Born in Brazil and moving to Vienna in the mid-90s to pursue her musical dreams. Joyce Muniz started out mixing drum & bass and breaks, and soon landed a residency at the legendary Flex Club. This regular slot pushed her to develop into playing a more eclectic multitude of styles, from house and techno to dub. It was here that her ‘sound’ began to form, drawing on a wide range of influences and styles and filtering them into a dance floor context.
She began her production career in 2010 in the Viennese underground, fusing the sounds of her homeland with the contemporary beats of the city. Up until today, Joyce Muniz has released on influential imprints like 2020 Vision, Get Physical and chiefly the mighty Exploited, which brought the world her impressively accomplished full-length debut album, “Made In Vienna”. She also counts a multitude of remixes for major stars out there.
With a busy touring schedule, she also hosts her own radio show on FM4 Vienna, promotes her Joyce Muniz & Friends club nights, speaks regularly at Native Instruments MASCHINE events and is working on her very own live set which is sure to set pulses racing.
When you exude boundless creativity as she does, juggling this many projects isn’t just natural; it’s essential.
Meanwhile, her DJ sets to continue to amaze crowds around the world, taking in everything from deep, dark, percussive drums, to electro and driving house beats.
We sat down with this versatile miss-do-it-all to talk about her influences, her fantastic remix for Demetrius and upcoming work on her label. Enjoy!
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Hello Joyce, how are you doing these days?
Hello, I am doing fine. Life is treating me well even if I feel super busy. It’s good to be busy. It makes you feel alive.
Any highlights from the summer to mention?
I had a great summer. I played a lot of great shows. I also put some nice releases out. Also, even though was touring a lot I could find some time to work on some very cool collaborations that I’m very excited about.
You have recently released a remix of Demetrius’s “Keep Going.” on your Black Diamond Records. Talk us through it. And why this track?
I love this track. It’s the perfect mix between dance floor and home listening vibes. The message is a little bit sad but the beats are strong and powerful. I love the deepness of the track and it is sexy even though it’s a bit dark.
Give us an insight into what we can expect from you and the label over the next few months.
I made a remix for another artist on our label. The track is called “Lone Wolf”, from Toni & Mash. The remix will be the 2nd single from Toni & Mash on the label. The original will be released later this year. The remix I made is actually very different from the music that I produced in the last years. It’s very deep and slower than my other tunes. I would call it Trip Hop.
We have a few ideas for 2020 which we are still working on. We are talking to a few artists about ideas and might release another single from Demetrius as well. The reason why I started the label with my partner Josh was to build a platform for crossover electronic music. So it means we have the flexibility to go in different directions which is really cool. But at the same time it also means the options are unlimited and it’s not easy to decide. For me, it is always important to deliver top quality. I hope I can tell you more soon .
The reason why I started the label with my partner Josh was to build a platform for crossover electronic music. So it means we have the flexibility to go in different directions which is really cool.
Why did you start a record label while there are so many out there? What’s your mission and vision?
To be honest, I never wanted to have my own label. As you know, my style is very different than what I put out our label. As a producer, I have been working with different artists some of them are singer/songwriters with different styles. I realized that it was very difficult for them to find labels with this type of music which is electronic but its more a song than classic club music. My partner and I wanted to give a chance to the people that we have been producing in the last year and put their music out.
My partner and I wanted to give a chance to the people that we have been producing in the last year and put their music out.
How do you approach a new release? And what do you expect from an artist you signed?
First, I have to like it. Also, I have to be connected to the artist and of course the music. For that type of music, it’s also very important that the artist is able to perform it live. I think it’s cool to build a character and a connection to the label. The artists as well brings their own vision to grow and we will support them.
You come from Brazil. How has the music in that country influenced your own style? Genres like maracatu, foro, axé, tropicalia, bossa nova, …. must have been sticking at you?
Yes, I definitely have this inside me. A couple of weeks ago I met one of the legends of the contemporary Bossa Nova, Bebel Gilberto. I have been following her for decades. We got really connected and I really hope we can work on something together soon. That would be a dream and would make my mother very happy – my mother is a huge Bossa Nova fan so my roots are there. Back in the days, I had projects that were more connected to the Latin sounds so I never left it. It’s still inside me.
Do you incorporate any of these in your current projects?
Even if my music nowadays is not the classic Latin style, I still have the groove. I think the groove is my heart. Of course, I bring it in a different way but I think you still can feel it. As I said, I am very open. I have been going through many phases as an artist. I started with Drum & Bass and now I do House. I see myself as an artist and there is no rules for a music maker.
I see myself as an artist and there is no rules for a music maker.
Any advice on maintaining a successful working relationship in a crazy space like dance music?
First, you need to know what you want as an artist. Of course, it takes some time to find your style and direction. But as soon you find it you need to make a plan. Every artist who is successful has a proper plan. And one of the most important things is also discipline -, especially in the DJ world. You can’t party every weekend, travelling, hanging in clubs and being creative during the week. You need to find the balance and it can be tough. I try to sports when I can, meditation also helped me a lot and good food. Everyone is different. I try to do different things outside of the music world. There is a lot of things to explore.
If you could have produced any record in the world, which one would it be?
It’s a hard question because I love all kind of styles. But if can choose one … I would say Goldie – Angel. It’s a timeless liquid Drum & Bass tune with beautiful vocals. Maybe I am choosing that one because I have been trying to work on some Drum & Bass tunes lately. I could choose a few more tunes for sure. 😉
Thank you so much!