Austin Millz

Harlem, New York. Whether it’s the culturally rich renaissance of the 30s, or the swagged out fashion of 2000s rap crews, there’s a distinct flair to the New York borough. “It’s debonair. It’s a swag. It’s very distinct,” says Austin Millz. Who – having been raised in the borough – is bringing that flamboyant energy to the world, via his increasingly smooth, upscale dance music cuts. For proof, see the staggering numbers taking him worldwide: a cool 20 bil views across all socials. These 20 billion views – which account for an insane 10% of all Instagram Reels sounds in 2022 – all come from a palette that refines Harlem’s cool into upbeat, global dance floor fillers. See: the ultra warm energy of 2021 single “Gold”, an absolutely huge remix of Nina Simone (“Feeling Good”) and a Chaka Khan sample (“Nobody Khan (Ain’t Nobody)”). Tread back further and there’s 2019 heater “Bad Behaviour” with Remi Wolf, and its stylish, technicolor bounce. This link to Harlem and the wider New York sounds of decades past runs deep for Austin. He was raised by two parents who, he laughs, “met in the Paradise Garage” – the infamous New York venue famous for all night disco, house and funk showdowns hosted by the iconic Larry Levan. “That’s the things they used to play. It was so many things. It was a fresh take on house music,” he says, remembering how dance music cruised into his interests from a very early age.