5 Tracks That Illustrate the Evolution of Will Clarke

Spain

Amnesia Ibiza

elrow Far Rowest

Will Clarke Curates Track of The Week: Dubesque - 'Dale'

Gray Area Takes Over Spotify's Official Guest List Playlist

Will Clarke Shares His Essential Classic Techno Tracks

Gray Area Partners With Diplo's Revolution for OCHO

Born and raised just outside of Bristol, 

 has carved his name into the world of house music with his dynamic style and one-of-a-kind beard. From his early exposure to Bristol's legendary musical history, Clarke's journey as an artist has been an adventurous one. His love for the city's vibrant music scene fueled his passion for music and influenced his first residency in Ibiza at the tender age of 17. 

With a sound characterized by rollicking bass, low-slung funk, and infectious hooks, Clarke quickly distinguished himself from his peers. In 2016, he burst onto the music scene with his hit record, "Booty Percolatin." The track's resounding success earned him a nomination for "Best Newcomer" at the annual DJ Awards in Ibiza, cementing his status as a rising star. Clarke's success continued to rise in the following years, with remixes of songs by U2 and Rihanna reaching number one on the Billboard Dance chart.

His inventive reimaginings of popular tracks demonstrated his ability to put his unique spin on music from a variety of genres, further showcasing his versatility and talent. In addition to his success as a producer, Clarke has gained notoriety for his DJ sets, playing for global brands such as 

, ANTS, and Trick, and making appearances at top clubs in Ibiza including DC10, Amnesia, and Ushuaia. 

His performances at festivals like Movement, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Electric Zoo have allowed him to reach audiences across the globe. Over time, Clarke would launch his record label, All We Have Is Now, with breakout hits like "Hallelujah," "U Take Me Higher," and "My Church." He also demonstrated his ability to remix tracks with reworks of 

Rock With Me

In 2020, Clarke expanded his influence beyond music production and DJing, launching The Will Clarke Podcast. The podcast features in-depth conversations with figures from a variety of industries, from athletes and chefs to fellow artists and music industry professionals. Kicking off 2023 with a global tour and the release of his latest song "Father," Clarke shows no signs of slowing down.

Music by djwillclarke

United Kingdom

Will Clarke

Italy

Marco Faraone

Archie Hamilton

Sweden

Adam Beyer

Anfisa Letyago

ANNA

Channel Tres

United States

Hint of Lavender

Hot Since 82

J. Worra

Monoky

Phoenix Jagger

Russia

Serge Devant

Benin

AMÉMÉ

Shmitty

Sinopoli

SOHMI

Denmark

WhoMadeWho

Germany

Ben Böhmer

Canada

Bob Moses

Caleb Dent

Türkiye

Carlita

Netherlands

Chelina Manuhutu

Cloonee

DJ Tennis

Eric Prydz

Green Velvet

HoneyLuv

Malóne

Slugg

TSHA

Will Renuart

Yokai

Orlando Amphitheater

Skyline Orlando 2022

Cristoph

Patrick Topping

Heidi

Hï Ibiza

Eric Prydz presents HOLO

Eric Prydz Presents HOLO Ibiza

France

Dombresky

LP Giobbi

Dillon Nathaniel

Kyle Walker

The National Hotel

MK Presents: Miami Music Week Pool Party 2022

Dalton Taylor

HVNLEE

The Ruins at The Knockdown Center

Will Clarke & Friends Open Air Edition

Anabel Englund

Ukraine

ARTBAT

Azzecca

Biscits

Martin Ikin

Indonesia

Bleu Clair

Born Dirty

Brazil

Carola

Disco Lines

David Guetta

David Morales

Duke Dumont

Eli Brown

Andy C

James Hype

Australia

FISHER

Loco Dice

Wax Motif

ACRAZE

AFROJACK

Alok

Chris Lake

Dom Dolla

Michael Bibi

Kaskade

Mochakk

Paco Osuna

Noizu

Mau P

Ferreck Dawn

Westend

The Martinez Brothers

Layla Benitez

Zeds Dead

Chase & Status

Martin Garrix

Lane 8

Yellow Claw

Finland

Yotto

Deeper Purpose

Dennis Ferrer

Franky Wah

Joshwa

Sonny Fodera

Marshmello

Chris Lorenzo

DJ Minx

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

EDC Las Vegas 2023

Quantum Brooklyn

Will Clarke on Tour, New York Edition

Palestine

Sama’ Abdulhadi

Aurora Halal

Holy Goof

EMBRZ

Eats Everything

Jess Bays

Melé

Dr. Fresch

Sam Blacky

AMBR

Will Clarke’s first breakthrough record was “Big Booty.” A hooky booty-bouncing beat signed to Worthy’s Anabatic Records in 2015. In a post EDM world, it was the perfect dose of weird and womp. As part of the rotating cast of Dirtybird players, he helped redefine tech-house. And while that music helped soundtrack thousands of nights out for a generation of clubbers, Clarke says his latest work is his most meaningful.

Big Booty

“I think the thing with dance music, “ he says. “Is that a lot of the time, it’s just for the club. And that’s absolutely fine. I think clubs have a real important place in our lives. But I think there’s actually more to [dance] music than just the clubs.”

His sound began to turn in 2018 with “Mercy,” a peak hour techno tune centered around an impassioned gospel vocal. You could tell that he was toying with something deeper, and more emotional than the club bangers he’d been known for.

Mercy

In 2019 he marked a new era with the launch of his label All We Have Is Now. An outlet for his most personal work. His emotionally charged releases “U Take Me Higher,” “Hallelujah,” and “Place Where I Belong” prove dancefloors can be moved with purpose and intention. They are also the most heavily supported tracks of his career. His audience has fully embraced his message.

“I'm trying to write songs that have a bit of a meaning,” Clarke says. And for many of his fans that message is loud and clear. Yet he recognizes music without traditional structure doesn’t always translate deeper messages to broader audiences. "Because I'm not writing songs that have full-on lyrics. It's kind of hard to get that across to people and [that's] what I'm trying to get at and with the videos."

Filmmaker Matthew Freiheit masterfully interprets Clarke's music in emotionally reverent pieces of visual art. Clarke isn’t interested in tired tropes he says, “I didn't want to just be like, Oh, it's a rave and a dude or chick is just taking some pills. And it's just a generic dance record video.” We’ve already seen that video a hundred times he explains. “I'm not there to promote, getting high and shit like that. I'm there to like, actually give a bit of a message out.”

The video for “U Take Me Higher” incredibly sets that tone. It’s a realistic portrayal of the desperate life of a drug addict is heartbreaking. While the vocal hook seems uplifting, the song’s melancholic chords are punctuated by the dark content of the video. It accurately depicts a cycle of abuse and failed attempts at rehabilitation. Something Clarke has witnessed first-hand.

“My family-run drug and alcohol rehabs. And I've always been around addiction in my life through working at the rehabs for my parents. So, I wanted to give a little bit of a message about that.”

It’s not all serious work though. His collaboration with MK, “My Church,” came with an abstract journey through the birthplace of techno. Detroit is where Clarke lives when he’s in the US, and where MK is originally from. So, it was important to both that the Detroit they know and love feature heavily in the video.

Will Clarke's exclusive set for OCHO by Gray Area on Diplo’s Revolution - October 2021.

Will Clarke’s move from Dirtybird Player to techno titan was a natural progression for the veteran English producer and DJ. His taste-making label All We Have Is Now bridges the gap between the nostalgia of the old-school and the intensity and weight of the new.

Tracklist: https://1001.tl/27368q29
Will Clarke - The Hymn
Will Clarke - Sometimes You Gotta Let It Go
Avision - Contrast
Josh Wink - Feel (Dj Seinfeld Remix)
Will Clarke - Mirage
Will Clarke X Shermanology - Searching
Baby Strange - Club Sabbath (Dense & Pika Remix)
Dave Clarke - Wisdom to the Wise (Red2) (A.Mochi Re Edit)
Will Clarke - Rock With Me
Dubesque - Dale
Will Clarke - Found My Love

Gray Area's mission is to build a bigger house music community in North America by helping fans discover exciting house music artists, event brands and festivals that are new to them. 

Connect with Gray Area: 
https://grayarea.co/
https://www.instagram.com/entergrayarea/
https://www.facebook.com/entergrayarea
https://twitter.com/enterGrayArea
https://www.twitch.tv/entergrayarea

Will Clarke - Exclusive Set for OCHO by Gray Area [10/2021] by Gray Area

It comes with an uplifting message he says. “This sounds really cliche, but I class a club as a church, as a community. I'm not a religious person. But I'm a true believer of what religion does to a certain extent. And it just brings people together. And I think that's what clubs do in the best possible way. You can have God knows what views and no one gets judged in a club. And I think that's what's really important to me.”

His artistic vision is now wholly focused. And he feels like he’s doing his best work yet. Because he says he’s not interested in following trends or making anything generic. “I don't see the point,” he states. “If I'm kind of pulling on the emotion chords of someone, then I've done the right job. In fact, that's what I kind of set out to do.”

Clarke is as honest and vulnerable in his music as he is with his podcast. These qualities are probably why the show is so bingeable. His winding and fascinating conversations with people like Walker & Royce, Oliver Heldens, and Patrick Topping allow his guests the space to settle and share in ways they don’t have the opportunity to in any other context.

He says he wants to encourage people to communicate better. “People need to talk more. We live in this world where even our music listening [or] how we watch things, we want everything now. And if it doesn't get our attention within the first 20 seconds, then we fuckin turn off. Long conversations [are] actually what we need. Because I think long conversation can be the way that we all grow as human beings.”

Will Clarke’s first breakthrough record was “Big Booty.” A hooky booty-bouncing beat signed to Worthy’s Anabatic Records in 2015. In a post EDM world, it was the perfect dose of weird and womp. As part of the rotating cast of Dirtybird players, he helped redefine tech-house. And while that music helped soundtrack thousands of nights out for a generation of clubbers, Clarke says his latest work is his most meaningful.

“I think the thing with dance music, “ he says. “Is that a lot of the time, it’s just for the club. And that’s absolutely fine. I think clubs have a real important place in our lives. But I think there’s actually more to [dance] music than just the clubs.”

His sound began to turn in 2018 with “Mercy,” a peak hour techno tune centered around an impassioned gospel vocal. You could tell that he was toying with something deeper, and more emotional than the club bangers he’d been known for.

In 2019 he marked a new era with the launch of his label All We Have Is Now. An outlet for his most personal work. His emotionally charged releases “U Take Me Higher,” “Hallelujah,” and “Place Where I Belong” prove dancefloors can be moved with purpose and intention. They are also the most heavily supported tracks of his career. His audience has fully embraced his message.

“I'm trying to write songs that have a bit of a meaning,” Clarke says. And for many of his fans that message is loud and clear. Yet he recognizes music without traditional structure doesn’t always translate deeper messages to broader audiences. "Because I'm not writing songs that have full-on lyrics. It's kind of hard to get that across to people and [that's] what I'm trying to get at and with the videos."

Filmmaker Matthew Freiheit masterfully interprets Clarke's music in emotionally reverent pieces of visual art. Clarke isn’t interested in tired tropes he says, “I didn't want to just be like, Oh, it's a rave and a dude or chick is just taking some pills. And it's just a generic dance record video.” We’ve already seen that video a hundred times he explains. “I'm not there to promote, getting high and shit like that. I'm there to like, actually give a bit of a message out.”

The video for “U Take Me Higher” incredibly sets that tone. It’s a realistic portrayal of the desperate life of a drug addict is heartbreaking. While the vocal hook seems uplifting, the song’s melancholic chords are punctuated by the dark content of the video. It accurately depicts a cycle of abuse and failed attempts at rehabilitation. Something Clarke has witnessed first-hand.

“My family-run drug and alcohol rehabs. And I've always been around addiction in my life through working at the rehabs for my parents. So, I wanted to give a little bit of a message about that.”

It’s not all serious work though. His collaboration with MK, “My Church,” came with an abstract journey through the birthplace of techno. Detroit is where Clarke lives when he’s in the US, and where MK is originally from. So, it was important to both that the Detroit they know and love feature heavily in the video.

It comes with an uplifting message he says. “This sounds really cliche, but I class a club as a church, as a community. I'm not a religious person. But I'm a true believer of what religion does to a certain extent. And it just brings people together. And I think that's what clubs do in the best possible way. You can have God knows what views and no one gets judged in a club. And I think that's what's really important to me.”

His artistic vision is now wholly focused. And he feels like he’s doing his best work yet. Because he says he’s not interested in following trends or making anything generic. “I don't see the point,” he states. “If I'm kind of pulling on the emotion chords of someone, then I've done the right job. In fact, that's what I kind of set out to do.”

Clarke is as honest and vulnerable in his music as he is with his podcast. These qualities are probably why the show is so bingeable. His winding and fascinating conversations with people like Walker & Royce, Oliver Heldens, and Patrick Topping allow his guests the space to settle and share in ways they don’t have the opportunity to in any other context.

He says he wants to encourage people to communicate better. “People need to talk more. We live in this world where even our music listening [or] how we watch things, we want everything now. And if it doesn't get our attention within the first 20 seconds, then we fuckin turn off. Long conversations [are] actually what we need. Because I think long conversation can be the way that we all grow as human beings.”

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Will Clarke

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