Available for streaming on September 20
Two of dance music’s heavy hitters—HUGEL and Diplo—are teaming up for a track that is blowing up the internet as an ID. A joint release between Insomniac Records and Diplo’s Higher Ground, ‘Forever (feat. Malou & Yuna)’ is available worldwide on September 20. HUGEL and Diplo will support “Forever” by playing a show together at Brooklyn Mirage on Sunday, September 22, during the release weekend.
“Forever” is a breathtaking afro house single anchored to an iridescent topline about sharing an eternal connection with a first love. Ebbing and flowing around the heart-melting delivery, the track glides along wistful circular piano chords, rolling tribal drums, vibrant percussive accents, and deep basslines. The song has generated significant buzz online pre-release and was used in this Reels post of Diplo scaling Mt. Fuji, which has received over 4.6M views.
“This original version of ‘Forever’ (by Adventure Club) was the anthem of Ultra Music Festival 2014, which was also my first time performing at the festival in Miami. This track has stayed with me over the years and holds a lot of memories around this moment. So, when I was looking for a new sample, I realized no one had produced a house track version of this song, so I decided I would be the one to do it. While Diplo and I send each other music all the time, Malou actually first introduced the demo to him during a studio session they were doing together. I then sent him my first version of the song, which he tested out during his Antarctic set – the response was big, so many people were asking about the track. From there, we worked through a couple of modifications, and now it’s ready to share with the world,” HUGEL says.
Revered as the instigator of the Latin House movement with his hit “Morenita”, HUGEL has earned global recognition for his category-blurring, sultry compositions that command movement. Drawing inspiration from his Mediterranean upbringing and time spent in the Balearic Islands and Ibiza, HUGEL masterfully blends Latin, Oriental, and tribal rhythms to create a distinct sound uniquely in a category of its own. Since bursting onto the scene in 2015, the serial chart-topper has amassed an international following and over 1 Billion cumulative streams for his widely adored releases ranging from “Marianela (Que Pasa)” and “Morenita,” to his recent viral rework of LATIN MAFIA’s “Patadas de Ahogado.”
Diplo is a multi-Grammy winning artist known for his era-defining labels Mad Decent and Higher Ground, his house imprint launched in 2019 that has spawned dozens of Billboard Dance/Electronic hits and sold-out parties all over the world. Following their first collaboration “Stay High,” Diplo and HUGEL reunite to answer their fans’ wishes with the release of their highly anticipated collaboration, “Forever,” which has been generating buzz since Diplo teased the track in a livestream recorded in Antarctica during his expedition there last year.
Accompanying HUGEL and Diplo on this bonafide smash are Malou & Yuna. Malou is a singer/songwriter from LA who has become a hot ticket in dance music, leaving her stamp on progressive house, melodic house & techno, trance, bass, and beyond (releases with Ben Böhmer, Reinier Zonneveld, Jan Blomqvist, Giuseppe Ottaviani). Based out of LA, Yuna is an R&B and soulful pop artist whose silky vocals have graced tracks from some of the biggest names in dance (previous tracks with ZHU, Adventure Club, Ekali, Big Wild).
HUGEL, Diplo – Forever (feat. Malou & Yuna) is out on September 20 via Insomniac Records X Higher Ground. You can pre-order/pre-save it here.
ABOUT HUGEL
Instigator of the Latin House movement with his hit “Morenita,” – HUGEL is a multi-gold and platinum-selling artist with over 1 billion streams to his name, and with many of his tracks reaching the number 1 spot on Beatport, his music is played in top venues and most credible events all over the world. He grew up in Marseille by the Mediterranean Sea (South of France). His Mom raised him with funk, disco, and soul. He discovered the art of DJing with vinyl at 16 years old, influenced by the style of Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, Daft Punk, Amine Edge, and David Guetta. After a few years of learning production, he became a Hitmaker. His house music is inspired by Ibiza (Spain) and the Latin culture he soaked up while living on the Island. Selling out shows in America, Space (Miami), Superior Ingredients (NYC), and Academy (Los Angeles), HUGEL had residencies at Pacha & Ushuaia in Ibiza and has played the biggest festivals in the world, such as EDC Las Vegas, EDC Mexico, Tomorrowland, Lollapalooza, Parookaville, World Club Dome, Mysteryland.
ABOUT DIPLO
Over the course of a 20-year career that began with his now legendary Philadelphia club night Hollertronix, Diplo has collaborated with the world’s biggest stars and toured the world over. Born in Mississippi and raised in Florida, he continues to champion genres and artists from around the world through his labels Mad Decent and Higher Ground. His further projects include a publishing company and various book, film and television projects. The thirteen-time Grammy nominee and three-time winner is also a member of the iconic Major Lazer, one third of LSD—the psychedelic supergroup whose debut album has been streamed over 3 billion times—and half of Jack Ü with Skrillex and Silk City with Mark Ronson, whose Platinum-certified, Grammy-winning “Electricity” with Dua Lipa topped charts worldwide. His recent releases include a string of successful Higher Ground singles, last year’s Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 – Swamp Savant, his second album as country persona Thomas Wesley that was followed by an official remix mixtape, and 2022’s Diplo, his first full-length electronic music album in 18 years.
About Insomniac Records
Insomniac Records operates under the umbrella of Insomniac Music Group. More than merely just a record label, Insomniac Records is a destination where fans from all walks of life can discover and enjoy choice selections from a roster that includes some of the best DJs/producers from the global stage. On top of the 200+ releases since 2016, Insomniac Records has also curated its premier EDC compilation series, featuring four EDC Las Vegas and EDC Mexico master soundtracks. Signing a roster of notable talent, including Dombresky, Noizu, SIDEPIECE, John Summit, Vintage Culture, James Hype, Habstrakt, J. Worra, Matroda, LP Giobbi, Biscits, and beyond, Insomniac Records continues to foster unique talent it firmly believes in. The unparalleled track record of success has pushed Insomniac Records to the forefront of established dance music platforms.
About Higher Ground
Higher Ground is Diplo’s multifaceted house-focused imprint formed in 2019 as a platform to showcase both established and rising talent in house music and a home for his own house tracks and collaborations. Transcending a singular sound or subgenre, Higher Ground champions everything from deep/melodic house to tech house, lo-fi to Afro-infused house, and everything in between. With 3 Grammy nominations, multiple US dance radio #1s, Billboard, Beatport and Official Charts-topping singles, and over 100 impactful releases from the likes of Diplo, Paul Woolford, DJ Tennis, Damian Lazarus, JADED, Carlita, Andhim, Purple Disco Machine, Aluna, TSHA, Azzecca, and many more, Higher Ground has established itself as a tour de force in dance recordings.
Simultaneously, the brand has become renowned for its showcase parties, with signature events at New York Fashion Week, Coachella, and Amsterdam Dance Event, as well as yearly one-offs in London, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Seattle, and more. Pairing high-level design aesthetics via artistic activations and bespoke merchandise, the parties Ascend beyond genre and cultural boundaries, uniting audiences through a distinct yet singular vision of house music.
