Interview: Catching Up With Future Joy + Stream “Up All Night”

There’s no arguing that one of the hottest scenes for all things funky is housed in the Denver. Burning up dancefloors across the Mile High City is the duo Future Joy who recently unveiled a new single, “Up All Night” feat. Annabelle.

To celebrate the release of “Up All Night,” we sent some interview questions over to the band. Check it all out below and be sure to follow Future Joy here for more.

Hi, Future Joy! Congrats on your new single. Can you tell us a little more on who you are and how you first got into making music?

“I’m a Denver native. Started on piano around the age of 10. A few years later i picked up the sax. I had my roots in jazz, but in high school started g exploring funky, groovy, and rockin’ music. In college, I started Djing and played sax over the tracks. Now I get to Dj our original music. I’ve shared the stage with George Clinton and P Funk, Mickey Avalon, The Motet and more.” -zach

Being Japanese American, born in Kentucky, I’ve always yearned for the city lights. Music has always been a break from the small town I grew up in. I started playing piano when I was 10 and at the age of 12, I started bangin’ drums. As a teenager, my drum instructor Zach Stewart took me to several drum clinics at Forks Drum Closet in Nashville where i learned from the best of the best, Mike Portnoy, Steve Gadd, Steve Ferrone, and Thomas Lang. My love for music soon focused on EDM and now I get to drum with my best friend in Future Joy!!! STOP. LET’S GO!

What’s your songwriting process like? Who are some of your biggest influences?

Producing on Ableton with Massive. We start with adult beverages, get loose and try some different drum vibes. Then we stack bass and keys. Finally, we sprinkle the Saxophone and lyrics. Influences on Future Joy are Daft Punk, Shpongle, Diplo, Flume and more.

What is “Up All Night” about? How did it come to be?

We made the beat and then we brought in Annabelle. She freestyled on it, then we went in the studio to get it recorded clean and fresh.

“Up all night was an in the moment track.

I was seeing this girl who had just moved to the city and helped me stay in the moment and enjoy life a little more.

I have never been one to stay up all night but she made me want to show her around the city and made me want to stay up. We got lost in the time and stayed up all night.” -Annabelle

Any new Denver-based artists/venues/purveyors of the arts you could turn our readers onto?

Music- MIDIcinal, Aviva, Annabelle’s new single Lady, and MLIMA.

Art- Andy Immerman (made album art) and Tiffany Rainey (@solspectra) will be live painting at our release party

Venues- Your Mom’s House (see you there May 25), Cervantes, Bluebird Theater.

Where can we follow you and where can our readers catch you live next?

Our album release Party is May 25 at Your Mom’s House. We swear it’s an actual venue, your whole family is invited too! 21plus. Then we’ll be at PG in Evansville, IN June 28. Then we have a private party at Isle Casino in Missouri, back to Denver for a private party on July 4. Big things are coming so make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @futurejoymusic. Facebook // Website.

Please add us to your Spotify and Apple Music playlists. The debut album drops June 1 on all platforms.

Any parting thoughts? Open platform!

It’s an honor to be able to create music and put it out into the world. We are so humbled to have listeners and fans that enjoy our art. We exist! Or do we ?! What is life, what’s the purpose ?! We don’t have the answers but we’re excited to join everyone on the journey. Thanks for taking the time to interview us.