Groundbreaking DJ, producer and multidisciplinary artist LadyShaka returns with her brand-new collaborative release ‘Sweat’, released today via NLVRecords. LISTEN HERE + WATCH HERE.
Engineered for club peak hour, this high octane track delivers pure adrenaline and unstoppable bounce. Created to cross borders with Gunai/Kurnai and Yorta Yorta artist DJPGZ, UK producer KarmaKid, Italian-Australian artist DoloRRes and Brazilian artist Zaila, this globetrotting posse cut moves seamlessly between languages and cultures as the artists trade verses, culminating in a commanding rap debut from LadyShaka herself.
Written during the NLV Records-curated APRAAMCOSSongHubs at WisseloordStudios in Amsterdam during Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) 2025, LadyShaka says “This track started in a writing camp in the Netherlands with just two words from Aboriginal (Gunai/Kurnai & Yorta Yorta) DJ/ Producer DJ PGZ “work”. With some production from Karma Kid, a bassline dropped in, drums tapped out on a laptop keyboard; before we knew it Dolorres and I were on the mic. My work has always been about celebrating Indigenous languages, so when I finally had the chance to step up to the mic and rap in Te Reo Māori, I took it. A whole lot of sirens, sound effects, percussion patterns and two hours later, the track was done so we thought.”
The creative energy was instant, as she continues, “A few months later the final piece was bringing in Brazilian artist and rapper Zaila. I’ve known her since I was 14, so when we decided to shoot the video in Brazil, it felt natural to have her involved. As a fem queen it is not every day we are celebrated in electronic music so for me it was important to highlight other voices from our community. Brazil has always held a special place in my heart so it was an honour to work with another fem queen from this region. This record is a reminder; you don’t need English to make a banger or to stick to one kind of sound. It’s proof that unexpected languages like Portuguese, Italian and Te Reo Māori can collide and create something beautiful.”
As a multifaceted DJ, producer and interdisciplinary artist, Lady Shaka is an established trailblazer with a sonic selection that represents both her queer identity as well as her connection to the moana and the diasporas she belongs to. Her debut release ‘E Tu’ introduced audiences to the collective force of dance music in sharing a message of Indigenous resistance, with triple j commending her as a “global music icon who has been captivating dance floors around the world with her turbo blends of club forward bangers, bombastic remixes and Indigenous sounds”.
On the collaboration, DJ PGZ says “It’s exciting to work on a song with Lady Shaka, we were very keen to make something that felt like a workout song. Hope this makes you sweat… and work.” DoloRRes furthers this, sharing “We made this track together during a writing camp in Autumn at a very prestigious and historic studio in the middle of a woodland forest. It’s located in a town called Hilversum, an hour or so out of Amsterdam. In contrast to the song itself the time we spent there as a whole was extremely serene and felt like it was always just about to rain. Ironically the whole experience was anything but sweaty, must be a testament to imagination.”
Within the last 12 months Lady Shaka’s creative output continues to escalate as she continued her production streak with ‘Good Times’ featuring Rubi Du, a release which honed in her deep consideration for community and authenticity. From shows at Strawberry Fields Festival, Pitch Music Festival, All Points East, Body Movements, Rinse FM, Lollapalooza Berlin, Warehouse Project, on the live front she’s toured with Kehlani and JessB, performed at the MET Museum NYC, graced the cover of Mixmag ANZ, named one of Mixmag’s 2025 Breakthrough Artists of the Year and also programmed a stage of Maori artists at Glastonbury – the first in the festival’s history.
‘Sweat ft. DJ PGZ, DoloRRes & Zaila‘ is out now, buy/stream it HERE.