For DJ and Producer Hotboxx, summer 2025 has been an exciting season of performance, collaboration, and creative expression. From international gigs to festival highlights, he has been working to take his sound to new audiences while keeping the momentum high in the studio. Alongside fresh collaborations, standout releases, and ongoing projects like his Vice City events brand and production academy, The Underground Institute, Hotboxx continues to push forward with intent, passion, and a vision for the future.
Now, we catch up with him to talk summer highlights, creative balance, and what’s next as the year unfolds.
Hi Hotboxx, how are you doing?
Doing well – thanks for asking.
With the summer now behind us, what had been on your calendar over the last few months? Any gigs or events you were particularly looking forward to?
This summer was absolutely incredible, from playing international gigs in Colombia to playing in Detroit during Movement Festival and, of course, getting to play one of my favourite festivals, Deep Tropics again… It has definitely been a summer to remember. Not only a memorable one with shows but also with new collabs I was working on and some releases I was very happy with, it was truly an incredible summer where I feel like a lot of progress was made, along with many memories.
Excited for what the rest of the year has in store!
When it came to the summer, what kind of settings did you enjoy playing the most – beach clubs, rooftop sets, late-night venues?
I mean, I truly like to curate a vibe based on the location. I think what people are seeing visually can really complement the music that is being played. So, in short, all of these venues and more – I love the challenge of curating a set for different style venues, different times of the day, etc.
Did you have any personal goals for the summer – or any time set aside for a vacation?
I’ve been travelling a good bit, but mostly for shows, so no real vacations, just pushing hard right now to continue growing the project.
What does the balance look like for you between time in the studio and behind the decks, especially during busy periods like summer?
I really try to produce during any spare moment I get, not only in the summer, but all year round. I keep myself very busy with music and my business ventures, so it might be on a flight or a road trip, it might be at a studio in another city, or it might be at my home studio, but regardless – any spare moment I get, I am trying to work on tunes and have a ton of unreleased stuff on the way!
Would you say the energy of summer influences your productions or live sets in a different way compared to other parts of the year?
Definitely, I mean again, the vibe, the season, what venues or parties you’re playing, etc. All of this has a huge influence on the production and what you want to create as an artist, and what you want to play in your live sets. Thankfully, there’s been a good variety of events that I’ve been able to play this summer, and I’ve really been able to stay diverse in this world and dive into a lot of different genres and make a lot of different music when it comes to my production as well. Having said that, all of my live sets and productions have to maintain a certain sound, even if they are different genres, so that I stay consistent with my vision for what the Hotboxx sound should be.
Any new collaborations, upcoming releases, or creative projects you’re working on that we can look forward to over the next few months?
Currently, a ton of stuff is on the way, including shows in Amsterdam, Miami, Bogotá and Nashville. As well as upcoming releases with some of my favourite labels. But really, I’m stoked for a couple of huge collabs I’ve been working on currently with Josh Butler and an amazing remix I had the pleasure of working on with Danny Avila… It has been somewhat surreal getting to work on music with Artists like this – Artists I’ve respected and looked up to for so long, and I am truly feeling blessed heading into the end of the year.
Outside of performing and releasing music, what are you currently working on with your other ventures, like your Vice City events or The Underground Institute?
So, for the institute, we’ve been running a lot of sessions and are currently collabing with some amazing producers to continue to improve our curriculum and help our students grow. But also, we’ve been able to have some of our students play their first festivals, support for big artists, release music, etc., so it’s been gratifying to see the progress.
As for Vice City, we continue to grow with our new sponsor, Southbound Tequila, and our favorite Venue, Night We Met, continuing to support us – we will continue to keep bringing some of the best curators from around the globe to play alongside myself and throw some amazing and special parties.
As you headed into each of your shows this season, what kind of energy were you hoping to bring to your performances – and what impact did you hope to make on the dancefloor?
I just wanted to create a fun environment where people came to escape in the music. No judgment, just high-energy, good vibes, where people freed themselves from distractions and went to dance and immerse themselves in the sound. I strive to continue making my live sets fit that goal.
Lastly, looking beyond summer – are there any plans in motion for the rest of the year that fans should keep an eye out for?
New releases for sure moving into the fall, and some really cool remixes I’ll be releasing for free. Some big shows in Miami, Colombia and Nashville, and of course, I am really excited to get back to Amsterdam and play some shows for ADE!
As Hotboxx reflects on a summer filled with milestones, collaborations, and career-defining performances, it is clear that his focus remains firmly on growth: both for himself and the wider Electronic Music community. With upcoming shows already scheduled in, plus new releases and collaborations lined up, the months ahead promise to be just as dynamic for the Producer and DJ. So, be sure to take note and keep up with Hotboxx’s evolving journey by following him across social media, staying tuned for the latest updates, news, and performance dates.
Hotboxx Online
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