Will Sass Set to Release Debut Single On October 3rd
BY HOLLY VAN NESSIf you’ve been to a college party within the last few years, you’ve probably heard a track produced by Will Sass pumping through the speakers once or twice.
That’s because Will Sass is the mastermind behind the viral remixes of “Dani California” by Red Hot Chilli Peppers and “Alone” by Trevor Daniel. On TikTok alone, the trending sounds have been used over 1,000 times on videos with hundreds of thousands of likes. The songs quickly became a staple in the college party scene–which makes sense considering Will built up his name by playing at campus frat parties at Penn University.
Will would go from frat house to frat house with his DJ decks and perform live sets every single night. “It [wasn’t] like a formal thing, but just for the vibes, we started DJing all over Penn,” Will tells 34th Street in an interview. His journey only grew from there as his name became more and more known in the electro-dance world. Will went from performing sets at parties to producing his own music to opening festivals.
But Will is ready for something more. As impressive and admirable his career in behind-the-scenes music production and DJing has been thus far, Will is ready to get his name out there front and center.
Will Sass | Courtesy of Caity Krone
Instead of working solely on remixes of existing music, Will wants to create something from the ground up. And his diverse talents as a performer, producer, and songwriter ease the transition into this new era. He’s already mastered the art of performing live and captivating an audience from crowded college parties to impressive New York venues like Spring Place, Elsewhere, and Surf Lodge, and his magnetic stage presence and musical talent have earned him spots alongside Barry Can’t Swim, shallou, and KYGO.
On October 3rd, Will Sass will be releasing his debut single, “Alicia (feat. Alvin Risk).” The song is a left-field, dance-pop track that pushes the boundaries of electronic music with fresh, experimental beats. Alvin Risk–known for his collaborations with Skrillex and Kaskade–takes lead vocals while Will Sass opts to do what he does best; produce the song in its entirety.
After seeing a meteor shower in Joshua Tree, Will was inspired to create and reached out to Alvin in a burst of inspiration and excitement. By the very next day, the two artists found themselves in the iconic NightBird Recording Studios in West Hollywood and brought “Alicia” to life.
“I first met Alvin at a Coachella afterparty five years ago, and we instantly hit it off,” Will says. “We spent a lot of time just hanging out, driving around LA, listening to music, and going on hikes. But it wasn’t until ‘Alicia’ that we finally got to work together creatively.”
Alicia Cover | Courtesy of Will Sass and Caity Krone
Will recalls that the track came together effortlessly, like it was brewing on both of their mind’s and just needed to be put down on paper. When Will played Alvin the atmospheric opening of the song, Alvin immediately came up with beautiful lyrics about a girl leaving the Mormon church and the story just pieced together from there.
The track takes inspiration from a handful of producers that Will has looked up to or even worked with in the past, like Alessia De Gasperis (Skrillex, Diplo, Flume),Kamille (Dua Lipa, Little Mix, Mabel), and Nina Nesbitt (The Shires, Ranji). Additionally, Will has named Kygo and other DJs and producers like Marshmello, The Chainsmokers, and Zedd as impactful on his creative side.
With his upcoming debut EP, a vault of hundreds of tracks ready to share, and upcoming shows planned across the US and Europe, Will is ready to make the global stage his.