EXRON EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: HENRY FONG

World-renown DJ Henry Fong has spent the last few years metamorphosing from college student into a full-blown globe touring producer. In accompaniment to his travel, he has debuted a healthy list of banging tracks that perfectly compliment his Caribbean-electronic style to a T.  With an impressive lineup of festivals under his belt and a summer tour underway, Exron Music had quite a bit to converse about with the Florida-grown and L.A. based artist this past weekend. Check out our Exclusive Interview below!

Exron Music: We hear you are from Florida originally! How do you think being from such a tropical place has shaped you as an artist in creating your sound?

Henry Fong: Oh big time! Growing up in South Florida there’s a lot of dance-hall music on the radio and that influenced my sound a good bit. It took a little while to come out in my music; it started heavy in the last three years but I just remember in high school we all listened to Reggaeton and dance-hall, which was super mainstream and definitely had an effect on my sound.

Exron Music: In May you released ‘Irie’ from your “Fong Island EP”. How was the experience working with Rawtek and Craigy-T on this single?

Henry Fong: It was awesome! I’m not sure if you guys know but Craigy-T is from a legendary dance-hall group called T.O.K. These guys are absolute dance-hall legends from the 90’s and 2000’s, and for me it was a big milestone to work with him because I’d be listening to them for so long. And of course my buddies Rawtek, they’re my favorite up-coming producers out of anybody. They have a really specific cool sound.

 Exron Music: You recently shared the track list for the Fong EP as well. What do you think is the most important message you are sending as an artist with this new album?

Henry Fong: Just to be yourself and do more things that represent your life. DJ’s are making all of this hard festival and club music when it doesn’t truly relate to the rest of their life. This album is about the other aspects of my life that are real and true to my experience.

Exron Music: One of the best parts of your music is the eclectic mix of genres that together create something so unique and special to you and your brand. Can you explain to us the process that led you to reach your specific sound?

Henry Fong: I think for me it was listening to that music from the 90’s and 2000’s that I grew up to. I feel like I got thrown into dance music really fast, I feel like I didn’t get to find my sound. I was making mainly festival music and then over the last couple of years I’ve been able to retrace and say, okay what are my actual influences and how can I apply that to my music? So now I get to work with reggae bands, dance artists and Latin artists from the past that I’ve loved. 

Exron Music: Earlier this Spring you put out a single with Deorro and Elvis Crespo called ‘Pica’. How did you feel about this collab?

Henry Fong: It was a dream collab for me! These are two guys I’ve looked up to for awhile, and if I had to pick a dream collab it would be with them. 

 Exron Music: You’ve been traveling quite a bit as an artist for a few years now. Do you have any techniques for decompressing while on tour?

Henry Fong: You have to nap wherever you can nap. Plane, car, hotel whatever, you’re in a constant state of napping. I also like to stay active, always exercising, surfing, martial arts, stuff like that. 

Exron Music: Do you have any exciting Henry Fong news you’d like to share with Exron?

For more information on HENRY FONG:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/djhenryfong
Twitter: www.twitter.com/henryfong
Instagram: www.instagram.com/djhenryfong
Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/henryfong
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3nALc9PyUfe6CO3EY9bNhH
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Ci-q007E2HN1D3AhjOJKg

Kylie Parham

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