection between the label and artist.

A good label should take your music somewhere you might not reach alone, through promotion, DJs, playlists, events or simply its earned credibility. I'd rather have a release that makes an impact than put a big label's name on my résumé for its own sake.

In 2022, reaching 100,000 streams felt like proof your work was on the right track. Do you still see numbers that way, or has your definition of success changed?

Houkes: At the time, 100,000 streams meant a great deal. It confirmed that a track I'd made was reaching many people, and that gave me a lot of motivation to continue.

I still look at the numbers, of course, but I no longer see them as the only measure. A track may not get millions of streams, but it can turn up in DJs' sets, play on an important dancefloor or introduce someone new to your work. That's success to me too.

Electronic music now measures artists in streams, followers, charts, engagement and reach. When are those metrics useful, and when do they distort how the industry judges quality and relevance?

Houkes: Metrics matter because they help us understand an artist's reach. The problem begins when they matter more than the music itself.

An artist can have millions of streams without necessarily being the most interesting or artistically relevant. Equally, someone with smaller numbers can be building a solid career, playing great venues and making music that genuinely has an impact.

Numbers should be considered as part of the whole, not as an absolute definition of quality.

‘Numbers should be considered as part of the whole, not as an absolute definition of quality.’

A career of almost ten years inevitably brings growth, frustration and changes of direction. When did you most need to rethink Houkes, and what made you keep going?

Houkes: Maturing as an artist has made me rethink the project several times. Sometimes you work hard and expect a certain result that simply doesn't come. That's difficult, especially when you've invested so much energy and hope.

My passion for music has always kept me going. If it were only about the numbers or the business side, quitting might have seemed easier at times. But when you genuinely love producing, playing and seeing your music work on a dancefloor, you find reasons to carry on.

Now I see that every difficult period helped build Houkes. I wouldn't be here without them.

After so many releases and phases, what would count as a real step forward? Is there a label, stage, collaboration or artistic change that would signal a new chapter for Houkes?

Houkes: I want to take Houkes further, especially internationally. I want my music to reach more DJs, dancefloors and people outside Brazil.

I have a particular dream: releasing on CUFF, Amine Edge's label. For me that would be a career high point, because it's a respected label run by someone I greatly admire.

I'd also like to collaborate with artists I admire and play places that remain goals for me. But I want every next step to mean something within the project's story.

The next chapter will be about growing without losing the identity I've built. There is still so much I want to do. After ten years, perhaps the most exciting part is realising how much road still lies ahead.