ACRAZE has played shows all over the world since breaking through in 2021, and we talked to him at Lollapalooza about his music, touring life, and more.
Following the release of “Do It To It” in 2021, ACRAZE instantly became one of the biggest names in house music. Prior to his set at Perry’s at Lollapalooza 2023, we talked to ACRAZE about his new songs, upcoming shows, and plans for a debut album.
Charlie Duncker, better known as ACRAZE, hails from Staten Island, New York. After several years of working to realize his dreams as a DJ/producer, he struck gold with his rework of “Do It To It”, a 2006 song by Cherish. The song went on to chart across the world, hitting the top 10 in multiple countries. He has since toured across the globe while continuing to release more music. His 2023 summer tour schedule includes performances at Tomorrowland, Electric Zoo, EDC Las Vegas, and Lost Lands, and stops in clubs like Ushuaia, Encore Beach Club, and Ministry of Sound.
ACRAZE performed at the Perry’s Stage at Lollapalooza on Thursday, August 3. We talked to him backstage just before his set where he revealed plans for a debut album, discussed his recent releases, and more.
You’ve had a pretty busy summer so far – you just were at Tomorrowland and Sunrise Festival overseas. How has the festival season been for you?
Crazy! Festival season is the best season. I feel like it’s kinda year-round now, but I love festival season more than anything. I always look forward to it.
We’re just a few hours away from your debut at Lollapalooza in Chicago, and you’re also headlining an afterparty at Sound-Bar later tonight. What makes your sets unique, and what are you most looking forward to today?
I’m always playing a lot of my own music. A lot of edits as well. I play a different style of house music than most artists; mine is a lot of high energy. I’m excited to see what happens, and I’m very excited to play here at Lollapalooza. I’ve heard a lot of about it. It’s a dream.
Your song “Do It To It” has opened a lot of doors for you. Looking back to when you first created that song in your home studio, did you ever see things going this way?
Not really. I always wanted it, but I never knew when it was gonna happen. That’s the beauty of it. When you have such a big moment in your career, it’s like a Christmas present you didn’t ask for. They’re the best presents! That’s how I felt when I started to grow and chart on Billboard. I’m really proud of all that.
What do you think were some of the driving forces behind the success of “Do It To It”?
It really started to take off when everyone started to remix the song. When we were building the remix pack, there were already over 3,000 people remixing it. We had artists from all over the world sending in stuff. Zedd’s edit helped a lot too. All these artists – in every genre – were supporting it heavily.
Who are some artists that you play out in your sets that you’ve been digging lately?
I really like Max Styler. Pickle’s stuff as well – his music is fun. There’s also this guy named OOTRO from Indonesia who’s really dope.
Your most recent single “In A Dream” is a remake of Rockell’s 1997 song of the same name. How did you end up putting your spin on that track? I saw both of you are originally from Staten Island.
It was all very random actually. I just really liked the song. I had an idea made for a long time, but never went anywhere with it. Right before summer, I came up with a solid version, and I decided I wanted to put it out. I then got in touch with Rockell, and that’s when I found out she was from Staten Island.
You also remixed Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s “Miracle” earlier this year. That’s another song that pulls heavily from 1990s sounds. Tell us about your remix for that one – I feel like it’s got some techno influences.
I was listening to a lot of other remixes for it, and I hit up Calvin for the stems. He was actually saying that it probably wouldn’t come out since there were already so many remixes. I was like, that’s fine, I just want something for my sets. I worked on it and came up with the techno remix, and I started to play it at my shows. Calvin saw a video that we posted, and he was like, “Yo, this sounds insane! Let’s put it out!” It was a full circle moment in my career.
When I was at Tomorrowland I noticed that “Freed From Desire” was possibly the song I heard most over the weekend. Do you think those nostalgic sounds from the 90s are coming back? Is that something you see in the scene right now?
I do, and I think it’s really cool. “In a Dream” has that nostalgic vibe to it. Sometimes people want to hear and feel something that’s familiar. Everyone loves those moments where you can sing along to something you know, even if you don’t know exactly what it is. I play “Freed From Desire” in Ibiza a lot, and it always goes crazy.
Speaking of international shows, I saw you’re playing in Brazil, Chile, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Philippines, and Singapore this fall. How do you manage all this travel? You’ve played all over the world, often with little rest in between.
Just stay healthy, man. Health is wealth. As cliché as it is, you really have to take care of yourself. I see a lot of DJs going out and partying all the time, but sometimes, I’m just dead and don’t want to go out. I’m tired. I’ll be getting IVs done and trying to stay hydrated. It’s really important to take care of your health. I enjoy doing all these shows though. When you love something so much, you don’t really think of it as a job.
I just went to Europe for the first time for Tomorrowland. What are some other countries that you particularly enjoyed playing in?
Croatia’s a great country. Norway too. Saudi Arabia’s really cool – they have a festival called MDLBEAST and they book like every DJ in the world. You really get the royal treatment from people there, it’s amazing.
Finally, what’s something you’re particularly looking forward to this year? What can fans expect from you in the future?
I’m gonna start working on an album for next year. I can’t say too much, but after “Do It To It”, I noticed that people all kinda wanted to make that same sound. I think it’s time for me to step back and try to figure out something new. That’s why I respect Skrillex so much. Every time he comes back, he comes back with something fresh. And I think if you wanna be a leader in the scene, sometimes you have to take a step back and return with something leading. Towards the end of this year, I’m gonna stop touring as much and work more on my album, and hopefully it comes out next year!
Story: @michael__premier
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