Exron Exclusive Interview: Franky Wah at Knockdown Center 2023

Exron Music recently got the chance to sit down with impressive UK producer Franky Wah at the first-ever SHÈN Presents takeover in the United States.

Melodic progressive house icon Franky Wah has become one of dance music’s leaders over the past few years with his undeniable production prowess and skills behind the decks. Since forming his SHÈN imprint back in 2019, the artist has taken his creative vision to new heights with international events, a clothing line, and so much more.

Most recently, Franky Wah brought SHÈN Presents to the United States for the very first time, and to be frank, there was no better city to host such a monumental occasion other than New York City. Positioned at the Queens industrial warehouse haven Knockdown Center, Franky Wah curated a very special evening with support acts such as Luzi Tudor, Spencer Brown, and Paige, as well as exotic dancers to perform on stage during his three-hour set.

When asked about why he choose New York for the event, he responded, “I’m building a good audience here in New York and it just felt right. I would say this city honestly feels the closest to home and the support I’ve received here has been absolutely mind-blowing.” As he went on to describe the origins of SHÈN, Franky Wah shared, “this whole thing has been a manifestation for years now, and the concept comes from Chinese heritage. The word SHÈN is a Chinese term for ascension into a higher consciousness – which is what I would like to say happens to the people who attend the events.”

The UK producer certainly has created a comprehensive brand with SHÈN Presents that extends to events, a record label, a curated clothing line, and just a general sense of community. It’s safe to say the producer is well on his way to making his wildest dreams a reality as the crowd left their life problems at the door and packed the smoke-filled Knockdown Center to fully immerse themselves in the experience.

Franky reflected on when he used to throw events for 50 people in England and shared his sentiment, “it all happens in stages, right now I’m in a place where I can be selective about the shows I want to do and I want every show to be as impactful as possible.”

He laughed when asked which of his own songs resonated the most with him personally, joking about putting his thinking cap on. Almost immediately he mentioned his 2019 track “Get Me High” and exclaimed, “although I had been producing music for years at this point, this track kind of catapulted me into the scene with support from big DJs… it was also the first time I felt like I had been able to translate who I am as an artist into one of my records.” His second choice was his 2020 Afterlife release titled “Aftertime.” He credited both of those tracks as being some of his personal favorites because he “poured his heart and soul into the records” and ultimately his hard work paid off.

Getting to know a little bit more about the human behind the artist, Franky Wah shared his passions outside of music to be boxing and weightlifting. He shared, “I think they translate into my success because of the mindset they create with the dedication and structure. Once you learn how to adapt yourself to where you can block out all temptations, the work comes a little easier and doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. Studio time doesn’t just happen overnight and coming from a fitness background has given me such a good mindset.”

His passion for fitness has helped shape his career in many ways, as he commented on the rigors of tour life claiming, “if I partied every night on tour I would probably be dead in six months” but quickly lightening the tone with “but tonight we are celebrating the last night on tour, you’re going to have to drag me off the decks later and I want an after party New York.”

Finally, we asked what his thoughts were on the current dance music scene, and mentioned that many people are calling it the next “golden era” of dance music. Franky Wah quickly agreed and shared a touching story about his old headmaster from school. “He called me and was like last year my son’s idol was Cristiano Ronaldo and this year his idol is Franky Wah – he wants to be a DJ!” He thinks it’s great how young kids are getting into the scene now and how dance music has become more accessible to everybody.

So what’s next for Franky Wah and SHÈN Presents? Well the UK powerhouse is slated for a 16-week Ibiza residency at Club Chinois this summer which he commented was “one of my goals for 2025 but it came a little early,” just another anecdote proving that hard work and a little manifestation go a long way. Check out the full lineup of shows below!