Jia Lissa
New York native Chloé Caillet has rapidly ascended to become one of dance music’s most in-demand artists, conquering clubs, international festivals, and high-fashion collaborations within a few short years. Her journey has seen her launch a successful record label, SMIILE Records, and an acclaimed international party series, SMIILE, dedicated to queer rave culture. As her profile continues its impressive trajectory, Caillet is signaling a significant artistic evolution, looking beyond the confines of the traditional DJ booth. In a recent interview, the multi-hyphenate artist discussed reconnecting with the fundamental essence of the dancefloor through her new EP, ‘Dance Again’, and a bold return to her rock roots on her forthcoming debut album, suggesting that the world has only begun to witness the full scope of her artistic vision.
The 34-year-old artist, speaking from her Ibiza home, exuded a serene composure that belied her demanding schedule. Dressed casually in a vintage band tee, she emphasized the critical importance of maintaining balance amidst the relentless demands of a global touring career. This commitment to equilibrium is a conscious effort, a delicate counterpoint to the high-octane, genre-spanning odysseys she curates on dancefloors worldwide. Since her last feature in DJ Mag in 2023, following the release of her debut EP ‘Intro’, Caillet has honed her approach to personal well-being, finding a rhythm that integrates necessary periods of rest. This renewed focus on self-care coincided with a successful opening night of her CircoLoco residency at DC-10, a venue where she has held a summer residency for five consecutive years, marking a period of sustained high performance and personal contentment.
The ‘Dance Again’ EP: A Return to the Core of Rave Culture
A significant milestone on this journey is the release of ‘Lemme Dance’, her debut single from the new EP, ‘Dance Again’, created in collaboration with French musician and Ed Banger affiliate, MYD. The track, a vibrant electro- and French Touch-infused indie-dance offering, features Caillet’s own emphatic vocals declaring, "Let me dance again!" The EP, slated for release via Ninja Tune later this autumn, marks a stylistic departure from her more "peak-time, club-focused" productions, such as ‘Come Back 2 Me’, her February release with Toronto-born, Berlin-based house producer Andre Zimmer.
The recurring motif of "again" in both the single’s hook and the EP’s title is deeply significant, not as a mere repetition, but as a deliberate return. Caillet articulated a period of profound disconnection she experienced a few years prior, a consequence of the ceaseless touring cycle post-COVID. "It was this chaos post-Covid of nonstop touring," she recalled, describing a relentless rhythm of "sleep, eat, perform, sleep, eat, perform." For an artist who began her journey as a 14-year-old raver in Paris, immersed in the burgeoning Ed Banger scene, this disconnect was antithetical to her foundational passion.
Her solution was a conscious decision to re-engage with the dancefloor from a different perspective. "I went back to the dancefloor and was like, ‘I really need to reconnect to my essence of raving and dancing and what it means to be united on a dancefloor with a bunch of strangers’," she explained. This renewed immersion sparked a creative outpouring, resulting in a collection of songs that explore the transformative power of dancing and the communal sanctity of the dancefloor. "Every song on this project is a note to a time in my life when I was just a raver on the dancefloor, not in the DJ booth."
The six-track EP is a heartfelt homage to the vibrant scenes of Paris and New York that initially ignited her passion for dance music, enriched by the global sonic textures that have always characterized her work. Following her 2024 extended player, ‘Here To Make You SMIILE’, ‘Dance Again’ is deeply informed by the formative eras of Caillet’s artistic development, yet it transcends mere nostalgia. It is a deliberate artistic statement, a call to presence in an increasingly distracted world.
Addressing the Modern Dancefloor Dilemma
In an era grappling with the pervasive intrusiveness of smartphones and incessant chatter on dancefloors, ‘Dance Again’ serves as a direct, imperative response. Caillet acknowledges the inevitability of technology but emphasizes the importance of education. "Phones are going to be around, but we can teach the younger generation and try to educate them to keep the phone in the pocket because you don’t need that content. It’s not going to make your night better. When I’ve had my best moments on dancefloors, I don’t even know where my phone is," she reflected. Her intention for the project is to guide listeners back to the immediate experience through a collection of "club records," some imbued with emotional resonance through melodies and chords, others built on grooves designed to immerse individuals in the moment.
Her decision to release ‘Dance Again’ through Ninja Tune, rather than her own SMIILE Records, underscores its distinct artistic direction. Initially planned for her imprint, the EP’s indie sensibilities—featuring more instrumentation, lyrics, and notably, more of her own voice across half of its tracks—made it a natural fit for the esteemed UK label. This partnership, years in the making, highlights Ninja Tune’s reputation for championing alternative and indie-dance music. Caillet cited Ninja Tune as a long-time favorite, recognizing its role in releasing "some of the most important projects in the world of indie-dance [and] alternative dance music." This collaboration also signals a broader creative metamorphosis for Caillet: a transition from "Chloé the DJ" to "Chloé the artist," a spiritual evolution set to culminate in her highly anticipated debut album.
The Genesis of a Rock Album: A Vulnerable New Chapter
As ‘Dance Again’ gains traction, her debut LP is taking shape behind the scenes, promising a radical departure from her previous work. While the EP provides a stylistic preview, the full-length album will fully embrace Caillet’s rock roots, leveraging instrumentation, singing, and songwriting to an unprecedented degree. This venture into new territory is not without its anxieties. "It’s scary," she confessed, "because it’s vulnerable. I think a lot of us DJs hide up there behind the decks and express ourselves through a lot of machinery. It’s a new chapter. I’m really nervous, but I’m also really excited."
Caillet’s musical journey began far from the pulsating beats of electronic music. As a teenager, navigating life between New York, Paris, and the UK, she taught herself guitar and even joined a rock band during a brief residency in Bristol. Her return to New York saw her enroll in NYU’s music business program, followed by a series of industry roles, from an intern at Universal’s Republic Records to a music director for a hotel company. These experiences laid the groundwork for her first DJ gig at Soho House, which ultimately propelled her to global recognition.
Since releasing her debut independent single, ‘Love Ain’t Over’, in 2021, Caillet’s ascent in international dance circles has been meteoric. She has graced some of the genre’s most culturally significant stages, including Berghain’s Panorama Bar, fabric London, and Coachella’s Do LaB. May alone saw her make her debut at Insomniac’s EDC Las Vegas, delivering two back-to-back sets with salute and DJ Tennis, further cementing her status as a versatile and sought-after performer.
Industry Accolades and Broader Cultural Impact
Beyond her formidable presence in the dance music sphere, which includes residencies on Rinse FM and BBC Radio 1 Dance, Caillet’s influence has extended into the wider cultural landscape. In May, Saint Laurent personally invited her to DJ their exclusive Met Gala Afterparty at People’s in Greenwich Village, an event renowned for its elite guest list featuring luminaries like Charli XCX, BLACKPINK’s Rosé, Hailey Bieber, and Kendall Jenner. This was not an isolated incident; Caillet has previously soundtracked post-runway events for luxury fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, and Burberry, showcasing her crossover appeal and curatorial finesse. The past few years have also seen her play stateside stadiums and arenas, supporting major acts like The Martinez Brothers at the Torch at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and opening for Swedish House Mafia’s Paradise Again tour at Madison Square Garden.
Reflecting on her early days, Caillet fondly recalled earning a modest $50 per show, a sum she considered "sick for doing what I love." This perspective highlights her intrinsic motivation, a passion that was powerfully reaffirmed during a recent, unforgettable set. She recounted a sunrise performance in Detroit at TV Lounge’s annual Movement after-party, House of EFUNK. Despite being depleted from a month-long tour, she experienced a profound flow state. "I don’t know what happened, but I guess I connected to something else, and I was just the body playing the knobs," she described. The experience was deeply cathartic: "When I left that show, it was healing. The people, the silent exchange we had in that moment through music and through movement, was so powerful. I finished that show and had all the energy in the world to keep going and doing what I loved. There’s no cheque in the world that would come close to even expressing what I just felt in my heart." This anecdote perfectly encapsulates the intrinsic reward that continues to drive her artistic endeavors.
SMIILE: A Platform for Community and Creativity
While Caillet has achieved remarkable success as a DJ and producer, her foundational rock sensibilities have remained largely untapped—until now. Though she is not yet ready to set a release date for the album, she confirms its "extremely collaborative" nature, a stark contrast to the often solitary practice of DJing. She envisions performing the album live with a full band, having already written several full-length songs built around her own voice. "I really, really want to start performing live again," she stated, a sentiment conveyed with profound earnestness and physical affirmation. Her childhood dream of becoming a rock star, first conceived at the age of five, is finally coming to fruition. "Being alone on stage is great and fun and powerful in its own way, but I look forward to expressing the music with a group of people," she elaborated. "I know it’s hard to tour with a band – I’ve been there. But creatively, I’m ready to take the risk and the challenge."
This same passion-driven spirit fuels her ambition to craft an album that seamlessly bridges rock and electronic music, bringing her "closer to the essence of who I was" when she first embarked on her artistic path. While the LP represents an opportunity to "re-enter that side of myself," it will not be a complete departure from the dance and electronic world. Caillet envisions potential club edits of album tracks further down the line, anticipating that her existing fanbase will follow her into this new chapter, recognizing that "everything is connected." She sees her diverse output as "all a part of the same storytelling," emphasizing that while she has always "teased" her varied musical inclinations, she is now "announcing it."
Beyond her personal artistic evolution, Caillet’s commitment to community and artistic collaboration is vividly expressed through SMIILE, her LGBTQ-centered club night and record label. The SMIILE party series, launched in 2023 with events in Barcelona and London, was conceived to celebrate queer rave culture and cultivate safe, inclusive dance spaces. Under Caillet’s curation, SMIILE events have garnered a reputation for their welcoming atmosphere and diverse lineups, featuring a wide array of talent from the global underground.
This summer, SMIILE expands its global footprint with events in Barcelona, Ibiza, and Stockholm. A highlight of the series is the third-annual takeover of the legendary Pikes Ibiza on July 8th, where Caillet will be joined by artists like BASHKKA, Bella, Grace Sands, and Jennifer Loveless, promising an immersive experience of "solid grooves, authentic connection, and communal joy" from sunset to sunrise. The series has also successfully hosted parties in Paris, Mexico City, New York, and Los Angeles, demonstrating its international appeal and impact. The feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with Caillet describing it as "really rewarding and really meaningful." She noted, "I think people are in it for the same reasons we are. Seeing the way people respond to the amount of love and work it takes to do these parties, sign these artists, I feel like we’re getting it back. That exchange has been one of the most beautiful things I’ve witnessed."
SMIILE Records: Cultivating New Talent and Soundscapes
In January 2024, Caillet inaugurated SMIILE Records with its debut release, ’12 Inch Acid’, the first of several collaborations with Melbourne-based producer Luke Alessi. Their partnership proved exceptionally fruitful, with their second team-up, ‘The One’, achieving a Beatport No.1 in April of the same year. More than a year later, their soulful rendition of Jocelyn Brown’s 1984 classic, ‘Somebody Else’s Guy’—featuring newly re-sung vocals by the American icon herself—remains both artists’ best-selling track on Beatport and was crowned the platform’s top-selling house track of 2025. This success underscores Caillet’s discerning ear and ability to create commercially viable yet artistically credible dance music. The serial collaborators are set to reconnect on ‘Change’, a forthcoming track from ‘Dance Again’, extending one of the most productive creative partnerships in Caillet’s extensive catalogue.
Beyond Caillet’s own music, SMIILE Records has actively championed other artists since autumn 2024. The label’s roster includes collaborations with SG Lewis, Nyra, and PPJ, remixes from X CLUB., HAAi, and Obskür, and individual EPs from Chilean DJ duo AEROBICA and rising Amsterdam producer D Stone. A notable release in March saw Jen Cardini drop their first solo EP since the 1990s, ‘petit monstre’, via SMIILE. This project also initiated SMIILEWAX, a new imprint dedicated to vinyl releases, signaling the label’s commitment to tangible formats and diverse artistic expressions. "When I started SMIILE, I didn’t know what to expect. I started it because I just wanted to bring a bit of lightness and happiness and fun to what was going on post-Covid," Caillet shared. The rapid growth and impact have been astonishing: "Seeing how many artists have worked with us now and the success they’re having afterward has been incredible. Every night I go out, I hear one of SMIILE Records’ songs out on a dancefloor somewhere."
The swift rise of SMIILE’s curatorial credibility has led to a constant influx of collaboration requests from partners worldwide, to the point of "everyone feeling a bit overwhelmed." This growth necessitated a recent team meeting to streamline decision-making and project coordination. Crucially, Caillet emphasizes the importance of a team that evolves with the artist, understanding their developing identity. She has found this synergy within the SMIILE collective, particularly highlighting Carla Molina, who leads SMIILE’s creative direction. Molina is responsible for the label’s distinctive neo-rave-pop-surrealist graphic aesthetic, a visual DNA that was vividly showcased in a December 2025 Instagram collage of all that year’s cover art. "I looked at that and was like, ‘Wow. We’ve created an identity’," Caillet mused, acknowledging the profound impact of their collective vision.
Artistic Alignment and Future Horizons
Considering her extensive accomplishments, Caillet was asked if she feels she has fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a rock star. "I still feel like, artistically, I’m stepping into that side of myself, and I think this album is a part of that," she responded. While many DJ/producers never release an album, or do so much later in their careers, Caillet feels a profound readiness, an inner knowing that has intensified over the past two years. Chance encounters and "little nudges from the universe" confirmed her preparedness, culminating in a transformative six-day silent retreat at the start of the year.
The retreat, documented in an Instagram carousel, featured a screenshot of her iPhone’s Notes app, aptly titled "insights," listing twelve realizations, from "No path is straight" to "GO HUG A TREE." The final image showed Caillet embracing a massive tree, concluding what she described as "the craziest trip of my life." Of the retreat, she remarked, "That was really helpful towards connecting to myself and really understanding what it was that I wanted to do and who I was and who I am not. When you shut the noise out, you get closer to your essence." Experience and time have bestowed upon her the confidence needed to "show a bit more of myself to the world."
These converging factors mark the most significant evolution for Caillet since her last DJ Mag appearance. Today, she graces the cover as a true tastemaker with an unparalleled clarity of purpose. Her experience, expertise, and newfound confidence coalesce in ‘Dance Again’, the nascent debut album, and the continued expansion of SMIILE. "I feel like I am way more aligned and know myself way more. Back then, everything was an experiment. I was new to this world. That project [‘Intro’] was written during Covid," she explained, reflecting on her growth. "It was a moment in my career where things were extremely volatile, and I was just trying to get through it… I feel like I’ve been able to grow, but also bring others with me, and that’s been a beautiful journey. I have to say that in 2023, I didn’t have… not the strength," she corrected herself, "but the ability to do that yet."
As an eclectic selector renowned for her extended sets—"three hours should be the minimum," she maintains—Caillet’s reputation for a "deep bag" of diverse tracks could easily sell out venues on its own. Her expansive taste and versatility have positioned her as one of dance and electronic music’s most sought-after b2b partners, leading to collaborations with a diverse coterie of artists. Last year, her b4b set with Solomun, Four Tet, and Mau P at Ultra Music Festival Miami’s Resistance Megastructure earned the quartet the moniker "the Avengers," a testament to their collective power and Caillet’s ability to hold her own among giants.
Despite her current prominence, Caillet believes there is still much of her artistic identity yet to be revealed. "I think there’s a lot of my artistic side I haven’t shown yet, and I don’t think people misunderstand – I just think they haven’t seen it yet," she concluded, with an air of anticipation for the unfolding chapters of her remarkable career. Her journey, marked by self-discovery, creative courage, and an unwavering commitment to authentic expression, promises to continue shaping the landscape of contemporary music.
