Sigala on Avicii, Manchester Pride and working with Kylie Minogue

If you’ve been to Pride, your local gay bar or even just turned on the radio (we know, old-school right?) chances are your summer has once again been soundtracked by the uplifting pop beats of Sigala.

The 25-year-old DJ and producer, real name Bruce Fielder, has been an inescapable chart presence over the last three years, and he’s set to close the UK’s Pride season in style with a coveted Saturday night headline set at The Big Weekend in Manchester this weekend (August 25).

With no less than six UK Top 10 hits to his name and with the promise of an eagerly-anticipated Kylie Minogue collaboration on his upcoming debut album Brighter Days, out on 28 September, we thought it was high time we collared the Norfolk-born hitmaker for a long-overdue catch-up…

You’re playing the coveted Saturday night spot at Manchester Pride’s Big Weekend tonight – are you looking forward to experiencing a crowd high on Pride celebrations?

Yeah, I always love being involved in Pride celebrations – the crowds are always some of the most energetic and involved, which is great as a performer.

Will you be able to enjoy the party yourself? Have you been to Pride before?

Hopefully before my set I will have a bit of time to explore!

‘Came Here for Love’ and ‘Lullaby’ in particular have been inescapable presences at Pride events over the last year – why do you think they’ve been adopted by the LGBT community?

I try to make songs that are upbeat, feel good, and guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Came Here For Love and Lullaby are all about inclusivity and love – which is replicated in Pride’s ethos, so I guess the messaging combined with the incredible vocals of Ella Eyre and Paloma Faith, make them good Pride Anthems!

Your debut album Brighter Days is finally out next month -it’s been a long time coming! How does it feel to finally be getting the record out?

I am so excited to release my album! It has been a long time in the making, and it feels SO GOOD that everyone will soon be able to listen to it.

Do you think albums are still important today in the age of streaming, especially for dance artists like yourself?

For me, it was always a goal to release an album. I have so many songs that I love, and have worked on, but might not necessarily be able to release as a single, so it’s a good way to bring my body of work together – I just want to get more music out for people to listen to! 

You teased you’d be announcing your new single soon – when will we be getting an official date?

Haha – very very soon. And it’s a big one!! It is definitely a very exciting collaboration. Sorry, I can’t say more!

Obviously, there are a huge number of hits on Brighter Days already – what surprises have you got in store for us on the rest of the album?

So many exciting collaborations, new flavours and some classic Sigala sounds.

I know a lot of our readers are desperate to hear your collaboration with Kylie. What can you tell us about the track you’ve worked on together, and what was Ms. Minogue like to work with?

Kylie is a legend, so it was awesome to work with her and I’m so happy with how the track ended up. Initially, she wanted the track for her own album, but as that took on more of a country vibe, this fitted better in Brighter Days. I can’t wait for her fans to hear it, as they have been the most excited, and have been trying to dig for clues around the track for months!

We read you’ve got a mammoth 25 featured artists on your album – how do you go about deciding who to work with?

For me, a distinctive, strong vocal is so important for those singing my tracks. I reach out to people, some reach out to me, and if we get in the studio and it works then it all goes from there! 

Who are the other dream stars you’d love to collaborate with or put down a vocal for you?

Will Smith is someone I would love to get on one of my records! There are so many artists I would love to work with! 

We were all saddened to hear about the death of Avicii earlier this year. Were you a fan of his work? And as a fellow DJ dealing with life in the spotlight and the pressures of touring, how did you react to the news of his death?

It was so sad to hear that news. I was a huge Avicii fan and took massive inspiration from all his work. It just highlights how important it is to always speak to those around you and make sure you’re happy – because at the end of the day that is what’s important. He made the world a better place through his music, bringing people together. I only hope we (as musicians) can continue his legacy by bringing joy to people in the way that he taught us.

Rita Ora is also set to perform at Manchester Pride this weekend – we could definitely see a collaboration between the two of you taking over the charts. Would you be up for it?

I am definitely up for that – someone hook us up! 

Finally, do you have a message for all the LGBT fans who’ll be seeing you in Manchester this weekend?

Can’t wait to see everyone, hope you love the set!

Sigala’s debut album Brighter Days is out 28 September. Check out his upcoming UK tour dates below:

Thursday 18th October – Newcastle O2 Academy 1
Friday 19th October – Birmingham O2 Institute
Saturday 20th October – Manchester Albert Hall
Sunday 21st October – Glasgow O2 ABC
Monday 22nd October – Dublin Olympia Theatre
Thursday 25th October – London Electric Brixton
Friday 26th October – Bristol O2 Academy