Joel Corry on being an LGBTQ ally, his friendship with Raye and his new single with Mabel

Words: Joseph Ryan-Hicks; pictures: Provided

Fresh off the heels of his late-summer smash ‘OUT OUT’ superstar DJ Joel Corry is making a beeline for another hit with his next bop ‘I Wish’ featuring Mabel.

Described by Joel as the “perfect winter banger”, ‘I Wish’ follows Joel’s impressive run of UK top ten singles – five consecutive hits to be exact.

Here, the reality TV star-turned-bonafide hitmaker speaks to Attitude about his latest tune, why he enjoys working with queer artists, and which celeb threw the best shapes at this year’s Attitude Awards afterparty…

You’ve been working on ‘I Wish’ for a few years. Why did now feel like the right time to release it?

I’ve always been in love with this record and knew one day I would release it. The song has an emotional message, and it feels like the perfect winter banger. The stars aligned to work with Mabel and I’m so happy we’ve made it happen.

What role did Mabel play in the creation of the song? Did you always have her in mind as the feature?

I’ve wanted to work with Mabel for many years and she’s the perfect fit for ‘I Wish’. She sprinkled her magic, delivered an amazing vocal and made it her own.

After an impressive run of consecutive top 10 singles, do you feel pressure to always hit big with your releases?

There’s pressure going into every release, but I’m grateful because it drives me to work harder and always improve. I believe in this record and I’m super excited for the world to hear it.

You’ve worked with several influential young artists in pop – MNEK, RAYE, Charli XCX and now Mabel. Why is it special to work with such talented, game-changing musicians?

It’s an honour for me to work with so many talented artists. I’ve built amazing friendships with the people I collaborate with. I’m just happy to be a part of their journeys and enjoy success with them.

Is there another LGBTQ artist on your radar who you’d like to collaborate with next?

I’m a big fan of both Olly Alexander and Sam Smith and I’ve also been in the studio with L Devine, who is an amazing talent and person. I’m open to working with anyone who brings good vibes to the studio.

You’ve DJ’d in some iconic venues. Have you ever played in a gay club? And if so, what are your memories of that?

I got asked to DJ at the Attitude Pride At Home Festival during lockdown which was great but now things are getting back to normal, hopefully I’ll be at some Pride events in real life neat year. They look awesome!

What was DJing at the Attitude Awards like? Which celeb threw the best moves on the dancefloor?

I had so much fun playing at the Attitude Awards 2021! The show was amazing and the after party went off! There were so many celebs on the dancefloor. I remember seeing Rylan busting some moves and Scarlett Moffatt was getting down to some ABBA. I’m already looking forward to next year!

You shared an incredible moment with MNEK last year when ‘Head & Heart’ became the longest-running consecutive number one of 2020. What was it like working with him and can we expect another collab in the future?

MNEK is very special talent and person and I’m so happy to be a part of his journey and proud to call him my friend. We’ve been together in the studio recently and he helped write ‘I Wish’ with Mabel. I can see MNEK and I working together for many years to come.

Earlier this year, another pal of yours – RAYE – bravely spoke up about her experience at her former record label. Did you reach out to her to offer any support or advice after her revelations?

I keep in touch with RAYE and will always be there for her if she needs me. She’s an incredible talent and I loved the experience of working together. I’m excited to hear her upcoming material and I can’t wait to perform our single ‘BED’ again.

‘Head & Heart’ and ‘OUT OUT’ became mega-hits in the mainstream – but have also taken on a life of their own as gay anthems. What does your LGBTQ fanbase mean to you?

I am honestly so grateful for all the support from my LGBTQ fanbase and buzzing to see that my songs are bringing people happiness. Producing music that can connect on the dancefloor emotionally is my aim. I can’t wait for everyone to hear what’s coming next!

What can non-LGBTQ musicians do to demonstrate allyship to the queer community?

I think one way would be by continuing to work with musicians, singers, writers and producers from across the LGBTQ community, but it’s also really important to keep educating ourselves and using our platforms to amplify LGBTQ voices as much as we can.

‘I Wish’ featuring Mabel is available to stream now.

Check out tour dates here.

The Attitude Awards issue is out now.

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