After a year filled with personal and creative ups and downs, bLAck pARty returns with The Last Dance, an album of deep emotions that will get you moving. This project is a kind of musical diary that captures what happens in 24 hours in the life of a DJ—from the energy of the party to the calm that comes when everything shuts down. Rooted in a desire to prioritize what genuinely makes people feel good, the artist presents a body of work that combines introspection, rhythm, and a lot of honesty.
has been cultivating a sound entirely his own, seamlessly weaving together elements of funk, R&B, Afrobeats, and hip-hop. His music moves fluidly across styles, guided by instinct rather than labels. bLAck pARty began his journey as a producer working alongside longtime collaborator Kari Faux, quickly drawing industry attention with his distinctive sound. His work soon led to collaborations with prominent names such as Issa Rae and Childish Gambino, as well as contributions to the acclaimed FX series Atlanta.
In the lead-up to his latest album, The Last Dance, bLAck pARty opened up to us about a year defined by emotional growth, sonic experimentation, and a return to grounding routines like sports and nature. We caught up with the genre-blurring artist to talk about DJing for Childish Gambino, building an immersive sonic world, writing with his parents, and why Sober might just be his most honest track yet.
How would you describe this past year in terms of work and creativity, and where do you find yourself now—both physically and mentally—at this stage in your career?
A: It’s been a challenge, but it’s also been a blessing. Just like anything within the industry, there were ups and downs, but it allowed me to grow in a real way personally and creatively. I’ve been playing sports again, so that’s been helping me clear my mind outside of the studio.
Let’s talk about "The Last Dance," your new album. What was the starting point for building this new sonic universe?
A: It started with me going on tour because I serve as the GILGA Radio DJ for Childish Gambino. While I was on tour, I just noticed what songs made people move and which songs were serving as songs to live by, and that was something I wanted to tackle with this album. That and I wanted to have some club songs for the DJs to play.
In this production, you introduce 10 tracks with different collaborations and the particularity that each seems to have a musical personality, but at the same time, they feel part of a whole. How did you manage to maintain a cohesive sonic identity despite exploring so many different styles on a single album?
A: I look at each album like a world. Each song is supposed to paint a picture of the world in your mind. So, as far as songs, I wanted to go with the records that felt the most seamless and sonically exciting enough to fit within the same world together. I know a lot of talented people, and I was fortunate to have some dope friends add in extra pieces needed for this audio escapist world we’ve built.
What were you looking for on a narrative or emotional level when building this 10-song journey?
A: I wanted to capture the rollercoaster of what it feels like to have a long day and wind down after a long night out. Like what does 24 hours in the day of a DJ’s life sound like?
"Moonlight" is a song you wrote with your parents. What was that process like, and what does it mean to you?
A: I actually started the album with a jam session with Black Samurai, Willy Yanez, and DJ Icee (all collaborators on the album) before I went off on tour. During that jam session, we came up with the production for ‘Moonlight’. My father stopped by the session for a while to hear some of the demos we had made. Before he left, he left me his notebook of poems and songs he had written. I took one of the songs and found the melodies to go along with the production, and the rest is history.
Which of the tracks on "The Last Dance" do you feel the deepest connection to, and why? I must say that when I heard “Sober,” I instantly felt so calm and smooth. The voice, the instrumental... It was like a journey for me. I enjoyed that song a lot.
A: I would have to say “Sober” because I’m really into the idea of time travel. The song explores the idea of love traveling through space and time. I don’t know, I just feel like the idea of being in love with someone feels like being drunk, and to have to come to terms with the reality that there may not be a happy ending is, well, sobering.
Were there any emotional, technical, or creative challenges while working on this album? And if so, how did you overcome it?
A: For sure. I experienced a breakup before working on the album, so that definitely can hinder creativity until you eventually figure out how to properly channel those emotions into songs. Kind of like alchemy. You just transmute.
What criteria did you follow to choose the collaborations?
A: No criteria; I just know some of the most talented musicians and singers, and songwriters and every record came together rather organically.
How does your experience as a producer influence your vision as a solo artist?
A: I had to approach this album from the eyes of a DJ. The job of the disc jockey is to entertain the crowd. I focused more on making entertaining records. Songs that make people dance. Songs that make people feel. Being a producer allows me to really have a grasp on what elements in a song stand out and help paint the picture for people.
What inspires you right now, apart from music? Movies, books, conversations…
A: Basketball, tennis, fishing, just being outside in nature, honestly.
Connect with bLAck pARty on Instagram.
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