Kyle Walker Talks “Bliss” And The Shift In Dancefloor Culture

From deep and melodic sounds to the club-driven side of house, Kyle Walker is the man to go to. The Los Angeles native’s tracks can be heard in a car or on the grittier side of the dancefloor, making him a true genre-defying artist. He has pushed stylistic boundaries with some of his hit tracks including “Strut,” “Midnight Dancer” and “Fantasy.” His latest single, “Bliss,” released July 28, is no exception to his genre-bending sound.

The song brings bouncy basslines, catchy vocals, wavy synths and buildups slated to hype up the dancefloor. Indeed, the track is another impressive tune by the acclaimed artist.

Walker boasts an illustrious career to date, having graced some of the largest music festival stages such as EDC Las Vegas, Nocturnal Wonderland, Outside Lands and North Coast Music Festival. Top talent he has received support from includes the likes of Gorgon City, Vintage Culture, John Summit, MK, Lee Foss and Claptone. He has also showcased his sound on impressive labels such as Repopulate Mars, D4 D4NCE, Club Sweat and Saved Records. Walker proves to be a force to be reckoned with.

Here, Walker shares the inspiration behind “Bliss,” the shift in dancefloor culture, the craziest gift he has received from a fan and more.

Lisa Kocay: Can you describe your sound in three words?

Kyle Walker: “I guess inventive, boundary-pushing and fun, hopefully.”

Kocay: Can you talk about the inspiration behind “Bliss”?

Walker: “I think the name came from the vocals themselves as [it’s] a pretty popular sample, I would say, recognizable anyways. I’d say it’s kind of a classic vocal in a way that it brings people back to a time when I guess the dancefloor was like a place of escape, forgetting about the world’s daily grind and letting go—having a good time and a night. It’s hard to find those.”

Kocay: I noticed that you said what the dancefloor used to be. Do you think the dancefloor still is that way?

Walker: “In certain places, definitely. I just came from Houston this weekend [at the time of this interview, July 17, 2023]. I had a show on Saturday and it was definitely an amazing experience. I think when people learn to put down their phones and actually just listen to the music and speak to the people around them and enjoy the environment that they’re in rather than trying to capture a moment to maybe relive some sort of thing through a device rather than in your head. I think that always plays a role in providing a better environment. I think in a club scene, anyways.”

Kocay: Do you find that that escapism is usually the case when you’re touring or do you find it’s still a lot of people taking pictures with their phone?

Walker: “It’s definitely a lot of people taking pictures with their phones and such. I guess it depends on the club, though. So this one in Houston, it was kind of a dark typical room, loud music kind of club. So I think they built the audience to understand what’s to go there. The bigger shows definitely [have] more people, so there’s just going to be more people that want to take pictures on their phones or they’re going out for a night because they never do this—they do this once a month. It’s not like they go every weekend to a show. So I think when it’s more of a spectacle, it definitely seems like people have their phones out and such. I think it leads to a worse environment, I guess. I would rather see a club full of people just having fun with the people around them rather than trying to capture something through a phone.”

Kocay: I feel like another thing that’s part of that is now with being in New York City with bigger venues popping up, people just go to shows to be like, “Oh, I’ve been to that venue,” and they just want to go out. And I’m like, “I’m here because I love the music. You’re ruining my good time.”

Walker: “Exactly, and it does suck that those people can really drag down the vibe. One person can really turn the tide for like hundreds of others. It’s really important, I think. I’ve always tried to push cultivating good crowds and trying to bring people to shows that want to be there for the right reason and not people trying to just catch the next moment on their phone so they can be the cool guy on Instagram for a day or something.”

Kocay: How do you try to cultivate that?

Walker: “It’s hard. I guess just trying to push the content that I think people like that would enjoy. And also trying to always interact with people on a personal basis—not like I’m this unreachable or unattainable guy. I always try and give back to people, whether that be through DMs or after the shows. If the people come up, I’m always trying to connect with them more on a social level than like, I don’t know, some type of [person] who you can’t really talk to. I’m always trying to be somebody that’s easy to talk to.”

Kocay: That’s so nice. I’m sure you’re fans really appreciate that.

Walker: “I hope they do. It’s nice for me, too. I love meeting new people, too, so it’s always good after the shows if I see somebody from the beginning of the show and it’s a three-hour show and then I see them after. It’s amazing that they hung out the whole time. They want to come up to talk to me and introduce themselves and learn about them. It’s awesome.”

Kocay: I’m sure your fans give you gifts. What’s the craziest gift you’ve ever gotten?

Walker: “The craziest gift I’ve ever gotten was in Denver, a huge weed-smoking town, as you probably know. I got literally a joint like the size of [a] speaker. It was the biggest thing I’ve ever seen. I think I still have it and it had my logo on it, and I haven’t touched it at all. It’s still in the bag that they gave me, I think it was August of last year or something. I’m going to have to whip it out on a special occasion. It’s definitely a crazy thing. I never thought anyone would ever give me a joint the size of my arm.”

Kocay: I feel like I’d be a little afraid of that. One hit at your donezo. What’s your favorite song you made?

Walker: “I guess I have a couple. I really liked the song I’ve made called ‘All You Need’ and my remix of ‘Glide’ by Mind Chatter.”

Kocay: Where would you be today if you didn’t go into making music?

Walker: “Probably still living with my parents and probably working at the CVS pharmacy I was working at before. I was working in the pharmacy section of CVS here in California, and it definitely wasn’t the best. So I’m glad the music thing worked out for now.”