Ones to Watch: AK Sports

In our Ones To Watch series, we highlight innovative producers pushing boundaries in dance music culture while carving out their own space.

LA-based AK Sports has been making waves that hit way beyond California’s coastline. Their hard, fast, fun techno sets and productions are heavily influenced by rave culture, and with an upcoming EP release on 240 Alles kM/H in March, AK Sports is a force in both live performance and production.

From Bondi to London

AK Sport’s journey into music began in Bondi, Australia, where she threw events and DJed. “I really learned how to read a crowd and get a dance floor going,” they tell Gray Area. “However musically it wasn’t creatively that inspiring.”

On the hunt for deeper creative stimulation, AK made the decision to relocate just before the pandemic.

“So I decided to hot tail it to London just before COVID and was able to cut my teeth at local underground radio stations.”

That’s where they got a taste of playing music that aligns with their own taste, not the crowd’s.

“I got to explore jungle and breaks and deconstructed club and really get into underground producers as well as be inspired by a thriving scene.”

The move refined AK's taste and laid the groundwork for the artist that would follow.

From London to LA

AK’s move to LA was unexpected, but ended up being a defining moment in their career. “I ended up in LA really by chance and truly found a place to launch the AK SPORTS project on a global platform,” they say.

There, she connected with Bianca Oblivion and Star Eyes, identifying a gap in the local scene and to launch an event series focused on UK sounds and global club music.

“We found a gap in the market and post-pandemic we kicked off our WARP MODE very FLINTA-forward event series downtown showcasing UK sounds and global club.”

The series had such strong vibes from the get-go, it led to a major milestone in the city. “This led us to the opportunity to throw LA’s first Boiler Room,” AK says. “And this teamed with releases on London-based taste maker labels is what truly helped kick off my global touring - a real DJ dream!”

Global Momentum

Over the past few years, AK Sports has taken her sound worldwide, expertly balancing respected underground clubs with major international stages including Glastonbury, EDC, Fusion, Miami Music Week and Tomorrowland.

For AK, achievement isn’t measured by lineups or scale, but the unexpected connections formed along the way. “Just traveling and finding out there’s fans in Serbia and regional China feels like an achievement,” says AK.

Despite the scope of their touring, AK remains candid about the challenges of an industry dominated by constant comparison and visibility metrics. “I will flag it’s hard to feel like you’ve achieved anything in this industry when there are DJs blowing up left right and centre,” they say. “Social media is so exhausting but I know I’ve been making progress every year - and that’s really the only measure of success you can use.”

Sound, Energy, and New Music

AK’s sets are defined by speed, intensity and genre fluidity. “My influences remain very European and UK,” they say. “I move between new hard techno and bounce, 2000s hardstyle and trance (but making it harder) and 90s happy hardcore - classic rave throwbacks.”

Their approach often blends contrasting elements, pulling from a wide spectrum of influences while maintaining a consistent sense of energy. “Lots of hybrids that feature psy to rap and different languages. It’s a mixed bag but I think the energy is there. It’s always about 160 BPM and over.”

If you’re going to see AK play for the first time, don’t expect to see any restraint. “Expect hard, expect fun, expect fast - and a plot twist,” they say. “I’m that DJ that’s jumping around on the table and passing out tequila shots.”

You might also catch them asking for a lighter and cigarettes and they’ve banned themselves from chatting on the mic. But it’s this playfulness and personality that makes them so easy to love, and this all carries into their upcoming EP on 240 Alles kM/H, set for release in March.

“I have a very fun EP rolling out fairly early next year that is really stepping into a way more playful side of techno than your typical hard-techno world,” they say. “I’ve always been multi-genre and this EP is really showcasing where my taste is at the minute. It’s a tasting plate of some really juicy genres.”

Connection and Challenges

AK’s idea of success is defined by shared experience rather than metrics. “When individuals tell me how my set made them feel, especially FLINTA people in safe and free places,” AK says. “Really it’s always a shared moment, shared catharsis that I have with the crowd.”

At the same time, they’re pragmatic about the realities of sustaining a global touring career. “Cutting through the noise [is hard] especially when social media is getting so much more competitive and overwhelming,” they say. “And touring expenses are a huge challenge as I do long haul flights to the EU often.”

So she’s considering relocating again, although LA currently offers a balance that works. “I just appreciate being a little closer to Australia in LA, and I’ve been out here for a minute,” says AK. “I’m grateful for American enthusiasm and support as well as the constant LA sun and nature.”

But if they had to choose a place to move, it would likely be Lisbon.

Advice for Emerging Artists

AK Sports is one of the most energising, compelling and authentic artists on the global techno circuit right now. So what’s their advice for baby DJs just starting out?

1. Taste comes first, then your skill comes with putting in the hours.

2. Follow your heart, your gut - don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Take risks.

3. Release music before it’s perfect - don’t wait till you have some magic EP that’s going to propel you into stardom just get started.”

4. Try not to give a fuck and just do it!!!!!!! Small steps are all part of the journey so JUST DO IT!!!!!”

For all their latest news, releases and events, follow AK Sports on Instagram