Name: Charlie Sparks
Nationality: British
Occupation: Producer, DJ
Current Release: Charlie Sparks's “Back From The Baker” is out August 1st 2025 via his label ELEKTRA. Grab it here.
Recommendations for London, UK: Eat Tokyo in Soho, it’s the closest to real Japanese food without going to Japan in my opinion.
Things I am passionate about but rarely get to talk about: Anime haha. If anyone wants to have a sit-down conversation all day about anime especially One Piece I am always available. For me One Piece changed my life and made me who I am today without my mindset and drive towards life. So thank you Luffy :)  

If you enjoyed this Charlie Sparks interview and would like to know more about his music, visit him on Instagram, and Soundcloud.



When it comes to experiencing the sensation of “energy” as as a listener, which albums, performances, and artists come to mind?

For me, the best representation would be my track ‘Kaizoku’! And anyone who has watched One Piece would understand.



I created this track using a sample and mindset that I was in one of the major battles, and I wanted to convey the energy and experience I felt during that battle, as well as the emotions Luffy felt through music and my style.

Trust me it’s pure energy and controlled chaos.
 
There can be many different kinds of energy in art – soft, harsh, healing, aggressive, uplifting and many more. Which do you tend to feel drawn to most?

It would be the soft and warm energy that has unimaginable weight behind it.

The energy is heavy due to its core emotion not relying on dark factors like aggression and harshness.
 
In as far as it plays a role for the music you like listening to or making, what role do words and the voice of a vocalist play for the transmission of energy?

I think a big one. Voices are one of the main ways we as humans share and express energy and emotion.

So when it is correctly balanced within music it can have a strong impact.
 
When it comes to experiencing the sensation of “energy” as a creator, how would you describe the physical sensation of experiencing this energy? [Where do you feel it, do you have a visual sensation/representation, is there a sense of release or a build-up of tension etc …]
 
I think within all senses, especially when playing.

You feel the beat thumping below you, the stage bouncing from the shared energy in the room. You hear the bass and the screams encapsulate the air. You can visually see the whole crowd and yourself in unison with the energy we all create.

Energy is something you can feel, hear, touch, and even taste sometimes.

When it comes to composing / songwriting, are you finding that spontaneity and just a few takes tend to capture energy best? Or does honing a piece bring you closer to that goal?

For me I always say when people ask for advice when producing is to ‘try less’. The more you try to create a ‘banger’ the less it becomes art and more business and restricted. It’s always the tracks that take the least effort and are always the best as you go with the flow.

For example “Welcome To London” I think took me no more than 30 minutes to get the main body of the track, then another 1/2 hours to just finalise the structure.
 


For your current release, what kind of energy were you looking for?

Fun and unique with the feeling of the rave.

I don’t want my music to feel dark but I want it to have that heavy intense feeling you get when you're on the dancefloor and you feel it in your chest and remember why you love this experience so much.
 
How does the presence of the audience and your interaction with it change the energy of the music and how would you describe the creative interaction with listeners during a gig?

It’s one of the most important factors for me. Energy is shared and when you have that feeling of bouncing back energy between you and the crowd there is no sensation like it.

It just boosts everything to the next level with the set and how you mix and feel in the moment.
 
What kind of feedback have you received from listeners or concert audiences in terms of the experience that your music and/or performances have had on them?

A lot of love all the time so thank you everyone for that it honestly makes me so happy.

I think a couple of times people say that they spoke to God and came back during a set. Or my favourite one would be ‘’Your energy and vibe is what makes it all so magical. Always love your sets. If Armin, Indira, Landry, and Lens and Cox had a love child: we would get Sparks.’’

For me, this is the best compliment as each artist named is a special ball of unique energy themselves.

[Read our Carl Cox interview]
[Read our Indira Paganotto interview]
 
The energy that music is able to generate can be extremely powerful. How, do you think, can artists make use of this energy to bring about change in the world?

Music itself has this power and I’m happy I can be one of the artists to make people feel this energy.

I think by motivating and inspiring people I get a lot of messages that I have done so. People have pursued their music love more after listening to me, so for me these small changes will create something big.