IN CONVERSATION WITH ONLY FIRE

Interview by Samo Šajn

Photography by Jamie Emmerman

Only Fire is a Croatian-born, US-based DJ, producer, and songwriter known for his high-energy queer club sound and DIY approach to music. With millions of streams and collaborations with artists like Kesha and COBRAH. He now returns with his new single Club Hoppin’, marking the start of a new era shaped by global club culture.

“Club Hoppin'” is the first taste of your upcoming album. Why did you choose this track to introduce the project, and what does it reveal about the record as a whole?

The whole album is a perfect summer vacation soundtrack for getting ready, going out, and the afters. Club Hoppin’ is the perfect first taste of all that — it’s about being horny in the club.

The track captures a huge sense of euphoria and dancefloor energy. How much of that was inspired by your experiences touring and playing clubs around the world?

I don’t think I would’ve ever made a fast BPM club track like Club Hoppin’ back at the start of my music career, when I was still just a producer and not a DJ yet. My experiences in clubs over the last few years definitely played a huge part in the making of this song, and the whole album.

I always love hearing catchy vocals when I’m out, but a lot of the time when I’m clubbing — especially in some of these underground Berlin clubs — the music is lacking vocals and it’s giving two-hour heavy instrumental sets. I can vibe with that at times, but it’s never really as fun. I need to hear some vocal samples. That’s the energy I want to give with my music.

You've said the song is very club-ready. What are the key ingredients that make a track work in a club environment for you?

Hard-hitting kick, cunty bassline, and catchy (and repetitive) vocals.

Your music often combines humor, sexuality, and empowerment. How have those themes evolved on this new album compared to your previous releases?

When I started out making music, most of it was me thinking of something ridiculous and then making it overly sexual for humor and shock value. Whereas my current music — and this album specifically — focuses more on feeling hot and ready, while still keeping some key elements of my earlier music and a few over-the-top lines here and there. It’s still very sexual, of course, but in a more tasteful way, I would say.

You've built a dedicated online following, with fans constantly asking for unreleased tracks. How important is that direct connection with your audience when shaping new music?

The connection with the audience is definitely one of the most important things to have as an artist. I love posting snippets of new music and seeing fan reactions to it. It’s always a nice dopamine hit, and it also helps in moments where I’m maybe not feeling that inspired to finish something.

When I post an unreleased snippet and see a bunch of people loving it and asking for the release, it inspires me to actually focus and finish the song instead of just moving on to a new idea.

As both a producer and DJ, how does testing music in your own sets influence the way you write and finish tracks?

In every DJ set, I always try to play at least a few new songs I’m working on, just to test the waters and see how people react. It’s my favorite thing to do when DJing, and it’s always very interesting to see what tracks get the best reaction.

This single marks the beginning of a new era for Only Fire. What can listeners expect from the album that might surprise them most?

There are definitely some unexpected moments on it, with songs like “Lady” and “Withdrawals”, but I don’t want to spoil too much. I think it’s important to listen to the album from start to finish because I made sure it tells a story, flows well, and altogether feels cohesive, while still exploring different sounds — just like my previous album Double Penetration.