Wuki Japan Interview: The Journey from Over 200 Remix Works to a Grammy Nomination

With genre-crossing productions and a humor-filled personality, DJ and producer Wuki has ignited dance floors around the world. Over the past five years since the pandemic, he has crafted more than 200 remixes—an intense creative run that helped him reestablish his musical identity. Now, Wuki has returned to Japan, reuniting with his long-awaiting fans.

This time, we conducted a special interview at the SMIRNOFF pop-up bar, the official sponsor of WUKI’s Japan shows.



Starting his career in rock bands and later shaping his own style under the influence of artists such as Skrillex, WUKI has continued to evolve while staying true to his instincts.
In this exclusive interview, TJO speaks with WUKI about the inspirations that drive his creativity, the defining balance of “hard-hitting” energy and humor in his sound, the rediscovery of his philosophy that “music is meant to be fun” after five transformative years, and his vision for what lies ahead.

ー A Long-Awaited Return to Japan

TJO：It’s been a long-awaited return to Japan—not only for us, but for all your fans. How does it feel to be back in Japan after so long?


Wuki：I’m truly grateful every time I get to come to this country. The culture and the city are both so beautiful, and whenever I’m here, my heart feels full of joy. Being able to play my music here—and feeling how excited everyone is—honestly makes me feel so fulfilled. It’s amazing.

ー From Rock Bands to Electronic Trailblazers

TJO：You’ve produced across such a wide range of genres—who were the artists or styles that influenced you most when you first started making music?


Wuki：I first started playing music in rock bands. I played guitar and drums, and early on I was heavily influenced by hardcore music. Then I discovered The Prodigy—they were the first electronic act that sounded like a rock band to me. I immediately latched onto that and got really excited. After that, it was The Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, and I also love Underworld. And when Skrillex first started blowing up, he had a huge impact on me too.

ー Ideas Are Everywhere

TJO：DJs all over the world play your remixes. You’ve created so many that resonate across generations—I’d say you’re truly a “producer loved by the scene.” Where do those unique ideas come from?



Wuki：Honestly, ideas can hit me anywhere—even at the grocery store or a gas station (laughs). For example, if I hear a track with a cool guitar riff, I’ll think, “Maybe I can flip this and make it work as a dance track.” I’m always trying to figure out what I can get away with in dance music. I’m a huge fan of music across all genres, so I listen to a ton of stuff—always searching for something new. I think that’s a big part of it.

ー Music That’s Inspiring Him Right Now

TJO：What kind of music are you especially into lately?

Wuki：Right now, I really love the sound coming out of the UK. Artists like KETTAMA and Prospa—I feel like that’s some of the most exciting dance music at the moment. And I’ve always looked up to people like Skrillex and Boys Noize—artists who are genuine and truly artistic. Even after all these years, they’re still huge inspirations to me.

ー How He Chooses Tracks to Remix

TJO：Whether it’s a song you have a personal attachment to or one meant to rock the dance floor—how do you choose what to remix?



Wuki：First, I try to start with some kind of personal attachment to the song. If you don’t actually like the track, it’s not going to come out as good—and the excitement during the process is totally different. I also really value respecting the original. Even when I turn it into an EDM version, I want to keep what makes the original special. It’s a difficult balance, but I feel like I’ve gotten pretty good at it by now.

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ー An Astonishing Output: 200 Remixes in Five Years

TJO：You’ve created around 200 remixes in about five years—an incredible pace. What has been the driving force behind that productivity?



Wuki：It really started during the pandemic. There was no touring, nothing—you just had to stay at home. I think it was a mix of boredom and all the random ideas in my head that I needed to get out. I was just constantly making music. The most satisfying feeling for me is listening back to something I made and thinking, “Yeah… this is good.”

TJO：When you were creating almost every day, did you ever struggle to keep finding new ideas?

Wuki：Not really. There’s so much music out there, and you can always create something new. I don’t only do remixes—I make original music too. In the end, I think I’m always chasing that feeling of creating, and that connection I get with my music.

ー Rediscovering “My Own Sound”

TJO：You once said you felt “musically lost” during the pandemic. What was the key thing that helped you find your way back?

Wuki：What’s funny is that all the remixes I made actually helped me find my sound again. Throughout my career as Wuki, I’ve been all over the place—I’ve made bass house, trap, dubstep, house… everything. But across those remixes, I started to see a common thread. It helped me feel like, “Okay, this is who I am.” And honestly, I think you only get there by doing it constantly.

ー Why His Sound Is “Funny, Yet Still Hard-Hitting”

TJO：Your music and social posts feel “funny, yet hard.” How do you think about that balance?

Wuki：I think it’s just my personality. I’m not the most serious person in the world—I like to laugh and I like to have fun. And I feel like music is supposed to be fun. You should smile when you listen to music. You should smile in the studio, thinking, “This is awesome.” That’s just my perspective on life, and I think it naturally shines through in my music.

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ー The Story Behind “Beats I Can’t Release Mixtape [Vol.1]”

TJO：You released “Beats I Can’t Release Mixtape [Vol.1]” to celebrate your 200th remix milestone. What inspired you to put this project together?

Wuki：Fans had been asking me to do this for a long time. A lot of those tracks can’t be officially released on Spotify or Apple Music because of samples. So the way I can put them out is to compile them into a mix and upload it to YouTube and SoundCloud and places like that. I wanted people to hear more than just 15 seconds—so in the mix, you can hear a solid two minutes of each track. For picking songs, I included some of the more popular ones, some of my favorites, and also tracks I’ve actually released, like “Sunshine.” It took a while to make everything fit, but it worked.



TJO：What message or feeling did you want to express through the mix?

Wuki：I just wanted it to move really fast—like, switching things up every 30 seconds. I wanted it to show my taste across everything, from older music to the newest sounds, and pack all of it into one mix.

ー Looking Ahead

TJO：You’ve already achieved so much—like a Grammy nomination and collaborating with Skrillex—but what goals do you still want to pursue?

Wuki：Honestly, I’d love to win a Grammy at least once (laughs). But I try not to think too much about achievements. I just focus on making music I love, and everything else is a byproduct of that. Of course, I want to play more shows—bigger shows. And I really enjoyed making the mixtapes, so I’m already working on the next one. More mixtapes, more music—basically, I’m just going to keep creating.

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After more than 200 remixes, the answer Wuki arrived at was surprisingly simple: music is meant to be enjoyed. He picks up sounds from everyday life and transforms them into dance music that moves the floor. Blending humor with hard-hitting intensity, his sound will no doubt continue to bring smiles and euphoria to dance floors around the world—rooted in an unwavering commitment to never forgetting the joy of music.



Highlights from the wildly successful WUKI Japan shows—now concluded to a great response—can also be found on the Instagram account of the organizer, SUGARBITZ.

Don Julio 1942 Presents WUKI Japan Tour
– Dec 5th, 2025📍SEL OCTAGON TOKYO
👑GUEST：WUKI
TJO, DJ KOMORI and OCTAGON RESIDENT DJs
Prod SUGARBITZ Co.,Ltd.

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SMIRNOFF XMAS PARTY 2025 WUKI Japan Tour
– Dec 6th, 2025📍WORLD KYOTO
👑GUEST：WUKI
TJO, JO3, DJ YU-KI, DJ YUTA
Prod SUGARBITZ Co.,Ltd.

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Amazing times in Japan 🇯🇵 so grateful 🥲 pic.twitter.com/MUZX8wXyLh

— wuki 🌞 (@Wuki) December 8, 2025