Get to Know Rising Hard House Artist Cameron Fairy

1 week ago 1

Cameron Fairy talks about his UK rave roots, independent releases, and how he’s bringing hard house back to Los Angeles nightlife.

Connecticut-born DJ and producer Cameron Fairy is bringing hard house back to Los Angeles nightlife. Having split his childhood between the US and East London, he grew up with genres like post-punk and new wave. Artists like New Order and Depeche Mode were big inspirations for him. As he got older, he found himself exploring the UK’s rave history, including Manchester’s famous Haçienda nightclub.

This path of discovery greatly influenced the music he makes now. Since moving to LA a few years ago, Cameron Fairy has gotten deeply involved in the warehouse party scene, hoping to fill gaps he sees there — especially the lack of hard house DJs.

What makes Cameron’s rise particularly interesting is the way he’s going about it. Rather than waiting for labels to release his tracks, he’s leaned into independently uploading music on SoundCloud and offering free downloads. He’s still released music with labels like Redline Records and Transistor UK, but prefers the speed independent releases allow. Most recently, he dropped “Go There,” a bouncy, 140 BPM hard house club tune. It’s exactly what listeners should expect: huge drums and a catchy melody with a nod to the rave.

We caught up with Cameron Fairy to chat a bit more about his influences, independent releases, and what he’s excited about next. Read on for the full interview!

Stream EDMID Guest Mix 499 || Cameron Fairy on SoundCloud:

Where were you born, and what music or cultural influences from your childhood do you feel still shape the Cameron Fairy sound today?

I was born stateside in Connecticut and grew up spending my summers in East London with my dad’s family. British music from the ’80s and ’90s is the core influence of my sound. My parents raised me on post-punk and new wave, introducing me to New Order and Depeche Mode at a young age. After diving deep into the history of New Order, I learned about the British rave scene of the 1990s and began to get further into dance music. The sounds and aesthetics of those eras are my favorite. They’re deeply ingrained in my sound.

How did you first get involved with the club scene, and what drew you into electronic music in the first place?

I began getting more interested in dance music after learning about the Haçienda in Manchester from the movie 24 Hour Party People. After I graduated from university, I started going to raves and clubs in NYC. The culmination of my early exposure to music and time participating in the dance scene in New York was what pushed me to focus on electronic music.

How would you describe your sound to someone hearing it for the first time?

It’s a contemporary take on ’90s hard house and speed garage. Super slamming drums, sticky melodies, and nostalgic sound design, all tied together in a modern package.

How do you feel about the dance music scene in the UK compared to the US? Has anything specific to LA influenced you?

Both countries have amazing dance music. There’s a longstanding history of cultural interplay between the US and the UK that’s contributed to the sounds we’re hearing today, and it’s really energizing to see the innovation in music that’s happened in both countries over the past few years. Living in LA, I’ve been playing at loads of warehouse parties. I love that there’s such a strong taste for grassroots, underground music here, which is the core essence of what dance music is built on. You can hear those environments reflected in my current sound as my music has grown to fit bigger rooms.

Is there anything you think the LA scene is missing right now?

I don’t think there are too many DJs playing hard house. That’s what I’m here to change.

You released a single last week, “Go There.” What’s the story behind it?

It’s my favorite production to date. I was listening to a lot of old-school hard house and speed garage vinyl and wanted to give a fresh take on the sounds I was hearing. You’ll notice the sound design has a nostalgic edge and grit, but the track is presented for contemporary listening. My team and I will drive around and belt out the song in the car on our way to an event, and then I get to play it at the club afterward. It’s nice to have a track you can listen to across contexts.

You release a lot of music independently on SoundCloud. How has that experience compared to putting out projects like “Future Love Rave Sounds” and “West Ward” through labels?

I really enjoyed releasing with labels and learned a lot from the process, but I opted to begin dropping music independently because the speed of music and media consumption is so fast right now. When you sign tracks to labels, it can take six months for them to be released, so to gain the traction I needed to build my artist career, I realized that effective independent releases paired with clever social media promotion would be my biggest driver for growth.

How has social media changed the way you approach your artist project and the way you release music?

Socials have ingrained me in the ecosystem of my subgenres and helped me build strong relationships with my listeners, followers, and other artists. I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’ve seen across platforms and am really looking forward to touring and connecting with all the people I see popping up in my notifications. Growing my social platforms has been a significant factor in distributing my music so successfully.

What are you looking forward to for the rest of 2026 and beyond? Is there anything exciting coming soon that you can share with us?

I’m excited to keep dropping new music. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to announcing tour dates in the next few months.

Lastly, when you are not making music or DJing, what keeps you inspired and present?

I wake up at 6am most mornings when I’m not playing shows. I get up to walk before the city gets active, and I drink a cold brew or a flat white. I left weights throughout the week and really enjoy getting to the beach on the weekends to surf or swim. Being in the water and focusing on the waves is meditative for me. I find a lot of clarity in those moments.