6 things we learned from Dillon Francis’ recent live stream
Dillon Francis is moving ahead as an independent artist. The former Columbia Records standout has announced that he’s parted ways with the Sony Music subsidiary, which released his debut album Money Sucks, Friends Rule as well as his moombah-leaning EP, This Mixtape Is Fire. The news comes paired with Dillon’s hotly-anticipated new G-Eazy collaboration “Say Less.” Following the track’s release, the newly-independent producer live streamed a Q&A session with fans to expound on some exciting details. Here’s what we know:
1. Dillon’s taking on Chance The Rapper’s model as an independent artists
Following two major-label studio products, Dillon has announced he’s going independent in what he’s describes as a mutual parting of ways with Columbia Records. It’s plausible Dillon fulfilled the terms of his contract and amicably moved towards a newer DIY-model that’s already proving to work for artists in the music industry’s changing landscape, however creative control differences with major record imprints is not uncommon, and Dillon could be moving to regain control of his creative output. His latest single launched on his makeshift new release platform IDGAFOS, with Hanzel‘s future releases coming via One Deep Records.
2. Dillon Francis has a new moombahton album in the works
2015’s This Mixtape is Fire was Dillon Francis fulfilling a promise to fans to one day return to his roots with a full-on moombahton revival piece. And for the most part, he delivered with a well-received collection of setlist igniters that featured a number of high-profile collaborations. During his “Say Less, But More” live stream, Dillon reveals he’s working on a follow up to This Mixtape with a heavy moombah focus. Dillon describes the new music on the way, at one point comparing his incoming solo material to “Bootleg Fireworks.” Talk about returning to one’s roots.
3. Expect new music with Skrillex, T.E.E.D. and more
The “Anywhere” producer has built up a colorful catalog of collaborators both before and during his tenure with Columbia. Francis has material with everyone from pop-punk vocalist Brendon Urie to Calvin Harris, and it seems as though he’s got some exciting new material still in the chamber. A collaboration with Skrillex is expected to materialize for the aforementioned new record, a follow-up collaboration with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, and what could be a number of collaborations alongside G-Eazy are all in the works. Dillon also mentions an elusive collaboration with Lil Dicky that may come to fruition soon, as well as a planned collaboration with Phantoms and Bro Safari on the way.
4. DJ World Season 2 is on the way
Dillon Francis, Getter and “suh dude” counterpart Nick Colletti will officially return for a new slate of “DJ World” videos this year. Dillon also goes into discussing other various on-camera acting projects he’s working on. The “Need You” producer confirms he’s working on a Viceland project, presumably Diplo‘s James Van Der Beek feature. More “One Deeper Talks” with DJ Hanzel could be underway as well.
5. Dillon is sitting on a trove of unreleased new material
Now that he’s parted ways with Columbia, Francis is primed to release a steady stream of material that he has stocked in his arsenal. Dillon mentions having 44 demos cached and ready to go, which may or may not include his impending moombahton project. Now that he doesn’t have a label dictating his releases and rollouts, expect the IDGAFOS proprietor to start dropping lots of new, perhaps previously unheard material.
6. Dillon is planning to unveil a new DJ set format at Coachella
In the span of a few short years, Dillon Francis’ ascended from spastic bottle-blonde cat nerd to one of dance/pop’s premiere production forces. In 2017 he’s secured a top line billing at Coachella alongside acts like Travis Scott, Justice, Lorde, and Bon Iver, and he’s coming to Indio locked and loaded with captivating new material. Teasing snippets of new music fans can expect to hear, along with a total overhaul of his live visuals, Dillon Francis is gearing up to reveal a brand new DJ set on one of the most monumental bookings of his career. Expect greatness.
From pipe dreams of collaborating with Zhu to openly accepting the prospect of a second coffee run with Deadmau5 someday, Dillon dishes on a number of exciting developments he has up his sleeve. Parting ways with his massive recording and distribution deal with Columbia is likely going to be a pivotal moment in Dillon’s career, and we’re expecting to see the fruits of Dillon Francis’ labor materialize in big ways over the coming months.
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