Toyota and UPROXX handed Grammy-nominated DJ, producer, and songwriter Illenium the keys to the New All-Electric Toyota C-HR and sent him through LA with three emerging creatives for The Next Gear, a new series about creativity, big dreams, and building a career that endures. Riding shotgun for the first episode: melodic bass and trap DJ and producer St. Mary.
“This is my first year touring,” St. Mary told Illenium, and she’s feeling the speed of it: making music, building sets, playing live, and keeping up with socials all at once. Despite Illenium’s superstar status, his advice was simple — stop chasing perfect, work when you’re excited to, and remember it all comes down to the art.
Throughout the episode, the pair went deep on set building: how often to switch things up, how to tailor a sound to different markets, and how to tell a story that keeps the crowd moving. Getting the chance to ride with Illenium and pick his brain was a full-circle moment for St. Mary, whose first-ever remix was an Illenium song. By the episodes climax, she played him an unmixed demo over the C-HR’s sound system, and the whole car lost it. “That’s a fire demo,” Illenium said, before adding, “Literally no notes.”
Check out the full episode above, and stay locked here for the next ride. This editorial is presented in partnership with Toyota.
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