Written by Kylie Vesey

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Firelite may look like he's fresh out of school but don’t let that fool you, this 19-year-old Hardstyle prodigy is experienced well beyond his years and his music shows just that. Born in Sydney, Ben is becoming one of Australia's biggest Hardstyle exports, showing the world just what Aussie Hardstyle is made of. With tracks being released on multiple international platforms, Firelite is continuing to go from strength to strength, showing the world that it doesn’t matter what you do, if you work hard you can achieve anything. His style of music is one that will have anyone listening, even if Hardstyle isn’t really your thing, I can promise you that! We caught up with the Aussie teen to talk all things music, direction and where it started for him.

 

Come with me as I step Behind The Decks with Firelite

 

First of all, congratulations on the release of your latest single “Burn” on Electric Fox, you must be stoked having your music released on the label for a second time. What has it been like working with Electric Fox to release your music? 
Thanks! It’s really humbling to be able to release on that label among so many other talented names. It’s been super fun experimenting with a faster BPM genre as well! I can really channel some more melodic elements as opposed to traditional Hardstyle.

 

Being released on an international label founded by Darren Styles and Tweekacore must be such an achievement, take us through how you released music on an international label like this, how did it all begin for you? 
Like I mentioned before, it’s insane to be recognised by such talented guys; they are people I’ve idolised since I started producing music. I’ve met both of them at events here in Australia and we’ve hung out together backstage. I had a hold of the Electric Fox A&R guy so I shot him an email with my track ‘All Of My Time’ and they loved it!

You have been playing music from such a young age, one could call you the Martin Garrix of Hardstyle. What made you pursue the pathway of being a DJ, as you also play guitar and drums? 
I actually started producing music before picking up any instruments. When I was around 15-17 I played in a band and I picked up playing guitar, keyboard and drums through that. To this day learning keys has been most valuable when it comes to producing.

 

Being 19 years old, how do you deal with the pressures of producing, touring and keeping yourself grounded? Is there something you focus on as the industry can be quite challenging even for seasoned artists? 
To be quite honest my life is not as jam-packed as most touring DJ/Producers are. Before lockdown, I played almost every weekend, but my weeks were mainly producing music and exercising. I always make an effort to keep my health and fitness in check and I feel this leads to a positive mindset. 

 

Were there any challenges you faced early in your career being underage and trying to establish yourself into any industry that typically sees artists playing in clubs and over 18 festivals?  
Oh definitely! There were a lot of struggles with playing shows at licensed venues while being under 18. It definitely held me back gig-wise, but it allowed me to spend much more time perfecting my craft before hitting the club and festival scene.
 

In the past few years, your achievements in the music industry amount to what some artists strive their entire music career to achieve. Having played alongside Code Black, Brennan Heart and Frontliner to name a few, was there a moment where you stopped and thought “Wow”? When was this moment? 
There have been a good few “wow” moments for me. The first that comes to mind is I AM HARDSTYLE in Sydney last year. When the intro sequence and lighting before my set began I remember getting goosebumps and just a huge rush. Another was Defqon.1 in 2018 RED opening. This was a huge achievement for me and to have all my closest friends and followers there was incredible.

 

February saw you play the UMF Radio stage at Ultra Australia, this being your first Ultra having played other big festivals like Defqon and Hard Island, how did Ultra compare? 
Ultra is a completely different vibe to typical Hardstyle festivals which I love. It’s an incredible party and to be on that lineup was crazy. We had such a dedicated crowd for the Hard Dance Alliance x Firelite set and the whole Masif gang was there. It was just all-round good vibes, and unfortunately was the last event I’ve been to in a while!

 

In 2018, you created a remix of Nicky Romero’s “Bittersweet” which saw the track hit 1.8 million listens on Spotify, how does it feel knowing you are attracting that level of attention for a track you remixed? Did it gain the attention of Nicky himself? 
It was honestly the hit I never saw coming. To this day it’s still one of my favourite tracks I've done and obviously being a Nicky Romero track, it was huge exposure for me and a real honour. I never received any direct support from Nicky, but I’m sure with it being released on Protocol Recordings he liked it!

 

You’re very eccentric with your style, is that because it’s important to be versatile as an artist?
Haha, thank you! I kind of just make whatever I’m feeling at the time and I’m lucky enough that people keep listening. I do think it’s important to keep things fresh and not dwell over one style and method of song.

 

What are your thoughts on sub-genres in the Hardstyle scene? Given you produce a lot of different styles yourself, do you enjoy delving into the different types of Hardstyle?
I think it’s really cool that we have so many different styles of Hardstyle. I personally am a huge fan of all music. I pull inspiration from a lot of different genres such as Rap, DNB and House to name a few. You can sort of hear elements from these styles in my music. 

 

Having achieved so much at such a young age what advice would you offer to younger DJ’s and producers who are looking to break into the industry? 
Just keep at it! Practice and learn as much as you can, be open to any criticism and believe in yourself :) 

 

Given that much of Australia is currently in isolation with the music industry being heavily impacted and going in different directions, what can we expect to see from you over this coming year? 
New music every month for the rest of the year, as well as new video content and potentially the return of a podcast! 

 

And finally, we ask everyone the same closing question. What is the craziest thing you have seen from behind the decks?
I once saw a guy get knocked out in the crowd and a whole bunch of security jumped in. Hope that dude is ok! 

 

Wow, what can I say, what an epic moment it was to interview such a big rising name in the Hardstyle scene. It's crystal clear that Firelite is going to be HUGE not only here in Australia but internationally. It's hard to believe that he is still so young as he radiates dedication, hardwork and drive! Having already picked up support from the likes of Darren Styles, Tweekacore and Nicky Romero, this is one artist I will be following very closely to see where he heads next. Be sure to show some support for our Australian artists by heading over and giving some support to Firelite.