Dominique and Velvet Code have plenty to say about their collaboration on ‘You’re A Star (Get On Up)’, and we mean plenty. In this extensive conversation, the pair discuss how they first connected, the personal experiences behind the record, the considerable work that went into its many different versions, and their shared belief in music as a force for positivity and connection.
They also reveal what’s next for their partnership, with more new music planned for 2027.
How did the two of you first connect, and at what point did you realise there was enough common ground to make a record together?
Dominique: I think I had reached out to them at some point in the past. But at what happened to be the right time, they reached out to me explaining Velvet’s process and what could be done if I decided to record music with him. From the moment that happened, there seemed to be a moment of reckoning, in this case, a good one. The time came after so many failed attempts to move forward with recording solo projects and being unable the quality of person and skill that I would prefer. This moment arose with the potential to finally fulfill that intention. I wanted my vocals to be on a track that was viable and ready to meet industry standards. From the beginning, when communicating with So Fierce Music and Velvet were extremely professional and positive. They were very attentive and patient with me as I prepared to undertake this project. In fact, they waited several months for me to handle important matters and never made me feel rushed. I truly felt like I was given the respect and trust that I have deserved. That was very rewarding. And every step of the way I was reassured. Velvet has done amazing work with me and to help make a dream of mine come true and push it as far as it can go. In this day and age it’s almost impossible to imagine meeting someone and everything going perfectly in almost any case. Well, that is exactly what happened here. It has been one of the best working relationships and most productive collaborations that I have ever been a part of.
Velvet Code: Well, I founded So Fierce Music because I wanted to create opportunities for artists who have something special to offer, particularly LGBTQ2S+ artists and emerging talent who might not always get the attention they deserve. And we’re constantly on the lookout for new voices. With Dominique, it actually started on TikTok. We came across a video of him singing on an TikTok live, and there was just something about his voice and his energy that caught our attention. So we reached out to him.
Once we started talking, I realized there was a lot more to Dominique than just a great voice. He had a story, a real passion for music, and this wonderful appreciation for house music and what it represents. And of course, that’s right up my alley!
I think the common ground was there pretty quickly. We both believe music should make people feel something, bring people together and, most importantly, make them feel good about themselves.
When I heard the lyrics to You’re A Star, I could immediately hear the possibilities. It had this uplifting message that really connected with everything we’re trying to do at So Fierce. I knew we could take that emotion and build something that would work on a dance floor without losing what made the song special in the first place.
‘You’re A Star (Get On Up)’ comes from a very personal place, but it also has to work as a shared production. How did you navigate the balance between protecting the original meaning of the song and allowing each of you to leave your mark on it?
Dominique: Well, the entire time Velvet always knew he was going to be producing the original track. He met with me weekly to discuss how to go about helping him to know exactly what to create for me to work with as an artist. Per his request, I shared a wide variety of music inspirations, even if just to point to one instrument. I am am instrumentalist so this is crucial to my signature style. We discussed various artists in the history of music and types of sounds of house, music, pop music, R&B, and others, including gospel. Then he helped guide us to narrow down exactly what we would do in the first track. Once he had created a track that met those metrics that I was looking for, I listened for the first time.
Immediately, when I heard it, I jumped up off the bed and started dancing around and singing. I was crying. I just felt it, that that was the song. And because I wanted him to have an understanding what I would do, I made a voice recording of it. Once I sent it to him and he heard the chorus notes that I was doing and some of my vocal runs, he became very excited and that’s where everything really took off. He immediately put all of his confidence and support behind my abilities and my instincts, and encourage me to keep them exactly the same and not to change them at all. Since that time, that original reaction to the track never has changed. In fact, I could not get it out of my head. I knew this would be good for making pop and dance music. In fact, for a couple months before I finally wrote the song on the day of the recording session, all I kept singing was the chorus runs and running through different variations and combinations of what I considered to be my signature style; that bouncing back and forth in vocal parts, all playing together to create an energetic vibration of sound and collective voice.
Somehow, I just knew that this would be the song. In fact, I agonized a little in this new space trying to write the song in advance just so that I would know that I was prepared to record it. Despite all these efforts, I just kept indecisively thinking over and over again. Finally, on studio day, it hit me. I know velvet was a little nervous with the fact that I pushed it to the last minute, but he still managed to read the room and handle everything perfectly. I said I’m out of time, I have to make and give them a map for the producers to follow in order to know how I want to lay down all of this music. Velvet encouraged me saying that they needed some sort of guide as to how to help execute a flawless and efficient session. So, I got to work. I wrote it out, mapped it out, printed it, and emailed it.
Since he composed the original base track, he is permanently embedded in this song. But finally, I had someone to help me with the technical aspects that I could not accomplish on my own. And now, I could finally just show my writing style, my musicality, and the way that my brain looks at the bouncing around of notes and a happy space within a song. I also had an important message to share that could easily go in the wrong direction. It worked out! Once I had done what I intended to do, Velvet kicked in on the production side, walking me through this process. Very soon we would end up producing many of these remixes together.
As we remixed this package, it was quite difficult, but only musically. It was a lot of work to do in creating 12 different tracks with an approaching deadline. But, personally, it was a wonderful and amazing process. By that time, he had a full understanding of the different things that I like and that I hear. He worked hard to listen to me describe all of those musical notes and he applied them. But I am also producer. And he allowed me to add in pure select instrumentations and rhythmic patterns and percussion, since I’m a percussionist and instrumentalist. He allowed me to make the songs my own and worked hard to meet every little detail that I could come up with. One song, went through approximately 24 rounds of revisions.
Another was approximately 21 revisions. I remember feeling bad about this, but we had to come too far and Velvet trusted and made space for my ear. It’s great when you work with people who trust in your abilities and in your vision. And we both do that with each other. Another version was 17 revisions, 15, and so on. But it was a labor of love, and we both were in it and enjoying every minute of it together. With every day, this collaboration relationship got faster and more efficient. It’s not hard to share this project together because we could not have done it without each other. In this way, nature has had its way. And it is exactly as it was meant to be.
Velvet Code: I think the most important thing for me was understanding what the song meant to Dominique before we even started thinking about production. When someone shares something that personal with you, there’s a certain responsibility that comes with it.
I wanted Dominique to feel that his story was always at the heart of the record, no matter where we took it musically.
At the same time, I could hear so much potential to bring this beautiful message into the world of house music, which is obviously where my heart lives! I’ve always loved how house music can take something deeply emotional and turn it into this incredible feeling of joy and connection on a dance floor.
So for me, it was about giving it another dimension. Dominique brought the story, the emotion and that wonderful voice, and I brought my own musical influences, production ideas and probably a few more piano chords than absolutely necessary!
What made it work was that we both wanted the same thing. We wanted people to feel something when they heard it. We wanted them to smile, dance, sing along and maybe even feel a little better about themselves.
And I think that’s what I love most about this collaboration. We each brought something different to the table, but neither of us lost ourselves in the process. The finished record really feels like both of us.
What did each of you hear in the track at the beginning that perhaps the other person didn’t?
Dominique: You know it’s hard to answer that question. Maybe I am different. But to me, I don’t think we ever heard anything differently. It was not about the mere capturing of the songwriting. Velvet loved the songwriting that I brought and the musical notes and chords and harmonies. He loved my singing style for this track. We’ve been in complete symbiosis to the point it almost seems boring, but that truly is the answer to every question. It was perfect! That’s all. I find that quite amusing.
The record brings together quite different musical backgrounds. What did you find yourselves learning from each other during the process?
Dominique: Well, as anyone knows, Velvet has a very long established career in music and production and carries real weight, credentials, and experience that I admired from the beginning and found very impressive and exciting. Being able to partner with someone with so much inside experience and connections and a general good set of values and business ethics is another rare trait that we all look for. I am so lucky to have found that with him. I have learned a lot about the dance music industry, the various ways that that radio and club music is produced and released, and much more. In fact, we just learn things from each other every day. I don’t want to speak for him, but he has told me how I have impacted him musically as well and in his own ways. In this new way, we have both began again.
To me, that further confirms the shared collaborative destiny. I think we both complement each other and bring out the best in each other. For me, working with Velvet has produced some of my best work I’ve ever done. And he has lifted me up and validated my talent in so many ways, including how he has worked so hard for this project and stood behind it with everything he’s got. After being in situations and alone, it’s almost a miracle to have support like that especially with something so important to me.
Some people just wanna make some good music and have a good time. But if I was only gonna have maybe one shot, I wanted something that would make a difference in this world. Something that could inspire, encourage, and spread to every place around the globe and give love to the listeners as far as I could possibly reach. That made it not only important but a lot of pressure. I was pressuring myself to get this right in my own energy and performance. And Velvet captured that perfectly. We are always connected now.
Velvet Code: I think Dominique heard the song through the experiences that inspired him to write it. For him, it was deeply personal, and he already had this emotional connection to every lyric and melody. He knew what he wanted the song to say because it came from his own life.
I came at it from a slightly different angle. Of course, I connected with the message immediately, but the producer in me was already hearing the possibilities! I could hear those big, uplifting piano house chords, a driving four-on-the-floor kick, a funky bassline, some gorgeous vocal layers and a groove that would really come alive on a dance floor. My brain was already working out the arrangement, the breakdowns, the builds and where we could create those hands-in-the-air moments that I absolutely love.
And I think that’s where we really complemented each other. Dominique was connected to the heart and soul of the song, while I was thinking about how we could translate that emotion into a proper house record. How do we make the hook really land? Where do we strip the production back and let the vocal breathe? And where do we bring the energy back in with a big piano riff and a bassline that makes you want to move?
I’ve always loved that balance between soulful house and those big, feel-good club moments. You can have the tightest drums, the fattest bassline and the most incredible production, but if the vocal doesn’t connect emotionally, you’re missing the most important ingredient.
So I think Dominique initially heard his own story, and I heard how we could take that story and turn it into something that a thousand people could experience together on a dance floor. Neither perspective was more important than the other. We needed both to make the record what it is.
And let’s be honest, if you give me a great vocal, a funky bassline and an excuse to throw in some fabulous piano stabs, I’m like a kid in a candy store!
There’s a real sense of uplift in the finished track, despite the difficult experiences behind it. Was that contrast there from the beginning, or did the more celebratory character emerge as you worked on the music together?
Dominique: For me, I have been freeing myself from the bondage of those traumatic situations for quite some time. Several years ago, when I was still mired in poverty and dealing with severe physical injuries from various things, I became tired of all of the pain and stagnation and loneliness that remained. I was always intending and trying to heal. But I couldn’t remember who I was. How do you help yourself out of something when you can’t seem to remember, not only who you are, but also the good aspects of who you were? Qualities that I had that would have solved this in the past were not present and I could not find them. When the moment came that I couldn’t take anymore, I just decided to put the negativity of all of it in the darkness of it down and start completely over and surrender in every way that remained. I began running towards the light and towards anything positive or joyful or better. I made conscious choices to be self-aware and catch myself from drifting backwards into unproductive thoughts and energies. I chose a belief in something greater and went within to find it. And when I did, everything began to change immediately. Since then, I had remained in poverty for some time, but I realized that you know either way I’m going to be here. Maybe I should just choose to be happy. So, I removed anything that took away from any happiness. And I kept it very simple. I locked down sort of in a cocoon of healing. I prayed and meditated. I did my best in all ways, from my daily routines to the foods that I ate and so on. And I began healing. One day, I was so engaged by everything that I simply could not stand to feel that any longer. I forgave anything and everything that ever hurt me. From bigotry to oppression to unfair sabotage and destruction itself, even politicians. I forgave myself for punishing my own self in my grief. I declared positive statements aloud.
When I woke up the next day, I literally felt something click. And in that moment, all of those things that I had carried that had burdened me for so many years lifted off of me and were all gone. The huge weight left my shoulders. Suddenly, I was at Peace with my grief and anything that ever hurt me and I felt like my true self for the first time. I had a new sense of appreciation for all of the things that I did to be my best as I was had nothing and ever since. Suddenly, I became proud that I had gone through all of that, and without even knowing it had made the right choices. I actually had chosen a life of honor. Wow. That joy flooded my soul. And brought back the joyful happy person that was lost.
From that moment, I knew I had to try to help others find the joy. And feeling so much deep love and joy for everyone and so much concern for the state that so many people are in, I knew I wanted to speak to that and speak something affirmative and true to them. I wanted to give them some love and good energy to help as we navigate through dark times. The best thing you can do to fight against forces like that, is to rejoice and be happy. No matter what is going on. I always find that joy and peace and seek them in all things. In this case, writing music is included.
Velvet Code: I think the uplift was always there, even from the beginning. Despite some of the difficult experiences that inspired the song, Dominique had already found a way to turn those emotions into something really positive.
When we started working on the production, I really wanted to amplify that feeling. And for me, that’s where house music is such a beautiful thing. House music has always been about freedom, community, self-expression and finding joy, even when life throws some pretty awful things your way.
So naturally, my producer brain went straight to those uplifting piano chords, a funky, rolling bassline, driving four-on-the-floor beats and those big, soulful vocal moments that make you want to throw your hands in the air. I wanted the track to have that classic feel-good house energy, but still have enough punch and groove to work in a club.
And I think as we developed the arrangement, the celebratory side really started to shine through. We could create these moments where the vocal takes centre stage, let the emotion breathe during the breakdowns, and then bring everything back with that big, joyful energy. What I love is that we didn’t have to erase any of the sadness or struggle behind the song to make it uplifting. In fact, I think knowing where the song came from makes the celebration even more meaningful.
That’s always been one of my favourite things about house music. You can walk into a club carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, and three minutes later you’re dancing with complete strangers like they’re your best friends.
And if we can make someone feel that way with You’re A Star, then we’ve created something really special. Because sometimes the best way to celebrate how far you’ve come is with a fabulous bassline and a great big piano breakdown!
You’ve created several different versions of the track, from Afrobeat and disco house through to tech and melodic house. What surprised you most about hearing the same vocal and songwriting take on such different characters?
Dominique: Well, of course, I was surprised. But as Velvet remembers, I’m sure, that was what I always intended to do. I wanted to write a song that could be deconstructed and reconstructed in different ways and be versatile. I explained to him that I don’t really like standard remixes sometimes that are slapped onto a song. To me, not always, but sometimes, they are almost an afterthought of the original song. But I wanted each and every song to be its own song and be equally as good if not better than where it came from. I was intentionally writing a song that could reach the world as I said. So, I wanted it to have a message that was universal, relatable, and inspirational.
I wanted it to be able to go into any sort of genre or vehicle so that it could reach each and every space. For me, the surprise was in the fact that we were actually able to do that effectively. I can hear all of those intentions as I listen to the tracks. I’m a big believer in anything that Velvet and I do. But now I also just know. I look forward to hearing all of the other people who may take and remix the track and envision something new with it. I look forward to hearing this song through new interpretations and think it and it’s many versions could all be remixed endlessly. And I hope that’s exactly what happens.
Velvet Code: But the biggest takeaway for me was that Dominique’s message worked in every version. No matter what we did with the production, the emotion and positivity were still there. I think what surprised me most was just how versatile the song turned out to be! When you have a really strong vocal and a great melody, you can take it in so many different directions without losing the heart of the record. And Dominique’s vocal really gave us that freedom.
I’m a huge lover of disco and soulful house, so naturally I was drawn to those funky basslines, big piano chords, lush strings and feel-good grooves. That’s my happy place! But then you take that same vocal and put it over a tougher tech house groove, with a punchier kick, a rolling bassline and a more stripped-back arrangement, and suddenly the song has this completely different attitude. It’s almost like the vocal puts on a different outfit for a different night out!
The Afrobeat-influenced version brought out this beautiful rhythmic warmth, while the melodic house approach created more space for atmosphere, emotion and those big euphoric builds. What fascinated me was how the same lyrics could feel playful in one mix, powerful in another and almost intimate in the next.
And as a producer, that’s incredibly exciting. I love getting into Logic and experimenting with different drum programming, bass grooves, synth textures and arrangements to see how far we can push a track. Sometimes you mute half the instruments, change the groove completely, and suddenly discover something you hadn’t heard in the song before.
I also love that the different mixes give DJs the freedom to work the record into different sets, whether it’s a soulful house night, a disco party or a peak-time club set. And let’s be honest, as a DJ myself, I love having options!
When you have a lyric with a clear message, how do you know whether a new production is reinforcing that message or starting to distract from it?
From Dominique:
I have a very photographic memory. For me, once I’m committed to a song or a moment, I am able to remain there even with all the other data and storage floating around. Sometimes whatever I’m doing might influence another project. But to me, I followed the natural inspirations in the moment as they occur, which often leads to something I’m writing on another song I’m working on or vice versa. In my mind, they come from different energies or messages that I want to convey so they have a sort of distinct frequency.
So, I just tune into whichever frequency I’m trying to communicate in. This method for me keeps it simple and true to original intention. Then, when I listen to something else and start writing something else, I do that accordingly. Sometimes I’ll be listening to a remix that we are working on and I will feel the immediate urge to listen to this new track. But suddenly in that moment, I will write the entire new song in my head in seconds right there on the front porch. And we’ll spend a couple minutes recording what I just heard and giving myself the map.
Did I know I was gonna write that song all of a sudden while working on remixes? Absolutely not. But did I write it then, yes, I did. I think being in tune with your spiritual center, and the voice within, really makes navigating all these things less of a blind operation and more of one where no matter what you choose to do, you can see that it will work. I know my musical mind now, and the way I wrap notes around each other and bounce them off of each other and even the wall sometimes. I have been processing notes like this in my brain for so long, I have no doubt in what sounds good inside of my head. The hard part is just making sure to get it out of there. That’s what brings relief to my brain. As we go forward, I’ll basically just write them as they come and then go right in and bang them out and get to work finalizing them. This process has already been streamlining and will continue. We are just getting started.
Velvet Code: For me, it always comes back to the vocal and the emotion behind it. As a producer, you can get really excited about a great bassline, a new synth sound or some clever arrangement trick, but at some point you have to ask yourself whether any of that is actually making the song better. Sometimes less really is more, although convincing a house music producer of that can be a challenge.
With You’re A Star, the message is so positive and empowering that I wanted the production to feel like a natural extension of those lyrics. The groove needed to make you move, but the harmonies, chord progressions and overall energy also needed to support that feeling of celebration and self-worth.
I’m always paying attention to how the vocal sits in the mix, particularly during the bigger moments. If you’ve got a powerful lyric, you don’t necessarily need a massive synth lead competing with it. Sometimes pulling back the instrumentation, opening up the arrangement or letting a vocal phrase breathe creates far more impact than adding another layer.
I also think contrast is incredibly important. A more intimate breakdown can make that next big piano-driven drop feel even more euphoric. You’re creating a journey for the listener, and every production choice should have a reason for being there.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that technical complexity doesn’t necessarily translate into emotional impact. You can spend hours perfecting a sound, but if it distracts from what the artist is trying to communicate, it probably doesn’t belong in the record.
And ultimately, I trust my instincts as both a producer and a DJ. When I listen back, I want to feel the emotion of the song, not just admire the production. If the groove makes me want to dance and the vocal still gives me goosebumps, I know we’re heading in the right direction.
Because at the end of the day, nobody on the dance floor is counting how many plugins I used. They’re connecting with how the music makes them feel. And that’s always going to be the most important thing to me.
Both of you have experienced music as something that can create community and space for self-expression. How important was that idea to this collaboration, and what do you think house music can still offer people in that respect?
Dominique: I wrote this song intentionally to be for anyone and everyone. Not only does that mean it includes every little community that there is ever could be. But it also includes the entire global community. It’s for the community of life itself. It’s for everyone who has ever been knocked down, oppressed, unfairly treated, bullied, harassed, threatened, impoverished, disabled, and even for those who never have experienced any of those things. This song is for every star that there ever was. Those who went unacknowledged or suppressed by society or structures of power. It’s for every light that was dimmed or taken for whatever reason. And it’s also for every bright shining star that is already out there remembering exactly who they are and are doing their best.
For those that do for others and care for others besides themselves, this song is for you. The song is for those the sacrifice of their time, money, and life force to meet the needs of life around them. This is for those who dedicate themselves to be their best in any little or big thing.
Velvet Code: That was a huge part of why this collaboration felt so natural. For both Dominique and me, music has always been about more than entertainment. It’s about finding your people, expressing yourself and feeling like you belong somewhere.
House music has always had a special connection to the LGBTQ2S+ community, and I think that spirit of freedom, acceptance and celebration is just as important today as it ever was.
That’s really what I wanted to capture with You’re A Star. Yes, it’s a feel-good dance record, but there’s also a message about embracing who you are and celebrating what makes you different.
I think house music still has this incredible ability to bring people together, regardless of their backgrounds. For a few hours on a dance floor, all those labels and expectations disappear. It’s just people connecting through music, and honestly, we could all use a little more of that right now!
Was there a particular moment in the studio when the track stopped feeling like one person’s song being worked on by another and became something that belonged equally to both of you?
Dominique: I think for me, I love working with others. And like I told Velvet in the beginning, I want others to bring their unique artistry and do what they do best and bring it to bear in what we do together and add to what I will bring. My ego does not require something to be completely mine. I do not need any accolades or credit although we all want the credit that we deserve. But I feel that that is a value that extends to everyone. Because I have played in large symphonies in 300 member choirs and in my life of music, many many hundreds of concerts, I am accustomed to sharing the stage. There’s a certain energy in everyone being focused on the same music and making it it’s best. I have always loved that. Music is meant to bring people together anyways. Also, when you’re a star, you can just shine. You don’t have to worry about the fact that there are other stars shining, because you’re doing YOUR job. I never thought anything about whose song it was. And I was able to trust his ear to give me feedback to what I was doing in the studio. It had been my first time in the studio in many years. But when I heard and saw his reactions to what I was doing with the song, I knew everything was fine. He loved it! And I loved it! Luis, our studio engineer, he loved it too. It was an amazing session. This song was recorded in 3 hours!
Velvet Code: I think it happened when the production really started coming together and we could hear Dominique’s original vision taking on a whole new life. The vocal, the piano chords, the bassline and the groove all started working together, and suddenly it wasn’t just about producing his song anymore. We were creating something new together.
For me, that was the exciting part. Dominique brought the heart and the story, and I brought my own musical influences and production style, but neither of us was overshadowing the other. I don’t think there was one big dramatic lightbulb moment. It was more that feeling when you listen back to a mix and realize everything has clicked. The song still had Dominique’s soul, but now it had both of our musical fingerprints all over it.
Having gone through this process together, what has it opened up creatively? Do you see this as a standalone collaboration, or has it suggested other directions you’d like to explore together?
Dominique: From the beginning, we already had multiple tracks we have been working on. I have quite a few tracks that we have been mulling over. We are constantly reviewing, based on where we are, which way is the correct way to go from here. And we continue to be in Lock step and in agreement with everything, as usual. So, we are excited about upcoming studio dates. We have other songs already recorded, but have decided to go back in for this other track that feels like it should go next. Right now, I think we both feel like we’re ready to soar and I believe we will surprise each other as we start coming up with new creations as we move through the energy of all of this.
Velvet Code: Oh, we’re definitely not stopping with You’re A Star! We’ve actually been working on lots more material together, and I’m really excited about what’s coming next in early 2027.
The chemistry is there as Dominique brings such a unique voice and perspective to his songwriting, and I love exploring how we can bring those ideas to life through different styles of house music.
We’ve got a lot of new music in the works, and I can already tell you that 2027 is going to be a big year for both of us. We’re planning to release plenty of new material, both together and through our own individual projects.