Being an artist for French DJ and producer Valentin Brunel – otherwise known as Kungs – means everything. He’s been making music since he was five years old, and as a teenager, he began to gain a following on social media with remixes of famous tracks by artists like Lana Del Rey and Bob Marley. Then, in 2016, after being signed by House of Barclay, he realized the song ‘This Girl, which, along with his debut album Layers, catapulted him into success. But going from small-time YouTuber to major music artist in the space of just a few years doesn’t come without a fair amount of stress:
“For me, the big, big success of my track ‘This Girl’ was a big chance for me because it allowed me to grow as an artist, tour around the world, and live the DJ life that I always dreamed of. But after ‘This Girl’, and after the first album, I didn’t take any breaks. I was touring all the time, and I was in the studio all the time, and in the end, I didn’t know why I was doing that because it was not a choice.”
He went on to say, however, that when the pandemic stopped him from being able to work, it gave him a moment to reflect. He says the break was good for him because it helped him realize that he has “the best job.”
Since his 2016 album, Kungs has mainly been releasing singles and playing sets, but this year saw the release of his second album, Club Azur. The album blends modern house and classic disco in a mix that’s sure to satisfy new listeners and fans of his previous work.
“I’ve always been a big fan of punk and disco music,” he says when asked about the choice of styles, “I really love the French touch that happened in the two thousand with justice, Daft Punk, Martin Solveig, and all those French guys… so naturally I have all these disco and funk influences.”
He also says his favorite track on the album is a song called Lullaby because of its more poetic and romantic sound. He says it was written on a rooftop in Paris just as the sun was down. There’s a wealth of emotion behind the track, and it translated beautifully into the music.
You can download Kungs’ latest album from all the major music streaming platforms, and if you want to know more about what he’s up to, you can find him on Twitter and Instagram. To learn more about his music, his inspirations, and an embarrassing story from his life on tour, then be sure to check out the full, exclusive Nexus Radio Interview.
