Roberto Surace was born in Rome in 1991 and grew up in Calabria. His first encounter with underground and electronic music dates back to 2010. In 2013 he feels the time has come for him to move on to studio production and set about creating the sound that incorporates his idea of music, namely a sound with a fresh, neat groove and whose rhythmics is fasci nating and well articulated.
Creative evolution in the production, constant improvement by meticulously researching and selecting samples, and a winning use of vocals, are the foundation of his work. In February 2019, driven by the need to start his own label, he sets up SURA Music, which will very soon receive support from artists as popular as Marco Carola, Loco Dice, Joseph Capriati, The Martinez Brothers, Jamie Jones, BLONDISH, Joey Daniel, Neverdogs, Anna Tur and more.
Roberto Surace now makes his debut on Sonny Fodera’s Solotoko with the new single ‘Cookies’ ft. The Melody Men. Boasting funky drum patterns that underpin The Melody’s Men sun-kissed lyrics that make for the perfect soul-fuelled vocal hooks, Roberto Surace’s Cookies is set to accelerate his prominence to the next level with a collab sure to score the sound of summer 2021.
We caught up with Roberto Surace to talk about his latest release ‘Cookies’ feat. The Melody Men.
Electronic Groove: Hi Roberto, how are you doing and where are you based right now? Thanks for chatting with us today!
Roberto Surace: Hi, guys! I hope all is well, thank you for inviting me. Right now I’m in the studio preparing new music and new styles for when this period is over and to test on the dancefloor. I hope everything will be back on track soon so we can go back to partying. I miss the dance floor!
EG: What inspired your latest collaboration ‘Cookies’ feat. The Melody Men and how did this collab come about?
Roberto Surace: I initially created the instrumental part of the song then I matched the voice of The Melody Men on the song and immediately understood that it was a winning combination! Their voices are wonderful and I really like how they work.
EG: How did you land the release on Sonny Fodera’s label, Solotoko?
Roberto Surace: Sonny has been in love with ‘Cookies’ since he first heard it! He is an artist that I respect a lot and so I decided to close the release with his Solotoko label.
EG: What is your process for making releases in the studio? Is each release different and how did you approach ‘Cookies’?
Roberto Surace: Every time I produce a song it’s something different. Not knowing how to sing, for the most part, I create a lot of finished instrumentals and then combine a vocal with them. To produce I use a midi keyboard for melodies, basslines etc… And then, for the groups of drums, I use a drum machine. ‘Cookies’ is very groove-based, accompanied by the warm voice of The Melody Men and a group of Latin drums plus a synth that is needed (in my opinion) to give charge to the restart.
“I just hope we can return soon to the parties and have fun sharing our passion for music”
EG: What have the past 12 months been like for you where you are, how have you adapted your career during the pandemic?
Roberto Surace: Definitely, the worst period of my life, I think for all artists in general, unfortunately. As you well know our sector hasn’t been supported well, and even emotionally too. I miss the parties on the dancefloor. I took advantage of this time to create a lot of new music even of different genres to spur on my artistic mind and I can’t wait to try them out in a club.
EG: What was it like changing from live shows to livestreams, are there any favorite streams of yours you’d like to share?
Roberto Surace: The live stream is essential right now and even afterward. In my opinion, it’s very futuristic! I appreciate all the organizations, labels, DJs, and people in the sector who go live to share their passion with their fans 🙂
EG: What else is in store for Roberto Surace in 2021, show, releases, collabs, etc?
Roberto Surace: This year I decided to start with a single on SURA Music called ‘Don’t Know’, a dance track that has very sweet and loving sounds because I believe that since the clubs were closed I had to do something more sentimental, I love the vibes of love in the songs! Then, I did a 3-track EP on Paco Osuna’s label consisting of much more groove made for the dancefloor. I also did a remix to Joel Corry, David Guetta, and Raye’s track ‘BED’ recently too. Finally, next up is ‘Cookies’. It’s very important to me, I can’t wait to see what the public thinks. As for clubs, I hope everything will be resolved soon so I can get some shows lined up.
EG: Where are you most excited to visit when we’re allowed to dance and travel again?
Roberto Surace: I don’t have a specific place, let’s say that where I went to play so far I liked all the places, I just hope we can return soon to the parties and have fun sharing our passion for music.
EG: And lastly, in celebration of the new single ‘Cookies’ with The Melody Men, what is your favorite flavour of Cookie and do you have them with or without milk?
Roberto Surace: Nice question! I love cookies in all their forms… With and without milk! Thanks for the interview!
Roberto Surace’s ‘Cookies’ feat The Melody Men is now available. Stream and buy here.
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