This month’s student spotlight introduces you to PLS&TY, one of the most distinguished stars of the Future Bass world today.
We are proud of our students and their accomplishments. Each month, we connect with Icon Collective students and alumni who have taken programs in Los Angeles or Online to showcase their hard work and success. Their achievements offer a glimpse into what’s possible after pursuing music education at the Collective.
About PLS&TY
2017 has been a huge year for Icon graduate PLS&TY (short for “please and thank you”). His pop-infused future bass production style fueled a booming catalog of insanely catchy tracks that racked up millions of online streams.
Furthering his success, the powerhouse booking agency Circle Talent recently added him to their Icon-stacked roster. He has also played some massive shows and festivals across the US during his Good Vibes Tour. Moreover, PLS&TY just inked a deal with the #1 record label in the world, Universal Music. With their help, his track “Good Vibes ft. Cosmos & Creature” recently topped the iTunes and Spotify charts in multiple countries.
Needless to say, this dude is on fire right now and showing no signs of slowing down.
PLS&TY Interview
In the following short interview, we had a chance to catch up with PLS&TY now that he’s back in his hometown of Palm Beach, FL. to ask a few questions.
First things first – your track “Run Wild” – how the hell did you come across that random sample from a Finnish folk music song?
Completely by chance. I had stumbled across another Finnish song on Youtube and walked away from my computer briefly. When I returned, “Käppee” by Värttinä was playing. Youtube’s “Up Next” feature had randomly recommended and presented me with a chance to sample a vocal line that I thought could be completely reimagined in a dance music format.
So far, every single one your releases have vocals in them. Why is having vocals in your tracks important to you?
When the PLS&TY project first started, I began remixing many classic RnB and hip-hop tunes like Outkast’s “Roses” and Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous.” With these remixes, I developed a workflow of producing entirely original instrumentation around acapellas. Later, my original releases would only follow suit in the same manner. Moreover, vocals are the crux of all of my favorite songs!
When it comes to production, what are some of the essential tools/plugins you have in your toolbox that you almost always use?
LFOTool, Guitar Rig, A.O.M’s Stereo Imager D, SPL Vitalizer, and Waves SSL Channel.
What was one of the biggest things you took away from your experience at Icon?
The popularity of the song does not determine its value or greatness.
Your tracks are getting millions of plays on Soundcloud and Spotify, and you’ve landed deals with Universal Music and a booking agent at Circle Talent Agency. What would you say has been the components of your success thus far?
Persistence. The most important piece of advice that I could give to anyone involves persistently believing in oneself. Believe in yourself. Believe in what makes you unique. I promise others will too.