Joe Kay Speaks On A Landmark Summer, Performing At All Points East & His Debut Project

This summer has been a landmark one for Joe Kay, the Soulection founder and global tastemaker who continues to push the boundaries of what a DJ set can feel like. From curating sounds across continents to connecting with new communities, Joe’s travels have shaped both his style and his music, whether it’s discovering hidden gems on the road, championing UK talent, or building creative spaces that reflect his vision.

One of the season’s highlights came at London’s All Points East Festival, where Joe lit up the X Stage, weaving together South African deep house, timeless R&B, and unexpected edits into a set that kept the crowd moving. True to form, he treated the audience to a journey, sliding between tempos, blending genres, and dropping exclusive edits that made familiar records feel brand new. For Joe, it’s never just about playing tracks, an atmosphere that feels organic, global, and deeply connected is always the goal.

That same philosophy runs through his recent EP, If Not Now, Then When, a project that sees Joe step deeper into his role as artist and curator. Just as he once championed early sounds from artists like Kaytranada, Sango, and Monte Booker, Joe now turns his attention to a new generation, stamping emerging voices he believes are shaping the future. As he explains, it’s less about timing and more about intent, an extension of the ethos he’s carried since day one: putting people onto sounds and artists that deserve the spotlight.

In our conversation, Joe opened up about the influences behind his style, the role of travel in shaping his taste, his love for the UK scene, and even his ventures into interior design.. Whether through music, space, or style, Joe Kay is always building worlds, inviting us to step inside and experience the sound of now.

Hey Joe, how are you? 

I'm good! Just glad to be done with my set. Now I can kind of relax. That's the whole purpose while I'm here in London this time around.

Your style seems really influenced by the places you travel to. Can you talk about where some of your recent inspiration has come from?

My style is definitely shaped by where I travel. A lot of this look actually came from when I played a Nike event in LA. It was a youth football tournament for kids who didn’t always have access to the same resources. Nike was spotlighting some of the best young players in the city, and I got to DJ the event. They hooked me up with a couple of exclusive jerseys I really loved.

And then with other pieces, sometimes I’ll just see something and think, yo, I need that. So it’s really a mix of streetwear, things I pick up while traveling, and pieces that just stand out. Even this hat I’m wearing is by Jacob Rochester, shout out to him. It represents Jamaica and the Ethiopian flag. Honestly, I always try to wear things with my friends and support people I believe in.

Since you travel so much, that naturally influences the things you pick up and the vibe you’re on at the moment. Where do you feel like you’re at right now, both musically and style-wise?

That’s a great question. For me, it all connects. The music I play is always tied to my travels, it’s what I’m picking up along the way. No matter where I am, I’m trying to learn who’s creating in that region, in that diaspora. If I’m at a restaurant, in the airport, walking down the street, or sitting in a café, I’m always Shazamming or asking people, yo, what’s this? That curiosity is a huge part of what I do.

Right now, I’m leaning into sounds with tempo, music with rhythm and cadence that moves people, especially the women on the dancefloor. But I always do it intentionally so it still feels like me, still feels like Soulection. I don’t think Soulection should stay boxed into just the early sounds people first knew us for. The reality is, a lot of those artists; Kaytranada, Sango, Monte Booker, and others people associate with the Soulection sound aren’t even making that same music anymore. So we have no choice but to evolve, to keep discovering, and to embrace how much more global and diverse the sound has become.

More than just the clothes and sounds, it feels like you really try to connect with people through what you do.

Exactly, yeah. There’s definitely that deep connection. Speaking of all these different places, since I travel so much and get to play all over the world, this summer in particular, what really stood out to me was the UK. I can’t forget to shout out the UK and the amazing artists, DJs, and abundance of music coming from here, not just this year, but really forever. It’s my favorite crowd to play for in the world.

The UK just has so much talent. Artists like Odeal, Kwn, Sasha Keable, Nems, Vena, Yussef Dayes, Kokoroko, the list goes on. I also love what DJs like Juls and Quamsi are doing, and even more so, what collectors and communities are building out here. Groups like Apartment Life, Culture FM, those are my guys. There’s just such a strong scene, and honestly, I’m forgetting so many names right now, but overall it’s inspiring to see how much is happening here.

Especially with festivals like All Points East, where you get such a mix of sounds. It's really eclectic. How would you say your personal taste in music has developed over time? From the early Soulection days up until now, what’s changed for you?

That’s a great question. I feel like the sound has become so much more global and international. As I mentioned earlier, we’ve grown, and it’s not like we’ve abandoned our roots. We’ll always love and play that early Soulection sound, the future beats, the neo-soul, the R&B. That’s second nature to me, I still play it at home, and I’ll always have a love for it.

But over time, my ear has expanded. The sound has become more diverse, more fused, and I don’t like being put in a box. I think it’s important to represent different diasporas and different cultural expressions because there’s so much music coming out now, it’s easy for things to get overlooked.

So, where I’m at now, the sound feels global. It’s diverse, well-rounded, balanced, cultural, deep. It’s rooted in different parts of the world, and it reflects that international energy.

Outside of music, where else do you find yourself channeling that creative energy?

A lot of it has been through interior and spatial design. I purchased a property out in Joshua Tree, and that was my first real opportunity to explore and exercise my true vision, asking myself, what does a home I would actually live in look like? What does it feel like for people to experience? That process was really important in terms of exercising my creative flow outside of music.

Your environment matters. The space you work out of, the space you rest in, it has to feel right. It has to move me, inspire me. So for me, it was about creating a home filled with furniture and pieces that felt intentional and inspiring, something that pushes me creatively.

Speaking of that space, what are three songs that you feel embody the energy of the home you created, something you’d want to hear as soon as you walked in?

Man, that’s tough, there’s just so much music. But thinking about that desert energy, it carries this deep soul, an indie vibe, something really live and organic. So I’d say Yussef Dayes, Mansur Brown, that kind of feeling. And then Kokoroko as well, because they bring that live jazz fused with soul and live instrumentation. When you walk into the space, the sonics feel very organic, very alive.

How did you feel about your set today? Did it land the way you envisioned?

For the most part, yeah. I took it where I had envisioned, though there were definitely some records I didn’t get to play. But reading the crowd, I was able to lock in with music that I really believe in.

Today my focus was on tempo. I knew I was going up after different types of acts, vocalists, bands, so I wanted to make sure my set had that energy and movement. I’m not singing or performing live, so my goal was to move people, to give them rhythm and tone to lock into.

London feels like a home away from home for you. Were there any specific tracks or transitions you knew the crowd here would connect with?

I actually tried out a lot of different things I hadn’t tested before, and that’s when you really learn what works and what doesn’t. At one point, I was in this South African deep house vibe, and then I transitioned into Angie Stone, pairing those classic records with new energy. I’d take an uptempo track and bring it into an R&B record at the same tempo. That kind of journey is important to me. I don’t like sticking to one BPM or one box. I want people to feel like they don’t know what’s coming next. So yeah, there were definitely some blends and ideas I tested that I’d like to fine-tune and try again.

I also played a couple of edits, like Cleo’s, that aren’t the usual versions people hear. That way I wasn’t just playing the same records as everyone else. It gave the set a little twist, made it feel different, and that’s what I always aim for.

You’ve mentioned how certain artists really move you. What is it about them that inspires you the most?

Honestly, it’s their work ethic and the way they carry themselves. The way they promote themselves, it puts things in perspective. They’re intentional, but at the same time, they move fearlessly, they do what’s best for them, and they express themselves so freely. When you see that, it makes you feel like, damn, this is relatable. I want to go see them live.

That’s what motivates me, seeing these artists on the road, watching how the crowds react, how the fans connect with them. It’s not just local support in the UK or Europe. These artists are building real community and support in the U.S. and globally, and that’s not easy.

Definitely not. And another big thing you developed this year was your project If Not Now, Then When. Why was 2025 the right time for that?

To be honest, it’s never really the “right time”, and that was the point. That’s why we needed to do it. But where I’m at in my career right now, I felt the need to stamp the artists I believe in, the ones who are up next and have been putting in the work.

It’s no different from if I had created an original body of work years ago with artists like Snoh Aalegra, Daniel Caesar, Brent Faiyaz, or SiR, people I’ve been tapped in with early on. If I had released records with them five to eight years ago, those could’ve been completely different stories now. That’s why this project was so important: I wanted to step into the executive producer and tastemaker side in a real way.

I’ve always done it through the radio show, through putting artists on lineups, giving opportunities, but now there’s an actual body of music that people can sit with. That feels special.

Appreciate that, man. Last question, who were you most excited to see today?

I missed a lot of sets because of my own time slot, but I caught a bit of Sasha Keable. I remember just hearing her voice traveling across the festival grounds, it gave me chills. I was also excited to see Sault, and Cleo’s playing a little later. I actually saw her in L.A., but it’s always different seeing someone perform here, in front of their own crowd.