A Boston-based DJ has the No. 2 dance club track on Billboard
He's beating Zayn and Ariana Grande.
While Joe Bermudez is prepping for his Weekend Warmup on 103.3 AMP Radio, he’s also awaiting a call from Billboard, in which he may find out that his new single, “Sunrise,” is No. 1 on Billboard‘s Dance Club chart. Right now, he’s in the second spot—right behind Rihanna.
Who is Joe Bermudez? If you’ve gone to a club in Boston or Las Vegas in the last two decades, you’ve probably heard his music. Bermudez is a producer and DJ who makes his tracks out of studios in Watertown and Danvers. He’s worked with Britney Spears, Pink, and Kelly Clarkson, and he’s opened for David Guetta. But “Sunrise” is the one that’s finally garnering him more attention than he’s received in 20 years of club appearances.
Music Choice often plays his tracks
“This is the most well-received single so far,” Bermudez said. “It’s kind of mind-blowing. This is my first one as my own artist. I’ve had several on the charts with other people, but this is my first on my own.”
The female voice on the track is Louise Carver. Bermudez heard her sing in South Africa and he said he “made a mental note” about her and went about his business. Then, years later when he was creating his new original, he knew he wanted to bring her in.
“I flew [Carver] to Boston for this whole project,” Bermudez said. “I had heard her sing in South Africa and knew I wanted her on ‘Sunrise.'”
Flying people to Boston can be funny, he said, because most people think he lives in a big music city, like Las Vegas or Los Angeles.
“People are always like ‘Wait, you live in Boston?'” he said. “Most people think I live in Las Vegas or L.A. But geographic location isn’t going to make good music. You can do it anywhere nowadays. I can make music on my laptop.”
Making music on his laptop is a lot different than lugging records around a nightclub or—worse—an airport.
“Technology is amazing,” Bermudez said. “When I first had to carry around records, you couldn’t leave them in your car because they would melt in the morning sun. Now I have a USB stick.”
Even with new technology, Bermudez knows the business is ever-changing, and although he enjoys working with other artists, the goal is to continue to write his own songs and one day get them in the hands of a Rihanna or Britney. For now, he’s working on a new album and aiming to release the next single by the end of the year.
“I want to write more music,” Bermudez said. “I’ve worked on music for [Rihanna], but I want to actually write the song. The more success I have, eventually I’ll get there.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com