Hailing from a city with not one electronic music club to speak of, Shay De Castro has beat all odds to become one of the most thrilling techno talents from the United States in the last decade. Staying true to her vision of brazenly driving atmospheres, she’s managed to gain the support of the most high-power names in the industry today. From Adam Beyer at Tomorrowland, ANNA at Exit Festival, Pleasurekraft on Drumcode Radio, to Amelie Lens in The Tunnel. Her tunes have penetrated the zeitgeist and minds of countless listeners all over the globe.

Her commitment to studio artistry transcends gimmicks, landing her on some of the scene’s most iconic labels such as Factory 93, mau5trap, and Kraftek. With “spine-tingling build-ups and head-shaking kicks” you can find her tunes regularly at the top of the Beatport charts. As a performer, she’s played some of the most notable venues and festivals across the globe, with bookings at hot spots like Exchange LA, Superior Ingredients NYC, Tanzhaus West Frankfurt, and Beyond Wonderland. With a strong work ethic and passion for techno, you can be sure to see only more of her in the future.

Editors note: Shays interview was conducted earlier than her show with pleasurekraft on 6/22. We're thrilled to finally share Shay De Castro's insights and excitement with you now!

 

Hi Shay! Thanks so much for talking to 6AM, how are you doing?

Hi there! 

Thank you so much for having me! I’m doing fantastic- really excited to be doing this interview.

 

Congrats on all your success and releases this year so far. Your upcoming release on mau5trap is set to drop on June 28th. Have you tested it on the dancefloor already? If so what’s the reaction been so far? What do you hope listeners will experience when listening?

Thank you so much. I’ve played it all over the US, and it’s received a great reaction! It’s really explosive, but also has a kind of grooviness that carries you throughout the track. I made it specifically for more big room/festival settings, contrasting some of my more recent releases which are a bit less high-energy. I hope that it makes people smile and just want to move! 

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Your sound has been described as having “spine-tingling build-ups and head-shaking kicks.” How do you approach creating such dynamic and powerful tracks in the studio?

Variation in velocity, layering, just going by feel rather than a set structure. Creating a kind of progression throughout is key, as techno is inherently very repetitive and you can quite literally get lost in it (in a way that’s not desirable). 

 

You've performed at some incredible venues and festivals worldwide. Is there a particular moment or performance that stands out as a favorite or most memorable experience for you so far?

Sheesh, there are so many. Seems like every new venue has offered something special to me, emotionally. I’d say playing at Sisyphos in Berlin was really life-changing for me. I played the Hammahalle and I remember when I pressed “play” on my first track it was empty and when I looked up maybe 15 seconds later, it was completely packed. I still get chills thinking about that set (it’s on my SoundCloud if anyone would like to relive it!).

Also playing at Beyond Wonderland SoCal was such a fantastic opportunity, alongside artists I’ve looked up to for years. It was a “pinch me” moment, for sure. 

Speaking of your performances and venues, does a warehouse show vs a festival show change your performance or do you feel your sound is pretty well suited for all vibes?

Oh yeah, absolutely! In Mexico I was used to playing 3+ hour sets where I really got to curate a journey that was exactly what I wanted to translate to the dancefloor. Warehouse sets I feel I can really pull people into a darker, more eclectic selection of music that still allows me some flexibility like that. I’ll go completely off what the audience responds to - the energy in a warehouse is very palpable in a way that is sometimes more challenging with festivals.

For festivals, I definitely think more in-depth about the track selection beforehand. Like I will select about 70% of the tracks I know I’m definitely going to play, but I don’t know in what order, aside from my opening and closing tracks. It’s where I’m really going to pull out some absolute bangers.

 

And speaking of warehouses, you're performing with Pleasurekraft on June 22nd. How does it feel to share the warehouse with such a well known name in the techno scene, and do you have any special surprises planned for that night?

Pleasurekraft is an artist and human that I have a lot of admiration for. We’ve become pretty good friends since the first time I played with him in 2022, so it will be nice to reconnect in that way. I’m very excited to hear his set, and his new album on a proper soundsystem. 

I’ll be playing my recent mau5trap releases as well as some unreleased tracks that have received positive feedback! 

Thanks so much for talking to us, is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you so much for having me! It’s always a pleasure, and I just want to thank everyone who’s supported me along the way. You guys make a huge positive impact not only on my career, but in my life, in general. Love you all! 

Connect with SHAY DE CASTRO: Soundcloud | Instagram | RA